Shavuot, 2013

Tuesday night starts Shavuot.

I wanted to share this nice teaching from Rav DovBer Pinson: What is True Freedom:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzmQYo80rvc

New Beginnings

Soon it will be Rosh Chodesh, October 16th and 17th.

A time for a New Beginning in so many ways.

The High Holy Days were spent in reflection and asking for forgiveness.

Now it's time to take action and change, to teshuvah.

This from Hineni:


SHABBOS BERESHIS
          This week, we once again commence reading the Torah from the very first portion which is called "Bereshis" - "In the Beginning." Even as the parsha is called "In the Beginning", we are all granted the opportunity for a new beginning. There are many areas in which we may do so. What is important is that we commit to making a fresh start - commit to the study of Torah on an ongoing basis, commit to more careful adherence of mitzvos, commit to deeds of chesed which render us kinder and gentler. That`s what new beginnings are all about.
          This parsha is rich in life-transforming wisdom. We study about G-d`s creation of the world, which reminds us that we are guests on this planet, totally indebted to Him - obligated to give back by making a difference in the world. We study about the sanctity of Shabbos and the blessings that accrue to those who observe it. We study about the creation of man - Adam and Eve, who were invited to join G-d in partnership and failed so tragically. We study about accepting accountability, the first step to tshuva - repentance, and that "fresh start". We study about the relationship between husband and wife ..how G-d intended them to be one - helping one another on the road of life. We study about the evils of temptation represented by the malevolent serpent, and we study about the first catastrophe - fratricide, provoked by resentment and jealousy. In short, we study about life and how we might best avoid the pitfalls of our own frailties and realize our purpose.
          In addition to the names with which we are familiar, each of the Five Books of Moses has also been given names which define them. For example, the Book of Genesis is also called "Sefer Yetzirah" - "The Book of Creation", which means that all the events that are related in the Book of Genesis foreshadow that which will occur throughout our history. Therefore, let us focus for a moment on the story of Cain and Abel, two brothers who literally had the whole world at their disposal - and yet, it was not enough. Cain could not find happiness. The awareness that Abel succeeded where he failed consumed him. His jealousy peaked when G-d accepted Abel`s offering (which reflected Abel`s best effort) and rejected Cain`s, which was not given full-heartedly and was of inferior quality. In vain did G-d challenge him: "Why are you so downcast? You can improve yourself - you too can bring an offering that will be accepted. You need only desire to do so."
          Cain`s blind anger and jealousy did not allow him to recognize his own culpability - instead of searching his soul and banishing rancor from his heart, he indulged his jealousy, and lashed out at his brother and killed him. The story of Cain and Abel teaches us that possessions do not confer lasting happiness. Cain literally had half the world and was still not content. It is important that we not delude ourselves into believing that if we are able to acquire just one more thing, just one more possession, we would find fulfilment. Happiness comes from within, from being content with our lot - as we say at the end of Grace After Meals: "Dorshei HaShem lo yachsuru kol tov" - "Those who seek HaShem will never feel that they are lacking anything in this world" 
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Osher

For Everything There is a Season

The cycle of life and here it is fall time in the upper Midwest. The bright colors of fall on the trees has peaked
and the leaves are falling to the ground. I live by the lake and today is slightly warmer than it has been in the last several days so I have been taking some time to enjoy watching nature prepare for the winter.
Robins are everywhere around, heading south. Squirrels and chipmunks are busy gathering acorns. Geese are gathering in bigger flocks ready any day now to move to warmer water and grasses.

Listen, keep still, and observe.

The robins are singing cheery songs, maybe some kind of road trip song or should I say, air trip song.


You might see wild turkeys gathering together as well.


Winter is coming and it will appear that nature is asleep. But, perhaps only contemplating, resting and reflecting.


Then when the cycle is complete, once again I will sit on the porch and listen intently to nature's music.

A Weird Reality

There are those stories you read or hear about that make you pause and wonder, then you shake your head thinking that stories like that are not real....but are they?

I have such a story to tell and yes, it's weird, unexplainable and true, very true.

