Parshas Terumah

The measurements of the aron were all in half amos. The aron, which had the luchos inside, represents someone who studies Torah.

We see from here that someone who learns Torah always feels a small sense of incompleteness. No matter how much we learn, we remain humble with the knowledge that there is so much more to learn. Torah is so deep and so vast. As soon as we touch on one topic, we realize there is so much we didn't know. This makes us feel so in awe of how much more there is to learn and know and grow!

May we be able to keep our thirst for Torah alive and continue to delve into the beauty and depth of the Torah!

Parshas Yisro

The Torah lists the mitzvos Bein Adam lamakom-between man and Hashem, side by side with the mitzvos Bein Adam lachaveiro, the ones involving interpersonal relationships. 

We see that the Torah is not just a set of rules that govern the spiritual aspects of our lives. It's so much more than that. The Torah tells us how to act with the people closest to us. Honor your parents. Don't be jealous of your neighbor. Don't steal-money, time or possessions from anyone. Do what it takes to be peaceful and loving to all those you encounter. 

May we be able to live a life of Torah by keeping not only the mitzvos between us and Hashem, but by also maintaining wonderful relationships with all the people we come in contact with!

Parshas Bereishis

The Torah discusses things that cast people in a negative light. It talks about the cheit of Adam and Chava in detail, the story of Kayin and Hevel and ends with Hashem deciding He wants to destroy the world. Why does the Torah write about all these bad things? Shouldn't it only tell us the good things people did? 

We see that all people make mistakes. Mistakes don't make us bad. They make us human. We need to learn from our experiences and do something different next time. Then, the mistake becomes something positive. 

We learn from Adam and Chava about overcoming temptation, from Kayin and Hevel to give the best when you're giving a gift and about the negative effects of jealousy. The aveiros the Torah talks about help us gain important lessons for life!

May we be able to pick ourselves up after we stumble and have the strength to do better next time we are faced with a challenge!

Parshas Va'eschanan

We are told that we may not add on to or take away from any of the commandments in the Torah. The Torah is perfect and was given to us by a perfect God with specific instructions on how to live the most fulfilling life.

If we add on to one of the mitzvos, it might become too heavy and burdensome and we'll drop the whole thing. Doing less than what we were commanded to do makes us lose out on the perfect prescription for a meaningful life.

May we be able to enjoy the benefits of following the mitzvos and feel the deep satisfaction that comes along with living a Torah life!

It's Shabbos Nachamu-which means "let us comfort." We have an obligation to offer chizuk to others when they are down. When we comfort someone else, it also soothes our soul and makes us feel better.

May we live to see the day of ultimate comfort, of the geula shelaima...so soon!

To Accept

I found my comfort. After feeling like I've been going through inner torture since this story, Hashem sent just me the chizuk I needed. It didn't come from something I read online, or from a video or lecture I listened to... (and I I have been searching for something, anything that would heal my aching soul...)

Yesterday, I opened a pirkei avos to prepare a lesson for my students on sefira. I wanted to highlight some of the "mem ches devarim," 48 ways to acquire Torah. I figured I'll choose the ones most relevant and appropriate for them. As I was readijng through the list (it's in perek shishi), one of them jumped out at me and hit me in the heart. 

One way to acquire Torah is through "kabalas hayesurin," accepting painful things Hashem puts us through. I tried to keep reading, to keep going through the list, but my brain and my heart kept going back to that one.

It hit me.

If we are to live a life of Torah, we will experience painful things. We will not understand many of them. But we need to accept them. We need to accept that this is the will of Hashem.

It doesn't take the pain away. But this thought did soothe an aching heart. My soul was able to find some peace and I was able to rid my head of the crazy thoughts that have been traveling through my brain faster than I could control them these past few days.

When my kids were super cute and delicious, I would worry that it's the good ones that are taken. Every mother who loses a young child talks about how their kid's smile would light up the room. Or how their kid had an exceptional love of life. Or what a fun personality their kid had. Or how caring they were. So when my kids displayed their natural caring heart, my insides would scream...STOP! Don't be so good. So cute. So caring. So yummy. So full of positive energy and love of life. I don't want Hashem to take you Chas veshalom!

