Dear Friend,
Happy Chanukah!
As today is my birthday, a day when one has extra mazel and energy to bless others, let me take the opportunity to wish everyone with a very light-filled and joyous rest of Chanukah! May the inspiration from this spiritually rich holiday extend into the rest of the year...
In Chassidic Circles, there's an interesting greeting that is given to one celebrating a birthday. (No, It's not just Happy Birthday in Yiddish!) We bless the person with "Shnat hatzlacha" - - which would translate as "a year of success".
For me, there is so much more depth in this greeting than the typical Happy Birthday or Yom Huledet Sameach. It's blessing the person that the year ahead be a productive and "full", both physically and spiritually. And it highlights the idea that happiness isn't about what happens to you, but rather, the bi-product of the hard work you do in living a productive and meaningful life with your family, work, Torah, and your Divine Mission.
And believe it or not, this message of blessing being associated with "labor" (not relaxation or comfort) is actually found in this week's portion.
This week's portion opens with the story of Pharaoh's two dreams: first, seven fat cows swallowed by seven skinny ones, and then, seven healthy stalks consumed by seven withered ones. Joseph, who is released from prison in order to interpret these dreams for Pharaoh, himself dreamed two dreams described in the beginning of last week's portion. In Joseph's first dream,
he and his brothers are working in the field bundling sheaves and in the second one, Joseph sees the sun, moon and stars bowing to him.
But here’s a big difference:
Joseph's dreams begin with toil and labor: "We were bundling sheaves in the field." (Genesis
37:7) While most people dream about vacation; Joseph dreamt about work.
Pharaoh's dreams, on the other hand, have no mention of work at all. In his dreams, the cows and the stalks, both representing bounty and sustenance, simply rise by themselves out of the Nile. Kabbala explains that gain stemming from the realm of holiness must begin with work, whereas all sustenance provided by the side of negativity comes without toil.
There's an old saying, "How do you know the difference between a weed and a flower? If you tear it out and it grows back by itself, it's a weed. If not, it's a flower." That which comes without work rapidly develops beyond control, choking the life out of the very one who allowed it to grow. The fruits of real labor, however, are enduring and cherished.
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This Shabbos, Chana and I are away in Texas after attending a very emotional, yet incredibly joyous completion of a Torah Scroll in memory of my nephew Mendel. You can watch the video presentation made my brother Daniel and his wife Eta at this link. We will be spending a Shabbat
a few hours away from Houston and forming our own minyan with our extended family to read from this special Torah Scroll for the first time.
At Chabad of Cary, people will still be meeting at Chabad of Cry for lay-run davening and Torah Discussion at 9:30 am followed by a light kiddush together. We'd love your help in making sure there is a minyan!
We look forward to seeing everyone back in Cary next week.
Good Shabbos
Rabbi Yisroel and Rebbetzin Chana
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THANK YOU!
A deep, deep thank you to the many who helped make this Chanukah the incredible success that it was. Despite being a time of year when many people are out of town, there were more people at the lighting in Downtown Apex than any previous year! A special thanks to Mayor Lance Olive for his involvement in the event as well as to Timothy and Ellen Pitts and Paul
and Lara Kehle for their assistance in planning the festival as well as all those who have been keeping the Menorah lot all week..
We look forward to sharing pictures next week!
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Adult
Education: Our next season of Lunch and Learn will begin Tuesday, Jan 10th.
