Perfect

 Parshas Emor

When a Jew brought a korban, he had to make sure it did not have any blemishes. The Torah specifies what is considered a blemish that would render an animal unfit for a sacrifice. Hashem, who is perfect in every way, can only be given an animal as a korban that is totally perfect. 

As we try to make sense of what happened yesterday, (which we cannot, it just doesn't make sense,) we need to remind ourselves again and again that Hashem is perfect. He has a plan. He knows what He is doing. We are imperfect. We don't understand why. We shouldn't understand it. If we understood tragedy, we wouldn't be moved by it and we would never feel touched by the pain of others. Let's just remind ourselves that Hashem is perfect. 

May we strengthen our emunah in Hashem during this difficult time and be zoche to the Ultimate Geula so soon!

Parshas Eikev

Moshe Rabbeinu tells Bnei Yisroel not to be afraid of conquering the land of Eretz Yisroel. And if they do start to feel scared or nervous, they should think back to the miracles Hashem did for them when they left mitzrayim. They will realize that just as Hashem helped them in the past, He will continue to help them fight these battles and take over the land.  

In life, we are sometimes afraid to look ahead. We don't know what the future will bring and we don't know how we will overcome our battles. We need to fortify ourselves with emunah and remember the times Hashem helped us in the past. When we think about other times Hashem helped us pull through, we will feel strengthened and know that He will help us this time too. 

May we hold on to our faith in Hashem at all times, by looking back at the times Hashem helped us and staying confident that He will be there for us in the future!

Parshas Va'eschanon

When Moshe Rabbeinu speaks to the Jewish Nation before his death, he tells them that we will do aveiros and we will be sent to galus. But, Hashem will never forsake us as a nation and we will ultimately do teshuva and return to Hashem.

While we are in this galus, we may go through times where we feel lost and alone. But we must remember this promise. Hashem will never abandon us! He will never forsake us! And if we use what we are going through to return to Him and to come closer to Him, we will add meaning to our life and purpose to our pain.

May we be able to keep growing and keep coming closer to Hashem as we bridge the gap between us and our Father in Heaven!

Parshas Devarim

Moshe Rabbeinu speaks to the Jewish Nation before he dies. He spends five weeks telling them all the things they will need to hear before their new leader, Yehoshuah, will take over.

While we don't like to think about death, all of us will one day leave this world. While we are still alive, we can think about what kind of messages we are leaving for those around us by the things we spend time doing, the way we act and the words we say. The interactions we have with others really do leave a memorable, lasting impact on our friends and family. 

May we be able to utilize our time while we are still alive to impact those around us in positive ways and act as a role model for spiritual growth to all those we come in contact with!

Parshas Matos-Masei

The Parsha lists the many places the Jews traveled to while in the desert in great detail. We know that there is no extra letter or extra word in the Torah so this detailed list is all the more significant. Every stop the Jews made in the desert was important and worthy of being mentioned.

In our own lives, we may not know why we have to go through certain things or why we have to make specific stops along our journey, but we do know that there is a reason for every single step of our journey. Each thing we go through, every person we meet, every place we end up at, is important. There is a reason and a purpose for it all.

May we be able to utilize the stops along our journey for growth and personal development and leave a positive, lasting impression on each person we meet along the way!

Parshas Pinchas

After he is told that he will not lead Jewish People into the Promised Land, Moshe Rabbeinu asks Hashem to appoint someone to take his place. Hashem tells Moshe that Yehoshua will be the one to lead the Nation after he dies.

Just like Hashem would never abandon His nation and leave them without a leader, Hashem would never abandon any one of us. He already has the salvation in place before He gives us a challenge. We can strengthen ourselves with this truth by noticing that when we are going through something difficult, Hashem sends a messenger, someone to give us advice or support to help us get through that tough time.

May we be able to help our friends and neighbors when they are struggling and always stay strong in our faith that Hashem has a salvation ready for us before He sends any challenge our way!

Parshas Balak

Balak tried to get Bilam to curse the Jewish People but he was unsuccessful. After three times of trying, he realized that Hashem was the One controlling what came out of Bilam's mouth and he gave up. 