I couldn't deal with regular, positive, healthy interactions without thinking that this may be the last time...the last time I tuck my kids into bed, the last time I say "I love you..."

I thought...if this is what happens to someone who went through one loss, who is next? There seemed to be no guarantee that my family would be safe. That those close to me would be blessed to stay alive. 

I was scared. Scared of what the future would bring. Scared for my kids. Scared for everyone close to me that I love and care about. 

But then it hit me. 

Hashem decided to take this special engaged couple because...we don't know why. And we don't have to know why. But we have to accept it. We have to accept this pain so it doesn't rip us apart and hold us back from functioning. 

And this is how we will be able to be mekabel the Torah on shavuos. By realizing that we can't understand some of the difficult challenges Hashem sends to us. We can only accept it as reality and move forward with our spiritual growth. 

We can't let challenges paralyze us and stop us from living life. We have to look at the challenges as an opportunity for us to fix ourselves, to take one small thing upon ourselves so we can become more spiritual. We can become more loving and more expressive of that love towards those closest to us. We should inject joy and happiness into our lives and the lives of those around us. 

This is the way I found comfort and inner peace.

I hope you can, too.

Grateful

His first day was great
How much I appreciate
His rebbe's hard work
His approach
He will coach
His talmidim
Help them learn new skills
On their knowledge they will build
Using contests, charts
Stickers,
Prizes too
Whatever it takes
To get his boys to
Learn
Challenge themselves
Strengthen their skills
Build upon them
And keep learning
With excitement
Enthusiasm
And love for
Torah
Mitzvos
Work on middos
Listen to stories
He will do it all
He will teach
They will absorb
My son absorbs
He is eager
To learn
Excited to advance
Push himself
Further
I am so grateful
A new start
A good beginning
A great beginning
Thank you, Hashem
Thank you for the good
Thank you for a good start
Thank you for a good click
Between my son
And his rebbe
Thank you for
The sparkle in his eyes
When he tells me,
"Rebbe said......."
Thank you for
The things I hear
When he tells me
What his favorite thing was
Today
Davening
(Wow, so special)
Playing outside
(Okay, he's normal :))
And for a rebbe who is willing
To work
To change things
So my son can be
Happy
Feel satisfied
That he is learning
At a good pace
And when he said
His least favorite part
Of the day
Was
Benching
(With a nervous look on his face)
And he told me why
'Cuz the boys go too fast at the end
At the part he isn't familiar with yet
He didn't learn it
At his summer camp 
So I sent a note
Asking if the class 
Could go slower
He did it
Right away
And the next day
The very next day
My big boy said
He was able to bench
Together
With everyone else
'Cuz rebbe went slower
Today
Thank you, Hashem
For every day
With this rebbe
Who ignites his heart
With a fire
A passion
A love for
His learning
Torah
And mitzvos
I am grateful
And I keep davening
That it will
Continue
This way
Every day.

