Table Talk from the desk of Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld
October 13-14, 2023 • 28-29 Tishrei 5784 • Bereishis (Gen 1-6).
The purpose of this email is to turn sitting into standing... please forward/print/share.
Happy birthday shout-out to my dear Mother... may you have another year of many blessings!
Happy birthday shout-out to my dear Mother... may you have another year of many blessings!
Last week we were still sitting in the sukkah and I asked, "Is life too complicated?"
None of us imagined how complicated it could get.
So this week, we stand up and be counted.
Stand and be counted means one thing if you are living in the Land of Israel right now.
First question for your table: What does it mean if you're not living in Israel right now?
In my opinion, the rest of us should be doing at least one (preferably all) of three things:
1. Communicate
Everyone you know who lives in Israel and everyone you know who knows someone who lives in Israel - send them an email or text:
"It must be extremely stressful - if you have the wherewithal, please let me know how you guys are doing. But if you don't, no worries, just know that you are in my thoughts and prayers."
Even if you're not the sort who prays, say it anyway. They need to hear it. It means a lot to them. (If you want to be a fully truthful person, so utter a prayer already, what could it hurt?)
None of us imagined how complicated it could get.
So this week, we stand up and be counted.
Stand and be counted means one thing if you are living in the Land of Israel right now.
First question for your table: What does it mean if you're not living in Israel right now?
In my opinion, the rest of us should be doing at least one (preferably all) of three things:
1. Communicate
Everyone you know who lives in Israel and everyone you know who knows someone who lives in Israel - send them an email or text:
"It must be extremely stressful - if you have the wherewithal, please let me know how you guys are doing. But if you don't, no worries, just know that you are in my thoughts and prayers."
Even if you're not the sort who prays, say it anyway. They need to hear it. It means a lot to them. (If you want to be a fully truthful person, so utter a prayer already, what could it hurt?)
But don't assume that they know how you feel. Their fear is real. They need to hear from us.
2. Give
3. Take it personally
The Simchat Torah War is existential for Israelis but is also a war against the entire Jewish People and indeed the entire world. It started thousands of years ago. They hate you because you're Jewish. If you are fortunate, you and your immediate family were spared this time.
Therefore, it's a wake-up call to increase our Jewish connection. How about committing - starting right now - to 5 minutes a day of increased Judaism? That could be something as simple as learning Torah or Jewish wisdom for 5 minutes a day. Join an online class. Read an article online. Listen to Torah audio. Get a meaningful book and read it for 5 minutes a day.
The teeter-totter of history
There are two threads that link you and me to our grandparents and great-grandparents, all the way back: These three pillars (Torah / kindness / prayer) and anti-Semitism. The Talmud predicts that history will be like a see-saw - when these three pillars are up, anti-Semitism will go down, and when these three pillars go down, anti-Semitism will go up.
Those on the front lines are doing what they need to do. The rest of us also have work to do. We're all in this together.
Let's end as usual with a question for your table:
What's a bigger surprise to you - that human beings could be capable of such evil, or that they could get away with it?
Wishing you and all of Israel a Shabbat Shalom,
Alexander Seinfeld
2. Give
3. Take it personally
The Simchat Torah War is existential for Israelis but is also a war against the entire Jewish People and indeed the entire world. It started thousands of years ago. They hate you because you're Jewish. If you are fortunate, you and your immediate family were spared this time.
Therefore, it's a wake-up call to increase our Jewish connection. How about committing - starting right now - to 5 minutes a day of increased Judaism? That could be something as simple as learning Torah or Jewish wisdom for 5 minutes a day. Join an online class. Read an article online. Listen to Torah audio. Get a meaningful book and read it for 5 minutes a day.
The teeter-totter of history
There are two threads that link you and me to our grandparents and great-grandparents, all the way back: These three pillars (Torah / kindness / prayer) and anti-Semitism. The Talmud predicts that history will be like a see-saw - when these three pillars are up, anti-Semitism will go down, and when these three pillars go down, anti-Semitism will go up.
Those on the front lines are doing what they need to do. The rest of us also have work to do. We're all in this together.
Let's end as usual with a question for your table:
What's a bigger surprise to you - that human beings could be capable of such evil, or that they could get away with it?
Wishing you and all of Israel a Shabbat Shalom,
Alexander Seinfeld
PS - In response to people asking me for suggested prayers to say I have prepared a small packet (PDF) - let me know if you'd like a copy.
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