Category — Eikev

There are a church and a Jewish Temple next to each other. One day, the priest asks the Rabbi: “Why is it that you don’t have any mice in your Shul?”

The Rabbi answers: “Well, when they become 13 years old we make them Bar Mitzvah. After they become Bar Mitzvah, they don’t come to the Shul anymore.”

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Most probably you are reading this email while vacationing, as all good people do during the hot summer months. So in that spirit we’ll start with a story.

The Chassid Rabbi Nechemiah of Dubrovna told:

“I once saw a Russian soldier being whipped. His crime? While standing watch on a winter night, his feet had frozen in their boots. ‘Had you remembered the oath you took to serve the Czar,’ his commander berated him, ‘the memory would have kept you warm.’”

“For 25 years,” concluded Rabbi Nechemiah, “this incident inspired my service of the Almighty.”

You surely worked hard this year, and your body has been crying for a long-needed rest; granted. (That doesn’t explain why after vacation is over, we are so drained that we need another vacation…)

Excuse me for interrupting your relaxation, but a question begs to be asked. It may not be the most convenient and politically correct question, but what are you taking a vocation from? Has your religion also been on a summer break? How about your moral standards and modesty – is everything up to par? Is your body relaxing alone, or is it paired up with a relaxing soul?

The good old saying goes: Why do the high-holidays come in September? It’s because after all that went on during the July and August, our souls need some cleansing…

Eikev, is the name of our Parsha, and the verse literally means “because you listened to G-d’s commandments,”, but it can also mean “heel,” teaching that one’s heel should listen to G-d’s commandments. The entire body, head to toe, should be permeated with G-d and his Torah.

Judaism is not a High Holiday religion, nor is it a hit-and-run-never-to be-seen-again Bar Mitzvah event. We don’t “pay our dues” to the Divine by coming once in a while to the prayers. It is never ending; not a moment goes by which G-d does not expect you to maximize in order to better yourself and the world around you.

We eat for G-d, sleep for G-d, and work because G-d wants us to be able to support our family – so that they should have the peace of mind to remain committed Jews.

This may burst your vacation bubble, but it is truly a powerful and liberating thought: G-d is everywhere. There is no place lacking His presence; no situation devoid of His planning; no challenge in which His Guiding Hand can not be seen. And thus, always and everywhere, His commandments are relevant. Judaism encompasses all of time and space – even the “heel,” the nitty-gritty, the temporary – and the vacations.

Do something about it:

Do something about it:

Make every moment a Jewish Moment

Coming back to big America and comparing it to Italy, I was reminded of this joke:
Owner to a house hunter: “Yes, the kitchen is a bit small, but with a mortgage like this you won’t do much cooking anyway.”

Since the war in Israel has started – or, to be more precise, since the evacuation from Gush Katif last summer – anti-Semitism has reared its ugly head all over the world and is being felt by Jews from all walks of life and all levels of observance. No one is free from the hatred; you may get a nose job but your Jewishness will continue to shine from you.
Obviously, then, if you’re Jewish, you might as well get the privileges too.
Therefore, due to the crisis which is felt now more than ever, I’m proud to present to you the Jewish alarm system. It’s not too expensive, causes no radioactive damage, and not too much space is needed. You don’t even need an electrician to install it!
No, this is not some kind of racist alarm system; it is simply a Mitzvah from G-d called a Mezuzah. A Mezuzah is a piece of parchment with some Hebrew words written on it. When you place it on your doorpost in accordance with Torah instructions (consult your local Rabbi for details,) then you have a special alarm system – G-d Himself watches over you with special care. And with G-d as the safeguard, I guess we can fairly accurately add to the manual guide “satisfaction guaranteed.”
Over the years, many people who would write to the Rebbe for a blessing for health and other concerns would receive a response advising that they check their Mezuzahs and Tefillin. Of course, one must do what he can in the natural realm to keep himself safe, but when one has kosher Mezuzahs and Tefillin, he receives an extra dose, as it were, of G-d’s protection.
Actually, in this week’s Torah portion we read about the Mitzvah of Mezuzah, so it is certainly a proper time to check and/or buy your Mezuzos; we all need the extra safety.
And remember – it’s also a Mitzvah! So it’s like a double package: firstly, you receive protection for yourself and your family and moreover, by fulfilling a mitzvah, you help usher in the time of eternal peace and safety for all mankind – the time of Moshiach.
So do yourself and the world a favor and buy/check your Mezuzahs and Tefillin. After all, satisfaction is guaranteed!