In life, there are many things we try to do. Sometimes they work out immediately and we see Hashem's hand. Other times, we keep trying and we aren't successful. We need to strengthen our emunah and remind ourselves that Hashem orchestrates every detail of our lives, from the words that come out of our mouths to the bigger results of our efforts. We should remember that everything that happens is for our ultimate benefit. 

May we be able to keep trying when things are rough and stay strong in our belief that everything Hashem does is for our good! 

Parshas Chukas

After Miriam was niftar, the Be'er Miriam dried up and the Jews complained that they were thirsty. Hashem told Moshe to speak to the rock but instead he hit it and water came forth.

When we want something from someone, we can speak gently and with kindness or speak harshly and use force. Using force might get us what we want, but not in the way we want. The person may give in, but their feelings towards us will change. The better way is to speak softly and with sensitivity. The person will be more receptive to what we are saying and this interaction will bring the person closer to us instead of create distance between us. 

May we be able to use a more gentle approach when speaking to those we care about so we can bring them closer to us with every interaction we have!

Parshas Korach

When Korach organized a rebellion against Moshe Rabbeinu, accusing him of assigning power unfairly, Moshe suggested that they wait until the next morning for a sign from Hashem to determine who was right. After each group would bring a ketores, a fire would come down from heaven and burn the offering of the either his group or Moshe's group. He wanted to wait so Korach would have time to think and hopefully, he would change his mind.

We see how important it is to wait a little bit when someone is angry. A good resolution can't always be reached immediately because when people are heated, their emotions take over. Once some time passes, even just one night, it may be possible for both sides to hear each other more openly and logically and work towards a peaceful compromise. 

May we be able to give people who are really angry time to calm down so we can keep all of our interactions peaceful! 

Parshas Shelach

Hashem told Moshe Rabbeinu to send a group of spies to look at Eretz Yisroel before the Jewish People would enter the land. 

The spies are interpreted to mean something very personal. Spies refer to foreign thoughts, things we think others are thinking about us. It's not easy to overcome negative thoughts that sneak into our heads. Yet, when we are confident that what we are doing is right, we don't need to worry about what others are thinking. We can be who we are and act in the right way without looking over our shoulders.

May we be able to send away the spies, the negative thoughts, and through this may we achieve many great things! 

Parshas Beha'aloscha

Parshas Beha'aloscha ends with Miriam getting tzora'as. While the entire nation waited for Miriam, her brother Moshe davened. What was his tefillah? 6 words. Ana Kel Na, Refah Na La-Please Hashem, heal her. He davened a short tefillah because so many people were waiting. 

We learn from this that tefillah, chessed and spiritual growth are important but should not be done at the expense of other people. Yes, it's nice to take on extra levels in our yiddishkeit, but we need to be considerate of those around us and make sure our growth isn't causing others discomfort. And while chessed is a big mitzvah, we need to make sure our own families aren't losing out because of it.

May we be able to find the right balance when we are growing and doing good, so we are happy and those closest to us are happy as well!

Parshas Naso

The Isha Sota was taken to be proven as guilty or innocent only after she was warned not to associate with a man she had previously been seen alone with.

We see that accusing someone of doing something wrong is a huge responsibility. We must have clear evidence before approaching someone. Additionally, it is so important to give a warning. This gives the person a chance to fix themselves instead of falling at the first sign of misconduct. If given in the right way, the warning can show we believe that the person can do it right next time!

May we be able to show others we believe they can do better instead of jumping at them with accusations the first time they act wrongly!

Parshas Bamidbar

The shevatim who encamped near Aharon and Moshe were known for their Torah knowledge and spiritual greatness, while those from shevet Reuvain were negatively influenced by their neighbor Korach.

We see how important it is to be surrounded by good people. We should stick around people who will influence us in a positive way and who will lift us up. We can also look at ourselves in the mirror and ask, "Would people want to be around me? What kind of impact do I have on those I come in contact with?"

May we be able to affect others in a positive way and may we always be surrounded by good people!

