Rabbi Yisroel's Blog

Chanukah Reflections from a Drive with 4 Boys and 500 Donuts

Monday, December 19, 2022 - 3:05 PM

Yesterday, I found myself in a vehicle for some 9 hours with 4 boys and some 500 donuts.

I made the quick trip to NJ to bring back my son from school, only this time along with a few of his classmates who will be spending part of Chanukah with our family and community. Of course, once I was going I used the opportunity to load up on holiday supplies for our upcoming programs (and help shlep back some items for other communities who heard I was making the trip...)

We had plenty of time for chatting in the car and I quickly found myself immersed in the sweet and refreshingly simple world of 12 year-old Yeshiva boys, Baruch Hashem. They were singing camp songs, chatting about friends,and most of all, planning the coming days of Chanukah. They asked me about senior facilities they could visit over the holiday and if I had any dreidel costumes they could wear at the mall to attract attention and hopefully distribute Menorahs to Jewish travelers who might need holiday supplies.

Somehow the conversation turned to some of the recent antisemitic comments and incidents in the news and I heard one of the boys say (while munching on a donut) , "Oh yeah, I did hear something about some famous person saying something nasty about Jews. He was crazy. Oh well.. all the more reason for us to go out and show people what a Jew is..."

That was it.

I didn't say anything at the time but my mind was racing. There was something so refreshing...so healthy... about hearing these words from a 12 year old. There was no over-talking the issue. No playing defense. No giving it undue attention. No feeling like a victim.

Don't get me wrong. Words matter. They can incite violence, G-d forbid. It is sickening to think about the millions of impressionable minds who digest repugnant lies coming from someone with influence. There is absolutely a need for Jewish leaders to call out hate and ensure that the world understands it is evil and never ends with just the Jews.

BUT...

I don't want this to become overemphasized, especially in front of our youth.

I want Jews to know that there are countless more people out there that support and respect Jews. Let's not give a bigger platform to those who make a lot of ugly noise.

I often see a lot of passion in the community after an anti-Semitism incident, G-d forbid. That passion is coming from a holy and good place. But here's a challenge - Let's always find that same passion for a Mitzvah or Torah Study. After all, our Judaism should be defined by who we are and our unique mission in the world -- not what others may think about us. That also happens to be the most effective way to fight anti-semitism -- promoting that which the antisemite wants to crush: Jewish vitality.

Antisemitism is a reality that sadly has to be dealt with. I applaud those working hard to make sure it doesn't get ignored or swept under the rug, G-d forbid. But for most of us, let's focus more on adding light. The most pressing issue facing Judaism today is the critical importance of Jewish education and embracing our unique identity and Torah-based values. In fact, one meaning of the name Chanukah itself is "education", coming form the Hebrew Word Chinuch.

Let's take something out of the playbook of the 12 year-old student.

More offense. More light. More Jewish Pride.

This approach of proud and confident Jewish Living is one reason we work tirelessly each year to create moments of joy and pride each Chanukah.

I have been questioned why we invest so many resources into our Chanukah Programming? As someone once asked, "Isn’t Chanukah only a minor Jewish Holiday?"

The answer is quite simple. It is true that Chanukah is not a holiday on the level of Passover or Yom Kippur. But the light of the Menorah, especially when kindled in a public setting, teaches our youth (and all of us) an integral message of being a Jew in the 21st century:

One should never be ashamed, nor afraid, of being a Jew or living Jewishly in a public manner.

It is a privilege to be a Jew, an ambassador of light in the world. It's our job to let that light shine.

Flying Above the Clouds

Sunday, December 11, 2022 - 1:21 PM

Sometimes it is the most regular of experiences give you a "Aha" moment. One such example I shared with a class this past Wednesday night. (The subject matter in this particular class was the spiritual mood swings that happen to almost everyone. One day one's faith can feel very strong and the next day all sorts of doubts creep in...)

I was on a flight when it was particularly nasty outside. We were flying up through dark storm clouds, but then then suddenly...a beautiful sky emerged.

Is that not a metaphor in life? We all have days when everything feels gray. Little things frustrate us. People annoy us. And we just don’t feel inspired to do good.

And it’s here that JUDAISM offers a powerful insight.

Don’t take the negativity too seriously. Don’t beat yourself up for feeling this way. These voices of doubt are not the real you. You just happen to be in some dark clouds. G-d created a world where forces of negativity exist. They are here to oppose good. It’s not a “flaw” in you – it’s part of feeling human.

This self-awareness is very helpful. It is what allows us to not define ourselves based on these attitudes. Of course, we can't just sit the dark clouds. It's incumbent upon each of us to do whatever we can to "increase altitude” and live from a more elevated place.

There are of many ways to do invite more light in your life. Surround yourself with happy people. Fill up on gratitude. And finally, study and reflect on those things that can introduce more light in your life.

As a Jew I feel so blessed to have access to the countless treasures of light in the Torah. In fact, the word TORAH comes from the word “OR” meaning light.

Within Torah itself, CHASSIDUT, the inner dimension of Torah, is a powerful form of that light. Some 300 years ago, at a time the Jewish People were going through a particularly dark period, the Baal Shem Tov taught the Jewish People how to live with more light - joy, spirituality, clarity, and purpose. Like my flight, these teachings provide "an elevated way to see life", beyond the darkness of mundane living. These mystical teachings were always part of Torah but had, up until that point, been hidden and only available to select individuals.

It was two generations later that the founder of Chabad developed these ideas further, explaining them in a logical and systematic fashion in the book called THE TANYA.

This upcoming Monday night marks the 19th day of Kislev, a day known as the "Rosh Hashana of Chasidism," Throughout the world it is a date dedicated to light, personal growth and elevated living and when we traditionally restart learning the book Tanya. In honor of the 19^th of Kislev, and as a personal resolution for my birthday later this month, I would like to launch a “TANYA CLUB.” One morning a week (on zoom), we will discuss a theme from that week’s TANYA STUDY and search for ways these teachings can introduce more light in our life focusing on one or two practical exercises to help us in our daily lives and in our relationships.

If you are interested in learning more about this TANYA CLUB please please let me know your preference of either Wed or Thursday morning. We'll keep the discussion focused and no more than 20-25 minutes.