L'chu Lachem

My two children who recently made aliyah are going to spend this Shabbos in Elon Moreh! I am living vicariously through them and think that it must be awesome to be in Elon Moreh which is mentioned in the Parsha this week on this particular Shabbos! My oldest son, who left a bit late wasn't sure that he would be able to get onto his bus because there were so many people trying to get there for this special Shabbat. This Shabbat will also be nice for me in chutz la'aretz as it is my eighteen year old's bar-mitzvah shabbos and he will be laining tomorrow.
Wishing everyone a Shabbat Shalom!

Lech Lecha

In honor of this week's Parsha I'd like to continue with my amazing positive stories of Eretz Yisrael and my children's aliyot. My daughter is having some difficulty adjusting to the University as she is now in a place that only uses Hebrew and she is the only student who isn't 100 percent fluent in the language. Someone must have noticed her struggling because one of the heads of the university called her into his office to talk to her.

In essence, he told her that the university is honored to have her in attendance and that they are so proud of her decision to make aliyah. He told her that it was their responsibility to help her to succeed. In that vein he explained that he would see to it that she had a buddy assigned to her in each class who would copy their notes for her so that she wouldn't miss anything. There would also be girls who would use some of their "chesed" hours to help her develop her Hebrew language skills.

She told me that one girl who was quite good at English had offered to help her with an exceptionally difficult passage for one of the courses. For two hours they sat and worked it through. When they were done the girl thanked my daughter profusely telling her that because of their time together and through her explaining she now understood the material so much better!

My daughter has also received at least five different invitations for Shabbat in various places! Yes, the transition hasn't been all easy for her, but I cried tears of joy as she related all of the chesed that is being done from the heart to make her feel welcome, comfortable, and successful. Ein Keamcha Yisrael!

Rishon, Sheini

Two of my children made "aliyah" in the past two months, and it has made me so proud, yet it has been such a bittersweet experience for me. In the words of our Rabbis "maasei avot siman labanim." My father always tells the story of the time that he took two of his daughters' (not me) to the airport with their families in order for them both to make aliyah. I now personally experienced the feelings that he had when he said "I brought you up your whole lives to love and believe in Israel and how could you do this to me?" While he said these words in partial jest, these true feelings ran deep inside of me for the past few months.

Though it is hard to let go, I think that it is a parents' responsibility to trust their children to make mature decisions even if we have some concerns about the outcome. I pray that H.K.B.H. will watch over them and take good care of them in the merit of their brave choices. Each one of them had a story that I would like to share, because I think that we hear so many negative things about the bureaucracy in Israel and in the media.

So, first...my daughter. When I asked her how school was, aside from telling me that it was hard, and the language....she spoke of how beautiful it was that her education courses were being taught using examples from Rav Kook and learning things from the Tanach. Wow....that really impressed me.

My son left this past Sunday without even having a place to live. The dorm at the University where he would be learning was full and all of the apartments that were being advertised in the area were looking for girls. So right before Yom Tov, I emailed the head of admissions and told her that we were quite concerned. After all my son would be a new Oleh without his family and what would he do if nothing turned up? The answer that I got shocked me. It began with a statement that his anxiety was normal and that he shouldn't worry. But here's the amazing part...it went on to say that he was welcome to live in HER house (her children were grown and away) until he found a place. Next came her cell phone number and a directive to call her as soon as he landed! We are an amazing people! Could you imagine that happening in an American University? Of course, he has no plans on taking her up on her offer. It isn't his style, and we all have bitachon that something will work itself out. B.H. we have loads of relatives there so he won't be homeless even though he'll have an enormous commute until he finds something.

So...when the tears come and that pain of having a piece of my heart missing when I think of them being so far away, I just conjure up these stories and know that THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME! May we all be zochim to follow in their footsteps!

Eim Habanim Smeichah

Moadim L'simcha! This Yom Tov I was privileged to have a lot of wonderful company. Preparations were many and by the time Yom Tov came along, I was pretty exhausted. When I lit my Yom Tov candles, though, it all felt worth it! Most of my children were with me and some wonderful cousins (who had never spent a chag with us) and my father-in-law were all here!

The first night was beautiful and I enjoyed eating outdoors with the family. Unfortunately, I must have been more tired than I thought because I woke up after nine o'clock. I raced to get everything ready and to get dressed for shul. By the time I got there (I am embarrassed to admit) they were already calling up shlishi to the Torah. That is when my heart began to soar. My twenty year old son was laining! To some that might sound like a big whoop, but to me it was priceless. I felt like I could feel the saying "kol haneshamah t'hallelukah."

