Having a meaningful Jewish Life from different Aspects

B"H 

We wish to be inscribed in the Book of Life, but it should be a life we wish to be in rather than one that we seek to escape from. 

We pray not only for life, but for quality of life that is meaningful and purposeful, one that will be lived for the greater glory of G – d. 

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Source:

"Growing Each Day" by Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski


The religious definition for "having a meaningful life" probably is "leading a life according to the Torah Mitzvot". Many religious Jews may say: "Purposeful = Keeping Torah Mitzvot and thus doing the will of G – d". 

Nevertheless, I do have my doubts whether keeping Mitzvot is leading all kinds of Jews to a meaningful life. "Meaningful" in the sense of each individual. Moreover, I do claim that not every Jew is meant to run after all Mitzvot. 

In the Galilee

Photo: Miriam Woelke

It has nothing to do with selfishness but there are Jews who consider their life as meaningful when they put all their energy into being creative. Others have a career in high-tech, business, science or administration. There are Jews who regard their lives more meaningful when setting up their own business rather than going for Shacharit, Mincha, Tehillim and Ma'ariv. 

It is possible to connect being creative and having a career with keeping Mitzvot and I am not saying that Jewish professionals don't keep Mitzvot. However, running after Mitzvot may not be the main focus in those people's lives but rather focusing on their profession and putting the Torah inside of their (professional) output. 

The Task of Adam HaRishon and Eve in Gan Eden

B"H

G – d commanded the Jewish nation to keep His Torah laws (Mitzvot). As we all know there are 613 Mitzvot but not too many Jews were able to keep all of them. Even if they wanted. The reason is that many laws apply to males only or refer to the Cohanim and their service in the Temple. As we are still waiting for Meshiach and the Third Temple to be built, we are only able to keep about 70 Mitzvot today.

Just recently we read the Torah Parashot Ekev and Re’eh where G – d is letting the Jews know that they either keep the Mitzvot and enjoy prosperity or the don’t keep the Mitzvot and thus have to face the consequences. In the Talmud Tractates of Berachot 33b, Sanhedrin 21b as well as Kiddushin 39b, the Tannaim are discussing why G – d refrained from giving the exact reason for each and every single Mitzvah. Besides only a very few Mitzvot, we simply don’t have any explanation why we have to do this and that. What we can do is figuring out a reason but the truth is that we still don’t know G – d’s real intention.

Sometimes we may find opinions in the Gemara hinting that there are no reasons but the vast majority of Sages, including the Rambam and the Ramban, say that there is a reason for every single Mitzvah we do. Most of the time we don’t understand why we are doing such and such but G – d has His reasons behind anything in this world.

The Jews are commanded to keep the Torah Mitzvot and the task of the Gentile is to keep the Seven Noachide Laws. If a Jew is not willing to carry out a specific Mitzvah now, at least, he should have in mind that one day he will be able to do this and that Mitzvah.

There is so much written about the Mitzvot in the Talmud, you wouldn’t believe it. You study one section and due to the background sources, you will find more and more. A never ending study. But why only talk about us and our Mitzvah difficulties today when we could go back and have a look at the source ?

It says in Sefer Bereshit 2:15:

"A – do – nai E – lo – him took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden, to work it and to guard it".

The question is what kind of work Adam HaRishon was supposed to do ? He didn’t need to plant or build anything. Everything he needed was there and he just needed to grab it. 

The Midrash Pirkei de’Rabbi Eliezer offers us one idea: The work Adam was supposed to do was studying the Torah. 

Now you may claim that the Torah itself was only given to the Jews more than twenty generations later. And, by the way, Adam HaRishon was not a Jew at all. So, how could he study Torah when the Torah wasn’t in this world yet ? 

Always take into consideration that Adam and Eve were on an extremely high soul level. A level we cannot even imagine today. Still in Gan Eden, Adam was able to do anything and had an unbelievable mind. His duty was to acknowledge G – d as the Creator of all existence and to follow the rules G – d was commanding him. G - d created both of them choosing a different path by refraining to eat from the Etz HaDa'at (Tree of Knowledge). If they had, they would have gained eternal life and our world would look much different today.

