Entering into the Hebrew month of Nissan, Passover is right around the corner.
If we were in Egypt, Pharaoh is just about ready to throw in the towel, having been battered by ten intense plagues. Freedom is so close you could almost smell it. Or could you?
The Jews had been slaves for 210 years, that is more than several lifetimes. Freedom was the stuff of fairytales, murmured as they lay another layer of bricks on the pyramids.
This was worse than Alcatraz. No water to swim through, no window bars to peer through. Would they even care to pick themselves up off their dusty cots and believe in Moses?
The Matzah tells us an incredible story of faith. They were so ready that when Pharaoh, himself a firstborn, came running to Moshe during the last plague, it was instantaneously "go time". At the drop of an Egyptian dime, an entire nation - over 600,000 - were en route. To the unknown. But to freedom. To a brand new life as the Jewish nation. And that they were absolutely certain of.
Perhaps, it was this very staunch faith, that merited the redemption.
In our own lives, it may look dark at times, but keep believing. The light at the end of the split sea tunnel is surely right around the bend.
From the Rabbi's Desk
Can You Believe It?
Behind the Costume
Why do we dress up in costumes on Purim? It's fun and makes for great facebook profile pictures, but it's got to have some meaning behind it.
You see, the Purim miracle was different than our usual idea of a miracle. The quintessential miracle that comes to mind is the splitting of the Red Sea, defying the very laws of nature. Something supernatural; extraordinary.
In the Purim story, the miracle is "natural". When Haman wants to annihilate the Jewish nation, it just so happens that the queen is Esther, a Jewess. It just so happens that Mordechai had saved the king's life from a poisonous assassination attempt. It just so happens that King Achasverosh is sleepless and has this very story read to him from his royal book of chronicles on the very night that Haman comes to the king to get Mordechai hung on the 50 cubit tall gallows that he built.
Purim is about seeing Hashem's hand and guidance woven into the fabric of everyday life. Not readily apparent, but there right behind the mask, right below the surface.
Let's recognize and appreciate all of the goodness that we are blessed with in our life, and let's celebrate!
Grounded!
A brand new airplane crashed in Ethiopia this week.
Eerily similar to another accident involving the same model airplane, the 737 Max 8 has been grounded around the world until the investigation is completed and the issues are resolved.
Not all countries were on board with the grounding right away, insisting that the aircraft was airworthy and flew thousands of flights a day safely.
I want to give a Purim shoutout to Indonesia and China for taking the initiative which snowballed into a worldwide ban of what was billed as a modern, fuel-efficient, air vessel. Here's why:
Haman's downfall was orchestrated by Queen Esther's clever plan of inviting the king (and Haman) to her feast, only to disclose that she was a Jewess and thus was included in Haman's evil decree to annihilate the Jewish nation. But to execute this plan required serious guts. The rule was that no one - not even the queen - dared come to the king without being summoned. Esther had not been called for 30 days. The offense was punishable by death.
But with the lives of her entire nation on the line, there was no room to think about personal consequences however severe. Life is too precious to ignore. Thankfully, the king extended his scepter sparing her life, and subsequently, she was able to plead for her people.
Sure, grounding the airplanes can be inconvenient. Money lost by airlines. Travelers with canceled flights. crowded airports. Billions lost by Boeing. But that is all trivial compared to preserving a single priceless life.
Perhaps if we can take this value to heart and share it with the world, we can reach a time when there is no room for hate and murder, no room for life-involving decisions to be swayed by money or honor. A time when life is paramount, valued and appreciated by all.
This can be summed up by a single Jewish word that fits perfectly with the Purim spirit: L'chaim -To Life!
Community vs Individuality
Community or individuality?
Should we all be alike sharing common values, tastes, and gaols? Or should we each be on our own individual track, distinct, separate, and essentially alone? Am I better off conforming to a template or blazing my own path (and perhaps sticking out like a sore thumb)?
Good news is we can get the best of both worlds. The name of last week's Torah portion was Vayakhel - that Moses gathered the Jewish nation together. This week is Pekudei - counting, each individual is distinct. Both elements are needed.
Last week, as we celebrated Shabbat 100, or rather Shabbat 120, this idea was crystal clear. The palpable energy in the room was electrifying, a magical crowd that could not be duplicated in miniature. And yet, the beauty of it was to have 120 individuals, each with their own identity, passions, and pursuits. The only way that Shabbat 100 was possible was by bringing together the individuals.
And that is where the magic is at. If we all simply became identical, then we are just redundant iterations of ourselves. Pretty boring, and to be honest, I'm not sure I'd want to spend Shabbat with one hundred me's. However when we each bring our unique contributions to the table, and we merge together for a shared interest, a common goal, that's a party that I'd like to go to. It may be unattainable on our own, but it is unstoppable when we join forces.
Let's keep on getting together for good things, and with each of our personalities, we can together continue to achieve miracles!
Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Dovid Bush
Super excited to welcome our counselors, Gitty, Sarah Leah and Chaya to camp this year! Hailing from Vancouver, Toronto, and Atlanta they were handpicked for Camp Aleph this summer! Will you be joining the 20 kids already enrolled for a summer of a lifetime?
Shabbat 100 - Sold Out!
One year ago, the Petalumacommunity came together in an incredible way to to make the Chabad Jewish Center's downtown location a reality.
Today, we prepare for the first-ever Shabbat 100 - and it is a sold out crowd!
Jewish Life in Petaluma is happening.
Tonight, wherever you may be, take a moment to allow your life to be special, to allow that special Shabbat ingredient to permeate your life, filling it with peace, holiness, and blessings.