Category — Oil

“As you know, the government takes 40 percent of what you make. The other 60 percent, of course, is taken by the gas stations.” – J L

With gas prices hitting the roof and emptying our pockets, “energy” is the talk of the day. “Sue the big oil companies!” cry the liberals. “Drill for oil in Alaska!” scream the conservatives. “This is a sign from heaven that we should go green!” nudge the environmentalists. “Ha! Ha!” laugh the sheiks and princes in Saudi Arabia.
The solution I’ll leave to the ‘mavens’. The lessons however are for all to find.
What everyone agrees on is the huge problem that lies in being energy dependent, at the whim and mercy of foreign governments, all of which place their own interests ahead of ours.
Once we are already discussing oil, let’s take a look into our ancient Bible, wherein lies the answers for all of today’s woes. As the Baal Shem Tov taught us, we must live with the times, the Times being the Parsha of the week!
This weeks Torah portion is called “Beha’alotevha”, where we read of G-d’s commandment to Aaron to light the Menorah. Rashi explains the word ‘Beha’alotecha’ to mean that when lighting the Menorah the flame must be lit until it lightens up from itself.
Following the saying “the candle of G-d is the soul of man,” our Sages take the verse about the Menorah and apply it to the education of man. One must educate a child and ingrain within him such strong values and principals, that his Judaism and morality should be independent – lighted up from within.
Real education means to mold the child with great inner integrity and values, so that even when no one is around, he/she remains pious and moral. This kind of integrity is the opposite of “it’s okay to… as long as you don’t get caught”. It’s the discipline to do what’s right even when mom and dad are not around, or when it’s inconvenient.
One’s thoughts, actions and words, must not be measured only when in front of a large audience, but rather at all times and in all places and circumstances.
Getting back to oil prices. One thing is for sure, that when charting the course of our own engine/integrity, we must become energy independent and educate our children likewise. The stick and slap won’t do the job of education, they will just destroy. Only energy independence – where the child feels that ‘it’s my G-d, my Judaism, and my life’ will create spiritually healthy people with an inner moral compass. It is these children who will bring positive ‘change’ to an immoral universe.
The war of energy independence has begun. All for the L-rd follow… your own conscience!