As the El Niño storm system pummels the California coast, turning our hills green and bringing waves up to 15 feet tall, things seem a bit topsy-turvy. Temperatures lower than the East Coast, mudslides and flooding.
Though I'm not a meteorologist, a quick google search lets me know that this is all caused by warmer than average waters in the Pacific.
As always, we can look for meaning in the Torah portion of the week. This week we read about the Jews in Egypt and the 10 plagues. Egypt is not just a thing of the past, but we each experience our own enslavements and limitations that hold us back from growth and advancement in our own lives. Let's take a look at the first two plagues and see how they were the original El Niño - the mix of hot and cold.
Blood - Water is cool; representing being cold and indifferent towards holiness which is associated with warmth, life and vitality. The "why should I care", the "so what" attitude. Blood is warmth, life coursing through our veins. In this plague (which is meant to be a healing process), the cold and indifferent Nile River is transformed into blood - excitement and involvement in holiness.
Frogs - Within the Animal Kingdom, some animals may bring to mind passion and enthusiasm, while others are more
chilled. The frog falls into this latter category. The frogs were notable in that they were jumping everywhere, they even jumped into the Egyptian ovens. Excitement in the wrong areas needs to be cooled off.
The message is to take a look at our interests and passions and make sure that they are aligned with our values. Sometimes we may need to add a dose of "blood" (excitement) to something that we just aren't feeling, while at other times, we may need to bring in the "frogs" to cool off an "Egyptian oven".
Get involved tonight (6pm) with the good kind of Warmth - Hot Matzah Ball soup, and an uplifting and lively Shabbat service.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Dovid Bush