I can't quite explain why, but when my boys lain it is more priceless to me than a ticket to any concert. Another one of my boys lained on Shabbat for mincha.On the second day of Sukkot my Rabbi spoke of simcha and what it means. He spoke about finding simcha in the "little things." Perhaps to some these are the little things. To me they are huge! May we all be zocheh to find simcha in our lives in all different places. Moadim L'simcha!

They Changed My Seat!

In a recent post called Kaveret I wrote about my Yom Tov seat vs. my regular Shabbat seat. I articulated some of my feelings about the whole seating situation. So when I got to shul this Rosh Hashanah I was quite surprised that my seat had been changed to two rows more forward. At first, I was a bit concerned. How would I feel in my new Makom that was neither my Shabbat or Yom Tov seat? But B.H. there was really nothing to worry about because no one was assigned to my regular Yom Tov seat - and that is where I sat.

This reminded me of a Yekkishe joke. I hope that no one will take offense as I myself am a Yekk. There was a Yekkishe fellow who flew to Israel through his travel agent. Upon his arrival, he called his agent and was irate. "How could you not have given me a window seat? I was so uncomfortale the whole flight!"

After he calmed down, the agent apologized and asked him "If you were so upset, why didn't you just ask the guy next to you to switch?" To this he replied, "That is the whole point! Don't you get it? There was no one sitting there!"

Wishing everyone a "tzom kal" and a great day.

btw...one more joke while I'm on a role...my father always told me this Tzom Gedaliah joke.

He said "why should we fast?

1. Would he fast for me if I ch'v died?

2. By now he would be dead anyhow... :)

Tafasteh Merubah

My Rabbi's speech before Tekiat Hashofar on the second day of Rosh Hashanah really spoke to me! He spoke about setting goals for the new year. He began by quoting a recent Wall Street Journal poll of major CEOs and the like, and what type of goals they set for themselves. These CEOs were followed for a time and the only goals that were actually realized were those who set very small goals - not the grandiose ones.

He went on to say that Rav Shach one year articulated what his goal was for the year. One would have imagined a myriad of fantastic things, but his actual goal was to use a bentcher during birkat hamazon. ....Not all year, but just until Pesach...and only when he was at home. Can you imagine? And this is a gadol hador!

The message was clear and simple but oh so potent. Every year we try to make incredible Rosh Hashanah resolutions when all too often we find that the next year nothing too much has changed. That, he said is the message of tekiat hashofar. All of the Kolot need to equal up to the same time. A truah (all those little sounds) equal up to the tekiah. If we try to set small realistic goals that we can accomplish then with Hashem's help we will. He ended by saying that even though we may not feel that we have changed much from last year we can all say rather accurately that we are not the same people that we were twenty years ago. May this be that year that we all realize our dreams and reach our goals no matter how small they may be. ...and may this I"YH be the year of the geulah shleimah. A good gebentche year to all!

Haiku

I was introduced to Haiku on Rabbi Neil Fleischmann's blog and I was fascinated by the fact that he pointed out that Shma is a Haiku!
My Rabbi suggested that instead of talking during the aliyot that the congregants should read something in English or in the T'fillot. I did a Haiku search. This is what I found.

V'zot Hatorah
Asher Sam Moshe Lifnei
B'nei Yisrael
This is the Torah
Which Moshe Put In Front Of
B'nei Yisrael

Lcha Adoshem
Hagdulah Vhagvurah
V'hatiferet
It Is Yours Ha-Shem
All The Greatness and the Strength
And All The Glory

Hamelech Yoshev
Al Kiseh Ram Vnisah
Shochen Ad Marom
Our King is Sitting
On a High and Lofty Throne
Lives There Forever

Yehalelu Et
Shem Adoshem Ki Nisgav
Shmo Levado
Let Them All Praise The
Name Because It Will Be Raised
His Name Stands Alone

It's No Accident

Today I learned a good lesson in Hakarat Hatov. My day started out okay and got progressively worse. By the time I got home, I was feeling like just going to sleep. As I closed my van door I heard a man calling me. He was driving by my block and had stopped. I assumed that he needed directions. He told me that he knew that I wouldn't remember him (which I didn't) but that his wife and baby had been in a car accident in front of my house three years ago, and that they were doing great, and that he just wanted to thank me again for my kindness on that day. We wished eachother a ktivah vchatimah tovah and he was off. The interaction probably was about three minutes, but I cannot begin to express how my mood was lifted. It is so easy to give hakarat hatov to someone and it can make all of the difference in their day, week, and possibly even life. I will try to keep that thought with me as I go into the yamim noraim. Wishing everyone a ktivah vchatimah tovah.