Letting Go

Tomorrow is a big day
It's the first day
Of a new school year
For my big boy
Oh boy!
I'm nervous
For him
He's excited
New knapsack
All packed
Sharpened pencils
Nice and neat
How sweet
To see
His cute little face
Eager to start
A new year
In yeshiva
As a big boy
But I'm nervous
A new year
A new start
A new rebbe
How will it go?
I know
I need to let go
Of my worries
Of my fears
He's prepared
There's nothing more
I can do
He can do
It's not in my hands
But...I so much want
It to be a good year
A productive year
A year
Where
He accomplishes
Learns
And grows
So much
There's so much
That is at stake here
He's a good kid
Eager to please
But he's also smart
Too smart, sometimes
And I worry
Will his rebbe be smarter?
Will he know what to do?
Will he be able to 
React appropriately
When my son 
Tests his boundaries?
Will he know
How to handle
The trouble
The ideas 
The mischief
My son might come up with?
He's a good kid
And he's eager to please
But he's smart, my son
Too smart, sometimes
And his brain works
So quickly
That before you blink
He can be on the brink
Of another ohmygosh moment
Heart stopping
For me
Feet climbing
For him
He's so high up
I can't figure out how he got there
But he knows
How to get down
He's smart enough
Too figure out the rungs
Or cracks
Or holes
On the wall
On the gate
On top of that garage
And he'll climb
Or jump
Or slide
Right down
It's fun for him
Not for me
So I get nervous
For him.
He has so much potential
He can reach so high
He can soar
He can fly
Rebbe...?
Will you try
Too work with him?
Too keep him
Stimulated
Instead of frustrated?
Busy doing
Instead of bored?
Looking for something to do?
He experienced both
And I'm telling you
He wants to please
I want to feel at ease
For tomorrow
For the big day
I want him to come home and say
How great it was
How much he loves his rebbe
How excited he is for tomorrow
Like he did last year
Every single day.
I pray
Today
And every day
That the Torah should be sweet
In his mouth
Like it is now
That he should love to learn
To acquire
To absorb
And take in
Every lesson
Every word.
There is so much in your hands,
Dear rebbe
But I need to remember
Whose Hands
This really is in
It's not in my hands
(And so I daven)
It's not in my big boy's hands
(Even though those hands can
Keep quite busy!)
It's not even in
The rebbe's hands
(As much as he tries
To make each lesson come alive)
It's in the Hands of
Hashem above
And so
I send up
Another prayer
And another
I don't stop davening
And hoping
And davening some more
As I shed a tear
For a productive year.
I am nervous
I am scared
I am worried
But I do know
That I need to let go
So I take a deep breath
Inhale and internalize
Exhale and let go
And inhale once again
To let that emunah seep into me
And exhale once more
So I can truly let go.

Purim Poem-Meaning

I know it's almost a week after Purim, but I didn't get to post my Purim poem for this year. So, here goes... :-)

Purim is a day when we celebrate
A miracle that was really great
With Haman’s decree we were to be annihilated
But then it all turned around in a way no one could have anticipated
What was the real reason for this decree?
It was because the Jews ate and drank at Achashveirosh’s party
By mixing with the goyim to this degree
They were showing they cut off from Hashem completely
And since Hashem is the Source of life, the only one who gives
They lost their chance, they could not be allowed to live
But after fasting and davening and crying their hearts out
The Jews began yearning and returning, there was no doubt
For once they turned to Hashem, they finally realized
That the Torah and mitzvos are a treasure, a real prize
And once they did that, they connected to the source
They were deserving of life-real life of course
So the V’nahapoch Hu of Purim was a true turnover
A literal techiyas hameisim for the Jews in Shushan and all over
They wouldn’t be killed by the goyim who were given permission to
Instead they could fight back so they could stay alive and start anew
Now the message we can take on this Purim day
Beyond the costumes and themes and partying away
Is that a life with meaning and true connection
Where we strive to be our best, even if we can’t achieve perfection
That’s what really counts and adds life to our every year
We need to recognize the treasure we have, the Torah we hold so dear
And add meaning to our lives, to our every day
So that in a year from now, we can look back and say
“I am so proud of where I am and what I achieved
I became better, stronger, closer, more connected to the King of Kings!”
For that is our goal in our life here on earth
To fill each day with deeds and actions that have eternal worth
My bracha to you is that you should be able to make the right choices
Even when you are pulled in many directions and hear different voices
May you have the clarity to know and the strength to do the right thing
And may each day of your life be filled with true meaning
May you be able to internalize the message of Purim and take it to heart
Living each day to the fullest-today’s the best day to start!

A Freilichen Purim!

Airplane Musings

I'm in the car on the way home from the airport. It's been an incredible trip to Eretz Yisroel for my older sister Chaya Sara's wedding. As we ride home, we look out the window for airplanes. The kids love spotting them in the sky and we take turns guessing if the plane is landing or just took off.

"The plane is so tiny," my son says.

"Could you believe we were just up on the sky in one of those tiny looking airplanes?"

And we talk about it. How all airplanes are really so much bigger than they look...because they are so far away. When we are inside, we can see their true size, but when we are down on the ground they appear to be so little and tiny.

This gets me thinking.

I think about people.

I think about every person.

Every person on this world has so much in them. So much depth, so much history, so much to offer and so much to share. From far, before you get to know them, they might seem so little. There might not appear to be more to them than their external.

She? She's so yeshivish.

Too frum for my liking.

Oh, her? That girl? That woman? That teenager?