Furthermore, it says that Adam should guard Gan Eden. 
Why ? Where there trespassers or thieves around ? Anyone trying to break in and steal something ? 

A commentary in SEFER Ha’CHINUCH provides us with an answer: The external appearance of Gan Eden was very different than its inner essence. From the outside there were plants, trees and water. Its essence, however, was spiritual. Humans don’t only live in a material manner but a man is created in such a way that he also needs spirituality. 

How did the spirituality come to Adam and Eve ? The answer to that is very simple: By carrying out the Mitzvot. Studying Torah was their work but by fulfilling G – d’s laws, they were guarding themselves from going astray. By fulfilling the Torah Mitzvot they built a fence around their Torah knowledge. Adam and Eve were guarding themselves from leaving the path of Torah. 

Coming back into our times: We, as Jews, may keep the Mitzvot, half of the Mitzvot or no Mitzvot because we possess a G – dly created FREE CHOICE. Whatever our potential is, we should always keep in mind that there is so much more we could accomplish.

Rabbi Natan Lopes Cardozo: "I am taking off my Kippah"

B"H

The famous English speaking lecturer Rabbi Natan Lopes Cardozo on "Taking off his Kippah":

http://cardozoacademy.org/studies-by-rabbi-lopes-cardozo/i-am-taking-off-my-kippah/?mid=57458

I have to admit that I didn't really get whether he really wants to take off his Kippah or if his essay is a thought. On the other hand, I can imagine that wearing a Kippah binds a Jewish man to Mitzvot. And even I know from personal experience that many Jews, including myself, are more afraid of not keeping Halachot than actually loving G - d. There are many situations in my life where I am just seeing myself terribly punished for not doing this Mitzvah and that Mitzvah. Sometimes I am able to convince myself of still doing the Mitzvah because of the punishment but not necessarily because of G - d. In fact, it should be the other way around and the love of G - d should be the main focus. 

But men wearing a Kippah or a Jewish woman wearing modest clothes reminds them of who they are and to stick to the Mitzvot. There are quite a few changes in my personal behaviour, meaning there is a difference between me wearing pants or a skirt. I do accept the point that some religious Jews, although frum, don't feel comfortable when being reminded all the time. This may cause them keeping Mitzvot out of fear and not out of love. By the way, the latter stands for a much higher level.

The hardest Mitzvah to keep

B”H 

Which one of the 613 Mitzvot is the hardest Mitzvah to keep ? 

The Vilna Gaon defines: 

The hardest Mitzvah to keep is the Mitzvah of being happy throughout all seven days of Sukkot. Who can be happy without a break when he is facing difficulties in his life ? Who then can push all problems aside and just be happy and enjoy the holiday ?

Self – knowledge

B”H

We are being taught the Mitzvot but still have to get to know ourselves in order to be aware of what to expect of ourselves. There are times when Jews are in such a great Mitzvah mood that they don’t take their own personality into consideration. Never forget of what you are being capable of and don’t compare yourself with others who seem to be so perfect !

Chabad - Tefillin at the Ben Yehudah Mall / Jerusalem

Chabad (the Lubavitcher Chassidim) see one of their tasks in enabling every Jew to fulfill a Mitzva in order to reach a place in Olam HaBah (the World to Come). Women, among others, receive free Shabbat candles and Jewish males may put on Tefellin.  (see photo). 

URGENT REQUEST for Tefillah - Rabbi Meir Schuster, Shlita:

B"H

Rabbi Schuster of the Heritage House in the Old City of Jerusalem needs our prayers

As you may know, sadly, Rabbi Schuster is quite ill struggling with the effects of Lewy Body Disease, a rare degenerative condition with symptoms similar to both Parkinsons and Alzheimers. In the last 2 weeks, his condition has sadly deteriorated to the point where he now requires full-time in-patient care.

Unfortunately there has been a major down turn in R Meirs condition in the past few hours, and his condition is critical. He is going in to major surgery within the next hour and the medical opinion has not been positive.

