Our Blog

How the Sukkah can help you be a better spouse

Friday, September 25, 2015 - 10:46 PM

"I hate you!"

These words strike terror in our hearts as we realize that a permanent scar has been etched onto a relationship. Months and years of pain will inevitably follow. More than likely there will be missed weddings and celebrations, even amongst siblings.

But this is only true of adults. Children, on the other hand, can utter these words and still be found playing lovingly and carelessly just minutes later.

It’s an amazing difference between adults and children. Adults would rather be right than happy. Children instinctively prefer to be happy, rather than right!

Learning how to love is the theme of the most beautiful Jewish Holiday we begin next week, the Festival of Sukkos.

The mitzvah of Sukkos, when for eight days we live, dine, and socialize in our temporary huts, differs from all the other 612 commandments in a very significant way. All other mitzvahs involve just a single part of the human body: Tefillin is only on the arm; Mezuzah impacts our perception; Kosher is in our stomachs; and Torah study is in our minds. Only the Sukkah envelopes the totality of our being, including every part of our body in the mitzvah of 'living in the Sukkah." As one sage remarked, "The mitzvah of the Sukkah sanctifies even the mud on our boots."

The Sukkah's enveloping us entirely is symbolic of G-d’s embracing us after the difficult Day of Judgement on Yom Kippur. In giving a hug, a person welcomes every part of the other, including their back, in the embrace. Likewise, the embrace of the Sukkah symbolizes G-d's acceptance of us for who we are, as we are, warts and all.

This is love. You might not agree or like everything about another person, but you learn to accept them for who they are. True love is not about being right; it's about accepting and being happy.

Let's learn from the purity of children how we can love. Please be sure to join us in the Shul Sukkah next Thursday for the Open House Sukkos BBQ so that you too can experience the embrace of the Sukkah and thus allow your soul to experience the power of true love!

For the fist time ever in our community...Kapporos!

Friday, September 18, 2015 - 10:47 PM

A delightful tale in the Talmud tells the story of Rachel, daughter of Rabbi Akiva, and her close encounter with death. Rabbi Akiva was advised by the astrologers that his precious daughter was destined to die on the night of her wedding. The fate of the Jews overriding destiny and astrology, he decided to remain silent about the matter.

Needless to say, on the morning after the wedding celebration, Rabbi Akiva asked Rachel if anything unusual had occurred with her in the last few hours. She replied that indeed she awoke to find a poisonous snake by her pillow with her hair pin through its head. In the dark of night, as she laid down to rest, instead of inserting the hairpin into the wall behind her, she had inserted it straight through the head of the poisonous serpent, killing it instantly.

Rabbi Akiva then asked his daughter if she had done any special merit of mitzvah recently. Upon reflection, she recalled the starving, poor man that entered the wedding hall, unnoticed by all the celebrants. She personally served him her plate, which he devoured and then promptly left.

Relieved, Rabbi Akiva exclaimed: "Know, my daughter, that you were saved from certain death in the merit of your Tzedaka. Indeed, Tzedaka - Charity - saves one from death!"

As we face the Day of Judgement, an ancient Jewish Custom is to redeem our sins through charity. Specifically, we purchase a chicken, a rooster for a each male and a hen for each female, and lift them above our heads as we declare that this chicken will be donated to charity in exchange for our sins.

You might recall cherished memories of your bubbe and zeidy schlepping you early in the morning before Yom Kippur to "shlog kaporos", redeem the sins with the chickens. We, at Chabad, are delighted to introduce this ancient Jewish custom to our community next week.

Please join us on Monday at 5:30-7:00 PM in the park behind our shul to "shlog kaporos", to connect with the sweet memories and traditions of our bubbes and zeidies. Try to bring your children and grandchildren to ensure that they will have the same cherished memories of their bubby and zeidy with the “Yom Kippur Chickens" that you have of yours!

Read more about the Kapparot Chicken Tradition here
Reserve your Chicken for Shloggen Kapporos at www.JewishGardens.com/RSVP

May all our sins and indiscretions be transformed through the kind charity of the kaporos we do, and may we all be sealed in the book of Life and Joy, on this Yom Kippur.

Something to share at your Rosh Hashana Dinner Table

Friday, September 11, 2015 - 10:48 PM

Here's a relevant and inspirational message for Rosh Hashana this year that you can think about in Shul or wherever you'll be on Monday:

We constantly reference our male and female ancestors in the prayers of the holiday, but when you think about it, at least two of them might not have been such great examples!

Genesis tells us the story of the blind and elderly Isaac wanting to bless his wild son Esau instead of his righteous son Jacob. In a dramatic episode, Rebecca resorts to deceiving her husband Isaac. She convinces Jacob to dress up like Esau so that their father Isaac should think he is blessing Esau when in reality it is Jacob.

Why would Rebecca deceive her husband in such a manner? Why didn't she resort to the age-old Jewish tradition of Jewish wives criticizing their husbands explicitly?!

The answer is beautiful:

Rebecca, a prophetess in her own right, envisioned a time in the distant future when her righteous son Jacob would be dressed in the clothes of the wild Esau. She foresaw the American Jew: pure at heart but, for all practical purposes, living the life of the gentiles surrounding him.

It was this Jew that Rebecca wanted to include in the magnificent blessing. It wasn't enough that her righteous Jacob would be blessed. The heart of a true Yiddishe Mama needed to ensure that even her wayward son, three thousand years later, would blessed too. She ensured that Jacob was blessed not only when dressed as a Jew, but even when dressed as a gentile.

Meditate on this: Your ancestor Rebecca envisioned you and me thousands of years ago and cared for us. This thought sends both a shudder down my spine as well as a warm, cozy embrace.

She cared for you. Let's be sure to make her proud!

Here's an answer your kids will understand as to why they should be in Shul this Rosh Hashana

Friday, September 4, 2015 - 10:49 PM

So, hopefully, you'll be getting dressed up and ready and making your yearly pilgrimage to Shul this evening to be present at the annual chanting of Rosh Hashana and Kol Nidrei; the holiest of prayers on the holiest of all days.

Reading those same words that we, our grandparents, great grandparents and generations beyond have held so sacred as the holiest of utterances to come out of our mouths in all of twelve months.

But why make the trek? Why get all made up and dandy and schlep the whole family? After all, it's the prayer that is so significant , why not stay home and say it alone?

As George of WPB pointed it in a recent call on Schmooze Radio- he confided that whilst he does believe in G-d, he does not believe in church or synagogue. If G-d is everywhere, he argued, then why should He only be found in Shul? Why cant I findG-d in my work or office?!

In truth, he does have a point. G-d indeed is everywhere, just like, say, wifi. The trick is holding the password. Wifi is worthless without the password to get you on.

The password to G-d's wifi is the 613 commandments of the Torah. The Mitzvahs are Divine instructions that enable us to receive His energy and connect with our creator on a tangible level that draw blessings into our lives.

And that's why we need to go to Shul! .....Is G-d in my office? Sure! But does my office hold the password to connect to the network??

Looking forward to seeing you in Shul this High Holidays for a meaningful, insightful and inspiring Rosh Hashana that will save the password into our system, for a sweet, happy and healthy New Year!