She looks like she could use a little lecture in [shmiras halashon, anger management, tznius, hilchos shabbos...]

There's so much we don't know about the people we meet.

We may think we see, we may think we have an idea, but really, that first encounter is just a scratch on the surface. We are seeing people at a distance.

She may look like she has it all, but do you know how much she is struggling inside?

When you get to know the person, the real person inside, you can get to see how big they truly are. Their past, their upbringing, their challenges, their successes. All this, and more, is what makes them so much bigger than they appear to be.

She may look so yeshivish, but do you know what it took for her to get there? Do you have any idea what kind of home she grew up in, how she struggled to stay strong even when she could have gone under? Do you know that she could relate to challenges you are struggling with because of her history and the life and home she chose to build for herself? She's so much more than just her outside dress. Get to know her. Look past the clothing and shy smile. See what a deep, incredible person you are encountering.

All of us have depth. Each of us are more than just a tiny speck in this vast world of humanity. We may look small in a crowd of people, but each of us is really big. We are big because of the challenges we overcame, the middos we have worked on and the people we are striving to become. We each have so much to offer, so much to give and so much power to affect those around us in a positive way.

*    *    *

I think about the Torah.

From a distance, the Torah seems so small. How much is in those five little books? How much can it encompass?

But as one gets closer, they start to realize how much is in those five little books. So so much. The Torah is so vast, it is so deep, everything is in it.

"Hafoch ba v'Hafoch ba"

Keep looking.

Keep searching.

Keep questioning.

Keep challenging.

Everything is in it.

Halachos about how to treat each other, how to deal with other people's money, how to respect our parents, how to work on ourselves...It's all there.

There are practical lessons for life found in every pasha. I find them...Every week.

Advice, chizuk, knowledge, depth, the Torah is so full. Once one starts to get closer to the Torah, they begin to realize how little they know and how much there is to gain. The more one reads and studies, the more they will see how much there is to still attain.

From afar, the Torah may seem quite small. But the closer a person gets to this never-ending wellspring of knowledge and depth, the more they will see how vast the Torah truly is.

May you be able to see, to know, to explore and understand this special gift called the Torah and may it enrich your life in so many ways!

Thanks for Sharing

Have you ever walked outside and heard blaring music coming from a car driving down the street?

Whenever that happened while I was out, I'd say to whoever I was with, "Thanks for sharing!" The music coming out of those cars weren't usually songs I'd want to listen to while having a massage. They were songs I'd choose to listen to while doing exercise. Or maybe I'd rather not listen to those songs at all... :-)

For a while, it was hard for me to understand why someone would do that. Why do they have to drive down the street and "share the wealth" with people who never asked for it? Why couldn't they just enjoy the music in their own car and not have to make so much noise?

Until I had that incredible urge.

I was driving down the street listening to a song that I absolutely love. A song that empowers me, that moves me, that pushes me to want to do more, to do my best no matter what is going on. It's a fast song, it has a great beat, and the words are just plain awesome.

And so...I did it. I rolled down my windows and turned the volume up to the max. 

Why? Why did I do that?

It's because...I had something that felt so incredible to me...and I wanted to share that with everyone around me. This song did something to me. It moved me. It inspired me. It talked to me. And I wanted everyone else to feel it too. I wanted them to hear the words, to feel what I was feeling. I wanted them to feel the power of the song so they could be touched the same way the music touched me.

All this got me thinking...

You know, we as Jews have something so incredible. We have the most awesome gift ever. Hashem gave us the Torah. It is a part of who we are, it helps us learn how to be more sensitive and caring to others. It turns us into better people.

Do we ever feel like we really want to share it with others?

When we feel a positive emotion that is so overpowering, we have this tremendous urge to share it with others. It's like when someone is in "simcha mode". When they get engaged, have a baby, marry off a child...or when a very close relative gets engaged, has a baby or gets married...the emotions inside of us are so strong, we just want to share it. We want all our friends and neighbors to know who got engaged to who, who had a baby and if it was a boy or a girl, who got married...all the exciting details of the simcha that make us feel so happy. All we feel like doing is sharing that incredible joy with others.

So...what about our Judaism? Are we as passionate about what we have that we feel this same urge to give over to others and share the wealth?