Years ago I lived in Oregon and my neighbor was a nice old man whom I grew fond of. Our friendship was that of trust and since I was in the health care field he asked me to tend to a wound that he had on his one leg. He asked me to do sterile changes of his bandages. He was in a wheel chair and was pretty much home bound. We would chat and sometimes chat for a hour at a time or more.
He told me about his wife (who had died several years before) and he would talk to me about his daughter whom he loved very much. He told me about his travels when he was young working for a car dealership and he would go across country for the car dealership.

Then this dear man passed away unexpectedly from a stroke.
I missed talking with him.

A few years later I bought a house in New York after my mother passed away. I bought a car, packed up all my belongings that were to be shipped via van lines and my youngest daughter and I trekked across America heading for our new home.

The second day on the road I became sick with a nasty cold. So, we cut our road time short so that I could rest. We got a motel room not far from the highway that we were on.
After a good nap I stepped outside and there was a young man in the next room to my room and he stepped out. He looked familiar. We started to chat a bit and he told me how he traveled across the country. He had a wife and they just had a baby girl. After chatting with him for a bit I noticed a scar on his leg....he had a pair of short on. It was a wound in the same place as my neighbor's. I looked at this young man and wow! He looked like a young George....my neighbor!

I can not explain it. I only know that this guy looked like a young George, my neighbor and he had a scar on his leg in the same place on his leg and he talked about his wife, traveling for work, his wife and his baby girl.

George? Was that you?

Yom Kippur For Me

Yesterday I observed Yom Kippur like many Jews did. Starting at dusk, I fasted and I prayed. This is mandated (by God) and tradition by Jews.

As I prayed yesterday it really hit me. Not only was I concentrating on my own missed marks, my own faults and sins, I saw Israel as a whole and the world as a whole.  I truly realized how significant each persons actions and non actions touch the whole world....as the saying goes, one life can change the whole world.

My mistakes, my missteps, my faults, my sins have an impact on all of humanity. Not only that, on all of creation!  Think about it.

This is true for each one of us.  Teshuvah (repentance) means more than turning around your life, it means
that the world as a collective depends on you! Will you be true to God? Will you be true to yourself?
Will you be true to all of creation?

What you do, your action and your words do make a difference on a grand scale. These things affect your self, your family, those around you, strangers, and even those who live across the world.

Reflection

Jews just welcomed in the New Year, Rosh Hashana and between this time and Yom Kippur, it is a time of inner reflection.

WOW! How the year goes fast! Although, we ought to have inner reflection all the year through!

I am human. I have some things to work on in my self. Every one does. We live and we learn.

A video to watch:

Every One Falls:

http://www.aish.com/h/hh/video/101461854.html?s=fb

Look what Jews in Israel say about this time of year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct7W4OvUakM&feature=player_embedded#!


Shana Tova!  5773

The God Connection

Some of you who read my blog might be Jewish, some of you might be Christian, some of you might be Hindu or maybe even American Indian. Religions and cultures may look at certain things differently, have different kinds of beliefs and rituals...but it all comes down to connection.

Connection to others, connection to nature, connection to God and as some say, The Ultimate Higher Power or Source....and how ever you say it...God, Creator...the One who we believe to be God.

Christian pastors and such will tell you to pray, to talk to God and so it is with Judaism, the Rabbis and the congregation pray. Our desire...all of us...is to connect with God.

Some will go through certain rituals to connect and say certain prayers. These things are good. Yet, when a person is very ill and can barely speak or can not speak at all....is doing rituals or saying certain blessings or certain meditations a must for this person? I do not believe so. Merely the desire for God's help and attention  is what is known by God.

Connecting to God happens in various ways...through various means. Prayer, meditations, song, dance, and walking through the park or sitting in a meadow under a tree with your open heart and mind, a desire to be connected with God.

A person who is in need of God, perhaps a person who has a terrible alcohol problem. These people with such problems need only open their minds and hearts to God and desire to change. That is the first step.

We all can connect with God, no matter who we are or where we came from.  It's actually very simple and taking the time daily will change your life.