Rabbi Shaya's Thoughts

Being grounded. Accomplishing the impossible.

Friday, August 11, 2023 - 3:19 PM

There are times when we find ourselves going through life doing great things, but we feel that we are on a treadmill, going and going yet not reaching our destination, not succeeding at what we set out to accomplish. What is it that we are missing? What more can we do to reach our goal?

When looking to the Torah for inspiration, we find a fascinating difference between the Tabernacle (Mishkan) and the Temple (Bet HaMikdash). The Tabernacle was not only built to be a temporary structure, it was also intended to be built on flat land. The Temple, on the other hand, was specifically to be built on a mountain (the Temple Mount) so that there would be a need for stairs within the temple itself.

Why the need for a staircase?

The Temple was not just a building for people to come to, but a place to connect to G-d. Each person who came into the Temple was to think about the holiness of where they were, the effect that the presence of G-d had on them, and the desire that they had to connect with Him. As these ideas percolated in their minds and they became ready to move higher, they would physically and spiritually go up a few steps to a higher level.

This is why the ground where the Temple stood, the Temple Mount, is still holy today. This experience was not designed to last for only a fleeing moment, but was intended to be internalized by the Jewish people. However, one may ask: Why is it that the last “level,” the entryway into the Holy of Holies, was flat, and one did not need to go up any more steps?

Our sages explain that when we go up steps, level by level, when we are going one step at a time, but then there is a “leap” that must be taken, it is such a great leap that it is greater than any number of steps. To be able to take that huge leap, one has to be truly ready to do so. No amount of steps can prepare someone for it.

This is a lesson for our own lives, As we spin our own wheels of life forward, we work hard to move ahead, yet there are times when we must walk up those steps – we have to leave our comfort zones, and when we do, we have the benefit of becoming more grounded, more connected to ourselves, not less. As we do so, we gain the courage to be able to take the leap forward and are able to accomplish even greater things in life that we originally thought to be impossible.

Shabbat Shalom.

The power of the mezuzah

Thursday, August 3, 2023 - 9:05 AM

One way to identify as a Jewish home is to affix a mezuzah on our front doorpost. What is it about a mezuzah that makes so many Jews affix one to their doorposts? Although in this week’s Torah portion, Eikev, it is written that by observing this Mitzvah our lives will be lengthened, there must be more to it.

On the outside of the mezuzah—on the back side of the parchment—there are three letters, Shin, Daled, and Yud. On some fancy cases these letters may be obscured. These letters stand for: Shin: Shomer, Daled: Daltot, and Yud: Yisroel. This roughly translates to “The guardian of Israel’s doors.” The mezuzah is our security system.

Not only do we want to protect our front door, but also every door in our home. It’s interesting that historically, people would carry a mezuzah with them for protection when they traveled as well, although it is not a mitzvah to do so. Today, there are people who like to have one in their car, following this same tradition.

This is a fascinating idea. Of course, we must protect our homes by any means possible, yet not forgetting that the Torah teaches us that we need two means of protection, the physical and the spiritual. We lock our doors (the physical), and we affix a mezuzah (the spiritual). Just as we would not use a faulty lock even if it looks fancy, so too, should we make sure to have a good quality mezuzah on our doors. It is not just about what it looks like, but the mechanism that is inside that makes it work properly, i.e., the klaf, the parchment, has to be kosher. Similarly, when it comes to our health, we also take this dual approach. We look for the best doctors (the physical), not just the nicest office, and at the same time, we pray (the spiritual).

We take the physical and the spiritual approaches and together, we are well protected.

P.S. If you need assistance in making sure that you have a kosher mezuzah, feel free to reach out to me, and I will be happy to help.