This year, before Shavuos, take the time to think about it. Think about the things inside you. The things you care deeply about. And if you are passionate about Torah and mitzvos and you have thoughts and ideas you want to share with someone who is not as fortunate as you are, who doesn't have the same Torah background as you have, sign up for a program that will give you the opportunity to share your wealth.

You can sign up to learn with someone on the phone once a week with Partners in Torah. You can learn with someone in person, one on one. And if you don't feel you have that inside you, you can host a kiruv training seminar in your house as a way to help others learn more about kiruv. Or, you may choose to donate some of your ma’aser money to any of the organizations who are involved in kiruv. Oorah also has many ways of getting involved.

Whatever you choose, just realize that you have been given a unique treasure. You own it...and it is a part of you. And if you felt passionate enough about it, you'd also feel like you want to do whatever you can to share it with others. 

Do what it takes to share the wealth. 

It will enrich your life in so many ways.

After Succos

Succos-it’s over

It passed

But it shouldn’t really be over

It should be something that passes us by

It should be something

Something we internalize

Something we grow from

So many special days

So many days of connection

Of family time

Of shul time (for some)

Of home time (for others)

Of taking care of kids (for me!)

Of enjoying our families

But somewhere in middle of those days

Did some inspiration creep in?

Are we closer to Hashem now?

Did we learn to rely on Him more

Did the sukkah teach us

Just how dependent we are on Him?

Did we breathe in the cool (warm) air

While we were outside?

And let the emunah seep into our bones

While we felt the wind blowing softly?

While we felt the sun shining down on us?

Felt Hashem’s love

Felt Him taking care of us?

Did we let the hashpa’os of succos

Enter our souls?

Are we more connected now?

Are we more aware now?

Of how much He does for us?

How much we need Him in our lives?

Of how we want to be better?

Different, maybe?

So many days

Yamim Nora’im

Awesome days

Days of closeness-perhaps

Days of connection-hopefully

Days of introspection-sometimes

Busy days-for sure

What do we come out with

When we are done?

There’s a lot more to Simchas Torah

Than dancing just for fun

(Or watching the men run

Round and round

Clapping to the happy sounds)

Torah-it’s our life

It’s the way we want to live

It’s the goals we aspire to

And so, so much more

(No way to fit it here

That’s for sure!)

Watching people who immerse themselves

In our holy books

Their faces look

So happy

So shining

So joyful

Knowing-

That living a life of Torah

Following our Torah

Brings so much joy

(And sometimes pain)

Yet there’s so much to gain

When we follow the right way.

May we all be able to

Internalize

These messages

Grow from these days

Instead of just letting these days pass

Like a thing of the past

We made it through

Yes we did it-

Three 3-day yomim tovim

It may have been tough

We may have thought-enough!

Enough food

Enough noise

Enough messes

Enough toys

But…

There is something special to take

From these days

And if we take something special

For ourselves

In our hearts

Change

From these days

We will know

We did

What we were supposed to

We grew

And that’s what we’re here for.

Growth.

Always.

Every day.

At every moment in our lives.

May this year be filled

With many opportunities for growth.

Keep climbing!

Lag Ba'omer-Tefillah With Tears

Lag Ba’omer is a day of great simcha and joy. What is the reason for our happiness on this day?

We all know that it is the day that Rebbe Akiva’s talmidim stopped dying and it is also the day that Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai was niftar. 

We fast on Gimmel Tishrei-Tzom Gedalia, because it was the day that the tzaddik of the generation, Gedalia, was niftar. Why then, on the day that the tzaddik Rebbe Shimon died, are we happy?

Rebbe Shimon revealed the Zohar, the sod-secrets of the Torah, on this day. It says “pekudei Hashem yesharim mesamchei lev”-the laws of Hashem are just and gladden the heart. Since this was the day that a deeper level of Torah was revealed, it is a day of tremendous inner simcha.

*   *   *

R’ Shimon’s parents, Yochai and Sara did not have children for many years. At a certain point, they planned to get divorced after Rosh Hashana of the coming year. On Rosh Hashana, Yochai had a dream. He was sitting near a tree and saw other trees around him being watered while his tree was watered with a special keili, a special pitcher.

