From the Rabbi's Desk - Chabad Jewish Center of Petaluma

Friday, November 3, 2023 - 9:00 AM

In a slump?

It happens to all of us. Even all star baseball players (Congratulations to the Texas Rangers on the world series).

Strikeout after groundout. 0 for 4. Batting average sliding. He's got to be wondering if he even deserves a place in the major leagues. Does he have what it takes to bring his team to victory for the first time in 63 years?

This week we read a fascinating story in the Haftorah in which the prophet Elisha advises a destitute woman to gather empty vessels and to pour the one jug of oil she has into them.

She does as she is instructed, borrowing, jugs, pots, and barrels. And she begins to pour. And the flow doesn't stop. Miraculously, she is able to fill them all with the precious oil, and consequently live on the proceeds.

This is a powerful metaphor for life. Sometimes we feel like all our vessels are empty, broken, dusty, and useless. We lack the passion, strength, and motivation to carry on. We look around and we don't see obvious answers, resources, or a way out.

We need to remember. We do have a single inextinguishable, never-ending resource inside of us. The flask of pure oil - our divine soul inside, that cannot be tarnished, dimmed, or shuttered.

Those voids? Turn them into vessels. The emptiness? It's opportunity waiting for you to fill it up. You are on the team because you belong there. Within you, you have the power, skill, and fortitude to prevail; to turn a slump into a streak, to make it across the finish line as a true champion.

Class Photo

Wednesday, November 1, 2023 - 9:00 AM

Last weekend I attended the annual conference fo Chabad rabbis, connecting and networking with friends and colleagues from around the nation and from across the globe.

The highlight for me was a speaker at the grand banquet, who barely cleared the lectern while standing on a box. A nine-year-old boy, the grandson of the Chabad rabbi in Sderot, a border city in the south of Israel, where the ticking clock of danger is an everyday reality.

Young Avremi, in front of a massive room of people, counted to twelve. And described how that short interval is engrained in his brain and heart; it's the amount of time he has day or night to seek shelter when the rocket siren goes off.

It's the difference between life and death.

But, if that's the case, Avremi told us, it's also the difference between death and Life. In the span of those crucial 12 seconds, one can spread joy, offer support, instill belief, and breathe life into another. Live life in a way that every twelve seconds can change the world. His words, “chazak, chazak venitchazek” – “Be strong, be strong and let us strengthen ourselves,” resonate as a clarion call for courage, perseverance, and infusing this world with light, care, and love.

To hear the challenges yet to see the strength and resolve of this young boy left not a dry eye in the hall, while at the same time filling us all with pride and comfort.

With kids like this representing our future, one thing is certain. The Jewish nation will be stronger and prouder, shining our light, being a force of good.

Pictured below: Some 4,000 Chabad rabbis gather to pray together for the safe return of the hostages, and for the annual "class photo".

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