Rhythmic Breathing

Early in the morning my phone rings and wakes me from a deep sleep. My dear friend says "let's go to the gym!" My yetzer fights me. Go back to sleep....to the gym...sleep....gym... My good sense takes over and I crawl out of bed and begin my routine. Finished in time...phew....coffee down the hatch...gym... i'm ready on time...yay...there's an open lane...45 laps...thirty minutes of floating like on air. It's low impact, but the impact is great. Millions of endomorphins are born and a new wonderful day begins!

Kaveret

Sitting in shul this Shabbat, I began thinking how in less than two weeks I would be changing my seat and how Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur would be upon us. As I continue to get into the "mood" of Elul I thought about how long I yet have to go, but also of the consoling yet awe inspiring feelings that the Yamim Noraim instill. I look forward to my temporary seat change and the "holiness" and cleansing ability that that spot has for me each year. But it wasn't always like that...

I remember as a child being insulted that on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur I was only allowed to sit next to my mother until the high time of shul when the non-regulars showed up to claim their seats. Then my sisters and I were relegated to the "non-assigned" seats in the auditorium which was opened up on these special days. It seemed to me that first come first served was how it should be. Why was it okay for me to sit up front all year and now it wasn't. Okay, I was a naive kid, but seating charts and the whole bit didn't do it for me.

I do, however, have loads of positive memories from those days too. Like seeing my friends' who otherwise never came to shul. Bowing flat down for "aleinu" was the coolest thing in my seven year old mind. The shofar blasts made me happy. It was more like listening to a cool concert than the awe inspiring experience that is today.

I'll never forget the Rabbi's (my father's) fiery speeches on those days. I'll never forget the high pitched voice of the woman who sat in my seat (mshrip). I'll never forget how Hughy fainted on Yom Kippur and how when they revived him he still wouldn't drink water. And most of all I'll never forget all the old people (at least they felt that way then) who would shake my hand good Yom Tov and pinch my cheek. To this day, in many new shuls my old haunting, beautiful tunes of my youth still play in my mind. But...I have digressed the seats...

Now, some forty years later, I look forward to my temporary seat change. Initially I chose the first seat in the uppermost row because it had space in front of it for my children to sit quietly on the floor, and the area was open enough for me to make a quick get-away if they started to cry. Now, Baruch Ha-Shem, my children have grown but my seat still holds a special kdushah of years gone by. I have no intention of switching it to a seat near my "regular Shabbos" seat. I love that seat, though I would never even think of sitting there any other time, even though it is almost always empty.

This seat on the Yamim Noraim reminds me of "mshaneh makom meshaneh mazal." It's not an exact fit, because I'm not implying (ch"v) that my mazal is bad. B.H. HKBH has been very good to me. But it does put me into a special different emotional spiritual mindset and that is a jump-start for me to get to where I need to be on these crucial days of judgement.

I hope that this will be a year where HKBH will judge me and my loved ones, and you and your loved ones with kindness, and goodness and that we will all be blessed with a year of bracha, and hatzlacha b'chol maasei yadeinu.

Beginnings

While standing on Amsterdam Avenue in front of Yeshiva University this morning, I was struck by the beauty of the scenario. Young men were coming with and without parents, shlepping suitcases, ready to receive their room assignments and begin their new year. Perhaps because they were all freshman or sophomores returning after their year of learning in Israel, there was a certain innocence, and freshness about them all.

The atmosphere was extremely friendly as old friends embraced and introductions were made. A few of the guys looked a bit timid and a tad shell shocked, but even they were giving it their all. The most nervous looking expressions were those of the moms. With prayers in their hearts for successful years leading into successful futures for their boys/men, I thankfully counted myself among them.

May HKBH grant them all mazal, hatzlacha, happiness, success, and the fullfillment of their dreams in this new phase of their lives!

Shabbat

You would think that Shabbat would be boring coming each week the way that it does. But it never ceases to amaze me that no two are alike. I think that the reason is that it is the only time in the week that your mind can totally relax and go places that it otherwise would not be able to. The fact that there are no distractions, especially phones and computers is a gift. I can't imagine life without Shabbat. Imagine if we had to give up Sunday(well, maybe not Sunday), Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, sure - but losing Shabbat would be like losing oxygen. What do you think?