Page 3 - The Jewish Voice - June '22
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The Jewish Voice, Page 3

                                                       From the rabbis




      A Bend in the Road Is Not the                       Rabbi Akiva and three of his colleagues were approaching   is a vital step toward fulfilling the purpose of the field. The
                                                           Soon after it was destroyed by the Romans in 69 CE,
                                                                                                           deeper the plow, the better the subsequent growth. As in the
      End of the Road                                   the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. As they reached the top of   construction of a new home, it’s the destruction of the old
                                                        Mount Scopus, they saw the ruins of Jerusalem and tore their   that makes way for the construction of the new. You can’t
      By Rabbi Dovid Vigler                             garments in grief. Once they reached the Temple Mount, they   discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose
         We recently had the great                      saw a fox emerge from the ruins of what was formerly the   sight of the shore. A bend in the road is not the end of the
      fortune of hosting the family                     Holy of Holies. The sages began to weep, while Rabbi Akiva   road unless you fail to make the turn.
      of my cousin, Rabbi Shneior                       began to laugh.                                       G-d is in control of every detail of our lives, and He
      and Nechama  Vigler of                               Said they to him: “Why are you laughing?”       is good. No evil descends from Him. When it seems like
      Odessa, Ukraine. They spoke                          Said he to them: “Why are you weeping?”         something evil is happening, we have to fall back to the
      eloquently and passionately                          Said they to him: “A place [so holy] that it is said of it,   plowing metaphor of Rabbi Akiva to find strength and vision.
      about the magnificent                             ‘the stranger that approaches it shall die,’ (Numbers 1:51)   We cannot understand the wisdom of our Maker, but we can
      community they had built in                       and now foxes traverse it, and we shouldn’t weep?”  hold on tight and hold on to Him with every shred of faith
      Odessa over the past 19 years                        Said he to them: “That is why I laugh. For it is written,   we can gather.
      and how suddenly it came to                       ‘I shall have bear witness for My faithful witnesses — Uriah      When life feels overwhelming, close your eyes and
      a screeching halt after being                     the Priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah’” (Isaiah   envision your problems — see it as your field being plowed
      invaded by Russia. They choke with emotion when they speak   8:2).                                   by G-d for the growth that follows. Adopt the mantra of Rabbi
      of what was and stare blankly when asked about the future.     Now, what is the connection between Uriah and   Akiva: “All that G-d does is for the good.” The very utterance
         We Jews have a holiday that’s dedicated to the courage   Zechariah? Uriah was [in the time of] the First Temple, and   of these words has the power to transform the plower into
      to rise from the ashes. It’s called Lag B’omer. Two thousand   Zechariah was [in the time of] the Second Temple! But the   the planter.
      years ago a great sage by the name of Rabbi Akiva had   Torah makes Zachariah’s prophecy dependent upon Uriah’s      Wishing you a month of sprouting your seeds into cedars.
      succeeded in establishing the yeshiva as the Harvard   prophecy.                                        Rabbi Dovid Vigler is spiritual leader at Chabad of Palm
      University of his generation. With 24,000 students, Torah      With Uriah, it is written: “Therefore, because of you, Zion   Beach Gardens and host of the Jewish Schmooze Radio Show.
      study was flourishing in the Holy Land. It all ended suddenly   shall be plowed as a field; [Jerusalem shall become heaps,   Email him at rabbi@jewishgardens.com
      when a mysterious epidemic spread among the students,   and the Temple Mount like the high places of a forest]”
      killing all the students in just 33 days. That computes to 700   (Micha 3:12).
      students dying each day. The tortuous suffering ended on Lag      With Zachariah it is written, “Old men and women shall   ATTENTION READERS
      B’omer.                                           yet sit in the streets of Jerusalem” (Zachariah 8:4).
         Instead of throwing in the towel and giving up like many      “As long as Uriah’s prophecy had not been fulfilled, I   This Jewish Community newspaper is
      others would have wanted to, Rabbi Akiva mustered the   feared that Zechariah’s prophecy may not be fulfilled either.
      courage to start all over again. When Torah study was all   But now that Uriah’s prophecy has been fulfilled, it is certain   monthly direct mailed to 8,000 homes.
      but gone, he taught five new students, who became the torch   that Zechariah’s prophecy will be fulfilled.”  Please support your Jewish businesses
      bearers of Torah for generations to come. How did Rabbi      With these words, they replied to him: “Akiva, you have
      Akiva have the strength to carry on?              consoled us! Akiva, you have consoled us!”              and newspaper by advertising and
         A closer look reveals that Rabbi Akiva had an extraordinary      This extraordinary story is an incredible inspiration. Not   sending your events and photos!
      approach to life that is as intriguing as it is inspiring. He   only did Rabbi Akiva exhibit sound logic in his analysis, the
      believed with all his heart that nothing evil comes from G-d   Rebbe explains his choice of a plowed field as a metaphor as   We appreciate your business.
      because “all that G-d does is for the good.” This was his oft-  a profound lesson for all time.
      repeated mantra. Before you react with indignation to this      When a field is plowed, only a simple person would   561-741-7770
      seemingly preposterous claim, let’s explore an extraordinary   think it’s being destroyed. A wise person understands that
      story that the Talmud shares about this luminary of our People   the seeming destruction is actually a vital step in the growth   www.seabreezepublications.com
      at the conclusion of Tractate Makos.              process. Planting without prior plowing is futile. The plowing







                                                                                                                                 We thank

                                                                                                                        and recognize

                                                                                                          all of our community’s

                                                                                                                dedicated leaders

                                                                                                            who completed their

                                                                                                             service this year and

                                                                                                            to the many inspiring

                                                                                                          leaders who continue

                                                                                                           their service and step

                                                                                                             into new roles for the

                                                                                                                            year ahead.







                          Mazel tov to                            Our Jewish community thanks
                Susan Shulman Pertnoy                                     Hope Silverman

                   who now steps into the                                 for her remarkable

                     role as Federation’s                               tenure as Federation’s
             Board Chair for 2022-2024.                         Board Chair from 2020-2022.                                jewishpb.org
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