Page 3 - The Jewish Voice - April '21

The Jewish Voice, Page 3

From the Rabbis from page 2

When God created the human being, the Bible says, but they too ruled against him. The landlord pleaded that There are many different ways of bringing forth water,
“The person became a living soul.” One of the greatest they too were no longer aware of the stress that money and many styles of inspiring the Jewish people with the
commentators, Onkeles, translates “a living soul” to “a causes on Earth and thus insisted on being judged by a wisdom of our tradition. In his work Heavenly Torah,
speaking spirit.” The words that we vocalize and generate living court that is still upon the Earth. Abraham Joshua Heschel writes that, “Torah itself can be
represent the highest, deepest expression of our Godly As this point, the saintly Tzemach Tzedek turned to the acquired in two different ways: via the road of reason or the
spark within. The ability to express ourselves and bring audience and asked: “I believe that the landlord is indeed road of vision.” He writes of Rabbi Ishmael, describing his
out to the world that is within is uniquely Human. innocent. What do you think?” As it dawned upon them all teachings as containing straightforward logic, intellectual
When God created the world, He made it with 10 that this wasn’t just a story, but an actual event in Heaven sobriety, rationalism, and lucidity. And he compares him
statements. God was not commanding anyone when he that was unfolding in real time, they all responded in to Rabbi Akiva, whom he describes as one who sought out
said, “Let there be light.” There was no one there to talk unison: “He is innocent, He is innocent, He is innocent!” the wondrous, spoke poetically, and used Torah verses for
to or to carry out His requests. What does it mean when Words are powerful. highly creative interpretation.
we say that God spoke? Jewish mysticism reveals that what distinguishes man The story is told that when Heschel’s students asked
God, who is the source of everything, revealed from from all other creations is his ability to communicate him with which of the two great sages he identified,
within, an aspect of his infinite power in the form of light, verbally. Indeed, the definition of man, kabalistically, is Ishmael or Akiva, Heschel responded, “I? I am both.” I
animals, trees, and birds. This energy came forth from God medaber — speaker. personally haven’t found that Judaism of the head inspires
internally through the faculty we call God’s speech. In the If you want to get to know someone, simply listen to people to be observant. I believe Rabbi Akiva would agree.
same way that God’s “speech” brings forth actual creative how they speak. Thus, King Solomon advises us that as Standing in front of his own rock and water, Rabbi Akiva
forces, so, too, do humans — who are created in the form you can identify silver and gold through the “refining comments, “Just as the soft water shaped the hard stone,
and image of God and carry the spark and soul of God within pot for silver, and the furnace for gold, so is a man to his how much more will the words of Torah — which are
— have power with their speech. “Death and life are in the words.” What comes out of your mouth speaks volumes as hard as iron — shape my heart which is but flesh and
power of the tongue,” even when no one is around to hear. about your soul. blood” (Avot De-Rabbi Natan, 6).
When a boy is born, there is a tradition to hold a party In this context, the sages explain the meaning of “Man I believe that our families light candles on Shabbat not
the first Friday night, and friends come over and wish well was created in the image of G-d”: Just as G-d created the because of any intellectual understanding of what we are
to the parents and the newborn. Once, there was a newborn world through speech (“And G-d said ‘Let there be light’ doing but rather because our hearts light up with the memories
who was having constant problems. The parents went to a and there was light” — Genesis 1:4) so too do we create of our parents and our people. I sing in services to feel my
great rabbi for advice. He inquired further and discovered the reality that surrounds us through the words we speak. soul echoing with other Jews in ways I can’t explain. I want
they did not have this first party. The ancient kabalists knew of this secret. to be in love with my tradition and my people — even if it
The rabbi told them to throw the party now, and that The Talmud tells us of how they would use the power is irrational. We are searching for a great rabbi and not the
your
once all the friends had come to offer the traditional of speech to actually create things. Thus was born the redactor of our great books.
blessings, everything would get better. ageless call of magicians “abra cadabra” — which in I believe it is the mystery of God that gives us comfort
