Angel for Shabbat

Each of us is an ambassador of our people; each of us represents the history, culture and traditions of the millennial Jewish experience; each of us is part of the Jewish destiny. To play our roles as proud and courageous Jews, we need to overcome inferiority complexes and reject “politically correct” pressures; we need to stand tall and strong on behalf of the God of Israel, the Torah of Israel and the People of Israel.

Who could be more successful, more beloved, more worthy of respect than Mordecai? He was a superhero who stood up for the dignity of the Jewish people, who was largely responsible for averting Haman’s evil decree to annihilate the Jews, and who rose to be the king’s viceroy. Yet even Mordecai had his critics.

When God first appointed Moses to return to Egypt to lead the Israelites, He used the word "lekh"--go. Yet, once the plagues began to afflict the Egyptians, God ordered Moses with a different word, "bo"--come. What is the significance of the words "lekh" (go) and "bo" (come)?

Many people fail in life because they dwell on their deficiencies rather than on their strengths. They underestimate their ability to perform masterfully, to rise to greatness. They don’t realize that overcoming one’s shortcomings is one of the wonderful challenges of life.

The Talmud (Yoma 9b) suggests that the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed due to the sin of sinat hinam, baseless hatred. Yet, “baseless” hatred seems to be rare, if not impossible. Whenever people hate, they don’t think their hatred is baseless.

For the Jewish people, history has always been experienced as a dimension of the present. As we go through life, we bring along our ancestors. We carry their names, we feel their presence.

Judaism that is based primarily on the “conservative” tendency becomes dry and over-ritualized. Judaism that is based primarily on the “restorative” element becomes quixotic and irrelevant. Judaism that is based primarily on the “utopian” element becomes deracinated, flailing out in various directions while disconnecting itself from the wellsprings of Jewish tradition.

If we want to vent our anger at the nations of the world, we certainly have had more than enough provocation. But the festivals of Succoth and Shemini Hag Atsereth remind us that the Jewish people have a different approach.  We do not wish evil on our enemies; we only wish them to repent, to see the light of reason and justice.  We do not pray for their destruction: we pray for their well-being!

We have the power to direct our inner thoughts in the direction of happiness. We have the capacity to overcome feelings of distress, by channeling our emotions in constructive ways.

The Shofar plays a central role in the Rosh Hashana liturgy and invariably is one of the highlights of the synagogue service. Its primordial sounds are meant to awaken us from spiritual slumber; and to evoke thoughts and emotions relating to the Akeida story, the Revelation at Sinai, and the Messianic Redemption.