He has the best medical experts on the case. He needs our tefillos immediately. Please circulate amongst the list of friends to daven and say Tehillim for the next few hours which are critical. The surgery is taking place in Shaarei Tzedek.

His Hebrew name is Meir Tzvi ben Mirka.

Rabbi Me'ir Schuster

Link:

The HERITAGE HOUSE

Why does G – d care how we fulfill the Mitzvot ?

B”H

The Midrash Rabbah (Bereshit – Genesis) 44:1 is asking why G – d cares whether we slaughter the animal from the neck or any other part of the body ? Why did he give us all the Torah Mitzvot ?

Does He gain anything from whether I cook a chicken leg in a milk sauce ? Isn’t it much more important to know that there is a G – d; meaning grasping the Creator on an intellectual level ? Even if not and He commands me doing Mitzvot, why do I have to carry out everything in a special way ?

The same Midrash answers that from this we conclude that the Mitzvot were only given to purify man. Even the Gentile world should know His existence and not worshipping other Gods. However, we Jews received 613 Torah Mitzvot and are due to carry them out in a precise Halachic way. If the Torah doesn’t go into details, the Talmud does.

When I started learning in Yeshiva, we were always told that the Mitzvot give us a lifestyle of discipline. Jews have to behave in a human way and not follow their desires of the animal soul. At least not excessively. Eating, drinking, worldly pleasure YES but within limits. On the other hand, Jews have to elevate themselves on a higher level by fulfilling the Mitzvot. The Torah and the Mitzvot are the way G – d is communicating with us. How would we know His will if not through the Torah Mitzvot ?

When Modesty becomes a Pain

B"H

On Sunday morning, I took a state - owned EGGED bus from Safed back to Jerusalem. The ride usually takes about 3,5 hours with a 15 minutes break inbetween; somewhere at a gas station including some shopping opportunities outside Afula.

The bus wasn't too crowded when we left the central bus station in Safed at 11.03am but filled up slowly as soon as the bus stopped at further stops inside Safed. At the last stop, a haredi woman got on with her 5000 children. Immediately she started looking for "kosher" seats. The bus was anything but divided into gender seating but she asked everyone to move so that her children could sit next to the appropriate gender. The girls next to women and the boys next to males.

The passengers got upset and refused to move. Especially after noticing that the haredi woman didn't care about everyone else's modesty but rather of her own. She asked secular Jews to move (women to men) but just to ensure the modest seats of her own family.

I found this behaviour more than rude. 

Are secular or other non - haredi Jews less than Haredim ? Don't we have a right of sitting where we want ? I f I don't want to sit next to a guy, I don't have to be haredi do make such a decision. What if I am just a simple Jew but don't want to sit next to men on a bus because I am not comfortable with being so close ?

The same haredi behaviour at our bakery: People come knocking on the door when we already closed for Shabbat. "I need Challot (Shabbat bread), I am hungry !"

Many Haredim just don't care about anybody else but only about their own Mitzvot ! However, those "Mitzvot" won't be too accepted and only fire back at the person behaving in such a manner.

I seriously hope that people may change after Yom Kippur !

Frum Wishes for Rosh HaShana

B"H

This Mozzaei Shabbat (Saturday night), the Jewish Ashkenazi world is going to start its Selichot prayers before Rosh HaShana. Regretting our sins (Chatai'im) of the ending year and promise to make everything better in the future. At least we will try doing so. 

While saying the Selichot, lots of emotions may come up and we start thinking of how we can improve our connection to G - d. There may be some who have none and now try to build one. 

Others think about different Mitzvot they should finally take upon themselves. 

Whatever you take upon yourself to keep, you should do in small steps. Choose one small Mitzvah where you are certain that you are able to fulfill it. One small Mitzvah for a long period of time. In case you take too much upon yourself, you may end up in depression and, in the worst case, just dump everything and run away. 

One tiny "easy" Mitzvah may sound like "nothing" but lets just look at the Mitzvah of being happy at certain holidays such as Sukkot. Are you able to be constantly happy during those eight days of Sukkot ?