Be careful with what comes out of your mouth. It is Hebrew means, “I create through my speech!” and strength. In the Talmud, Rabbi Yochanan says, “The early
more powerful than you imagine. The Torah portion Vayikra tells us how we can achieve ones — like Rabbi Akiva — had hearts like the entrance to
Rabbi Shlomo Ezagui is spiritual leader of Chabad atonement for our sins through bringing animal offerings the Temple’s large hall; and the later ones had hearts like
House Lubavitch of Palm Beach. Contact him at to G-d in the Temple times. But today, when we don’t have the entrance to the Temple’s smaller hall; and ours are like
Rabbi@chabadpalmbeach.org, 624-7004, or www. our Temple in Jerusalem, we are able to achieve the same the eye of a needle” (Eruvin 53a). I think the Conservative
chabadpalmbeach.org. through the pronunciation of our lips; when we recite the Movement will fill its halls of study and prayer when we find
words of the parsha of the week, reading about the animal more teachers and leaders who expand the eye of the needle
Dialogues Defining Destiny offerings in our daily prayers, G-d considers it as if we and inspire Jewish hearts.
had brought the actual animal offerings prescribed. As the Rabbi Paul Arberman is spiritual leader at Temple Beth
By Rabbi Dovid Vigler Prophet Hoshea declares: “Gather your words and return David in Palm Beach Gardens.
When the saintly to G-d….for our lips will offer the sacrifices.” impact
Tzemach Tzedek was As we celebrated the festival of Passover, we realized
laying the foundation that its Hebrew name, Pesach, consists of two words:
stone of his new shul, he PEH (Mouth) SACH (that speaks). The main mitzvah of
asked the assembled crowd Pesach is to talk about (Haggadah means to tell) the story
if they wanted to hear a of the ancient exodus from Egypt at our seder tables and
crisis
story. Sensing how unusual to extract its relevance to our lives today. during COVID-19 & economic
this request was, they Because the words that we speak become our reality.
immediately responded in Change your words and you’ll change your world!
the affirmative. Rabbi Dovid Vigler is spiritual leader at Chabad of Editorial copy appearing herewith is not necessarily the viewpoint of
He told a tale of a Jewish Palm Beach Gardens and host of the Jewish Schmooze Seabreeze Publications of Central Florida. Most editorial copy is created by
the homeowners and is edited by their appointed editor.
landowner who leased an inn to a poor Jew by the name Radio Show. Email him at rabbi@jewishgardens.com.
of Reb Yaakov. But alas, the tenant was unable to pay his
rent. Facing eviction, he turned to his landlord’s mentor, Judaism of the Heart 1102 W. Indiantown Rd., Suite 5, Jupiter, FL 33458
the Ruzhiner Rebbe, to plead for mercy. The Rebbe was (561) 746-3244
able to influence him to forgive the rent as long as he would By Rabbi Paul Arberman FAX (561) 746-2509
pay in the future. In the Torah, Moses
When the same thing happened the following year, literally brings forth water Seabreeze Publications
the landlord begrudgingly agreed once more. But when it from the rock for the children Publisher
happened the third time, he hurried to evict his tenant without of Israel to drink. But there is Together, generous people in our community
M. Sean Reid
allowing him any time to travel to the Ruzhiner Rebbe. also a powerful metaphor at Jackie Reid

When the landlord eventually passed away and stood work: Just as water is needed donated an astounding $1.3 million
before the Heavenly Court, they wanted to punish him for for life, so too is Torah Editor: Wendy Bernstein
having so heartlessly evicted the family of his tenant. But needed. Water symbolizes to Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County’s
Sales
Reb Yaakov protested, claiming that in Heaven they have the Torah, say the rabbis, Tom English, Laura Berrio, Bret McCormick
no concept of the harsh realities of money and what kind of as the prophet Isaiah said J-Help Coronavirus Emergency Response.
pressure he was under to pay his obligations. The Heavenly (55:1): “All who are thirsty www.seabreezepublications.com
court agreed to have the case heard by two deceased rabbis, [for learning] come for water [study].”
emergency cash thousands check-in calls online Jewish
assistance for of meals to offer mental education
1in 5 local Jewish adults
families struggling for frail health support, and activities
to afford meals, seniors and financial assistance for children
has lost their job
medicine or rent. vulnerable people. & basic necessities. and families.
during the pandemic.
our
If you or someone you know needs help, call 561.684.1991
jewish or visit our resource page jewishpalmbeach.org/coronavirus.
If you are able to contribute, your gift
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is visit jewishpalmbeach.org/donate.
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