Leadership.
As we all know from the Passover story, the Jews were suffering through Egyptian slavery, forced to do backbreaking labor, with no end in sight.
The Midrash tells us the story of how Moshe (Moses) was chosen to lead the Jewish people to freedom.
At the time, he was a shepherd in the land of Midian, when one day one of his sheep ran away. Moshe chased after the sheep until it came to a stream, where the parched lamb drank until its thirst had been quenched.
Moshe thought to himself "I hadn't realized that it had run off because it was so thirsty. Now it must certainly be exhausted from the trip". Moshe proceeded to pick up the lamb, cradling it in his arms and carrying it all the way back to the flock.
It was this compassion that Moshe displayed towards an individual animal that caused G-d to choose him to be the leader of the Jewish People.
Moshe was the quintessential leader, sensitive and caring to the needs of every one of his flock. Recognizing that the sheep who separated from the group did so not for any negative reason, but because it was merely thirsty. It had a unique need to address.
(In Wednesday's Torah Studies we also discussed Moshe's exemplary gratitude for everyone and everything that occurred to him).
We hope and pray that the leader of our nation, as well as anyone who is in a position of leadership, follow Moshe's example; showing compassion, care, and love for every single individual living in our great country.
But of course, there's a message in it for us. Each of us has a spark of Moshe, that leadership quality within us. Each of us has our circle of family, friends, students, colleagues and neighbors with whom we have some measure of influence. Let us each be the true leader we can be, showing genuine sensitivity, tolerance, care and love for each other, no matter how far that individual might have strayed from where we think they ought to be.
May G-d bless the UNITED States of America!
Good Shabbos!
Rabbi Dovid Bush
From the Rabbi's Desk
Burned?
A Flood of Kvetching
Nature Unleashed. Torrents of drought-obliterating rain. Widespread flooding, impassable roads. As my kids coined it; a rain blizzard.
It reminded me of a story from the Talmud:
Israel had seen no rain that year and it was nearly spring. The crops were suffering. They approached a sage known as Choni the Circle-Maker, and asked him to pray for rain.
With faith that his prayers would be answered, he instructed them to bring their Passover ovens indoors so that they don't get ruined by the (hopefully) coming rains.
He prayed, but nothing happened. At this point, he drew a circle in the sand around him and promised not to budge from the circle until it had rained.
It begins to drizzle. Unsatisfied, he turns heavenward and asks that the rain fill the trenches and reservoirs. Now it starts coming down as a torrential downpour. Once again, he lifts his eyes and insists "That’s not what I asked for. I asked for rains of goodwill, blessing, and generosity".
Finally, a pleasant rain begins to fall.
So, I was thinking, during the drought we kvetched (Yiddish for complained) about higher water prices, forest fires, and water shortages. We finally get 12" of rain, and we kvetch about flooding, traffic, and mudslides. Will we ever stop kvetching?
The truth is, that it's a beautiful thing. It shows a deep, familiar connection that we have with Hashem (G-d). It's like a child who feels comfortable making all sorts of requests from his or her parent. And the mom or dad, in their love for their child, comes through and fulfills their wish.
So keep on kvetching. If something isn't right, if you need blessings of health, success in your business or maybe it's just raining too hard, go for it. Reveal that special connection. Pray. Kvetch out of love.
Good Shabbos!
Rabbi Dovid Bush
This week we start a New Season of the Torah Studies classes. Classes and materials are all in English. Come to one or come to all. Try it out. It's weekly on Wednesday evenings.
We delve into the age-old stories of the Torah and find relevant meaning to our life today in 2017.
(If the schedule or topic doesn't work for you, but you'd like to study, let us know).
Social Responsibility
Social responsibility. Is it an opt-in? Is it a choice I make to extend myself in kindness to another?
This week's Wednesday night class centered on this fascinating topic.
Benjamin has been framed with the theft of a royal silver goblet. Joseph, whose identity is concealed from his brothers, insists on him paying the ultimate price - slavery. Judah jumps in and offers - or rather demands - that he take Benjamin's place. Judah had guaranteed his safe return to their father Jacob, and he would stop at nothing to ensure it.
Was Judah merely doing an act of kindness? Was he simply worried about his reputation, making good on his word?
The truth is, that Judah realized that at our core we are one unit. When one limb is in pain, the rest of the body can't ignore it and tell it to fend for itself. If one person drills a hole in the bottom of a boat, we all sink.
Caring for another is not simply because I choose to be nice, but in it's purest form, it's the realization that we are all branches from the same tree, we are in this together.
It was this selfless act, this expression of unity, that motivated Joseph to do the big reveal and in turn, reunite with his brothers.
Next time we see someone in need of help, let's remember. We are all in this together.
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A warm thank you to all of you who contributed to our end-of-year campaign! Your support is heartening and will help fuel this beautiful community's growth.
Good Shabbos!
Rabbi Dovid Bush