Parshas Bechukosai

Hashem promises that if we follow Him and do the mitzvos, we will be blessed with peace. We will lie down at night and will not be afraid because we will have inner peace.

How can we achieve an inner sense of calm? When we are satisfied with the things we are doing with our lives and we are living with meaning, we will feel good about ourselves. When we make a difference in the lives of others, we feel peaceful and whole on the inside. And when we strengthen our belief that Hashem is running our lives, we can stay calm even when things are difficult or stressful.

May we be able to feel an inner sense of peace by choosing to live a life of meaning and internalizing that everything that happens to us is from Hashem!

Parshas Behar

The mitzvah of Shmittah is in this weeks Parsha. The farmers who keep shmittah face major challenges of emunah and bitachon-how will they have the money they need if they aren't working? They become more selfless and generous when they allow people to take from their fields. By exercising their spiritual muscles, they become stronger in their avodas Hashem. 

Our spiritual challenges enable us to reach higher levels. Next time you are struggling, remind yourself that it is through THIS challenge that you can become better. Realize that each time you overcome a challenge, you climb up a level...and every little step will get you closer to your goal!

May we be able to strengthen ourselves to overcome our spiritual struggles and always keep growing!

Parshas Emor

There is a special mitzvah for a farmer to leave the corner of his field for the poor man when he is harvesting his crop. He demonstrates his awareness of Who blessed him with this good and shares it with those who are less fortunate than he is.

When we are blessed with plenty, we should remember those who aren't as fortunate as we are and share it with them. And while we think of giving in terms of money, there are so many ways to give. We can give our time or our knowledge, a listening ear or a compliment, encouragement or good advice. Some forms of giving don't have a price tag but they're worth more than all the money in the world!

May we always be on the giving end by sharing whatever good we have with others - from money to talents and everything in between!

Parshas Kedoshim

There are many mitzvos in this week's parsha. One of them is the commandment not to take revenge. When someone does something that causes us pain, we are told to refrain from hurting them back. 

When we go through physical, emotional or financial pain in our lives and we know exactly who caused it, it's easy to blame and want to hurt back. If we remind ourselves that no one can cause us any pain unless Hashem allows it, we can stop ourselves from wanting to get back at them. Each person is a messenger from Hashem and for reasons we may not understand, we were supposed to go through this exact experience. 

May we be able to strengthen our belief in Hashem so we can overcome our desire for revenge!

Parshas Acharei Mos

After Aharon's sons died, Hashem clearly states what should be done so something like this won't happen again. 

We see that it's so important to be clear with others when something is bothering us. If someone hurts or upsets us, they can't read our mind! When we express our feelings with sensitivity and speak openly, we give the person an opportunity to fix what happened. Only then can they figure out what can be done to make sure it won't happen again.

May we be able to fix relationships that need to be fixed by speaking openly, with sensitivity and care so that we become closer to those we love most!

Parshas Metzorah

If someome got tzora'as on the walls of their home and they ignored it, it spread to their clothing and then to their skin. It didn't go away until they dealt with it by approaching the Kohen and taking the steps to get rid of it.

When we try to sweep issues under the rug, they don't go away. They continue to spread further until we are forced to face them and deal with them. It takes strength to acknowledge when something is wrong and courage to do what it takes to fix our problems. But then we get to a place of healing and we can put our past behind us, growing and changing into better people.

May we be able to look at our lives with honesty, and have all the strength we need to make positive changes so we can heal, improve and look forward to a better future!

Parshas Tazria

When someone had tzora'as, he showed it to a Kohen who would declare that he was either pure or impure. Why did he have to ask the Kohen? Why couldn't he look and decide for himself? It's because a person can easily see all kinds of blemishes except for their own. For this reason, they had to have an outside person, a Kohen, look at them and establish their status.

It's so easy to look around and see what other people need to fix, what character traits other people need to work on. Our avodah in this world is to look inwards and to work on ourselves, perfecting our middos and refining our character.

May we be able to focus on our inner selves and make positive changes instead of looking at what other people need to fix!