He went to his rebbe, R’ Akiva and asked him for the meaning of his dream.

R’ Akiva told him, “There was a malach watering the trees of those who will have children in the coming year. Your wife is an akarah and cannot have children. However, since she davened and cried to Hashem with tears from her heart, the malach used a special pitcher containing all her tears and watered your tree. And this year, you will be blessed with a child!

And that was the year that little Shimon was born…who later became Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai.

We see from here the tremendous power of not just tefillah, but tefillah with tears. When someone davens to Hashem from their heart-whether it is with a siddur or without one-and they cry, those tefillos are extra special. They carry extra weight. 

So as we turn up the sound on the music we can finally listen to and our hearts fill with joy, let us remember the meaning behind this happy time. We are rejoicing because of the special depth of Torah that was revealed on this day. We are preparing ourselves for the giving of the Torah-the source of our inner happiness.

And let us remember that no matter what happens, a Jew can always daven to Hashem. When things are difficult and we cry out to Him, realize how much our He treasures our tears. Our tefillos are precious, Hashem wants to hear us and He does listen to us, at all times.

May you be able to feel true happiness and feel that close connection to Hashem always. Never stop davening for the things you are waiting for-and may you experience yeshuos in your personal life!

Why?

Someone sent me a text message last night asking the following:

“Why are you frum?”

I wasn’t sure if this was a trick question or if she was seriously asking me this. But she wasn’t joking around.

I’m not going to give you my own answer here (maybe I’ll save that for another post…maybe not :) ) but I want to pose that question to you.

Did you ever think about why you are frum?

In this weeks parsha, Parshas Yisro, the entire Jewish Nation stood at Har Sinai and received the Torah. K’ish Echad B’lev Echad-like one man with one heart. Each and every person wanted to receive the Torah, wanted to be a part of our special nation.

Are you keeping the Torah because it is what you want?

*  *  *

My son came home with a project yesterday. It showed Hillel laying on the roof of a beis medrash with shimmering pieces of snow. He told me all about it, how Hillel wanted to learn Torah but he didn’t have money to pay so he climbed onto the roof of the beis medrash so he could listen to everyone learning Torah…and it was so cold and there was snow…

It got me thinking.

Why?

What was it about the teachings of the Torah that someone would lay on the roof of a building to listen to others learning? And stay there no matter how cold it got?

Do you know?

What does the Torah mean to you?

What does being frum mean to you?

This shabbos, think about those questions. See if you can come up with some answers.

Have a wonderful and uplifting shabbos!

And Then There Were Those...

Last night, many, many people gathered together to celebrate the completion of the entire shas. It only took one day. One day at a time of working and trying, of learning and understanding...and totaled seven and a half years of dedication and perseverance.

Sure, there are so many lessons to take from this. About how much can be accomplished from a few moments of learning the same thing daily. About taking baby steps to achieve big things in life. About perseverance. About not giving up. About the power of a group of people doing something good together...and how that can give someone the push to continue doing it. About using time wisely and utilizing every minute. About the beauty of Torah and how every single person, no matter what they do, can have a part in it.

For those who went, it was powerful to spend a few hours with so many people to celebrate this huge accomplishment.

Many people turned their schedules around so they could be at this special event. There were those who left work early and young children who left day camp early. Some people got babysitters, some got rides, some took buses. People did whatever they had to. All so they could be there and be part of the experience. Yet still, there were plenty of people who were unable to make it to the siyum hashas.

And then there were those...

Those who didn't even know there was a siyum.

Those who don't even know what Torah is. Who don't know what a letter in the aleph bais looks like.

They have no idea what beauty they are missing out on. They don't even know such beauty exists.

Just a few days ago, we sat on the floor and mourned the destruction of the Bais Hamikdosh.
A friend of mine, Temima, shared the following thought with me from R’ Shimshon Pincus zt”l.

When we mourn over the churban and tragedies written about in the kinnos, we must keep in mind that today we are also undergoing tragedies as a result of the churban. During the churban it was the loss of millions of Jewish bodies. But today’s loss is millions of neshamos. Forever. In the kinnos we read that the navi saw mounds of tefillin removed from slain boys and men and he cried out, “Hashem, here are the tefillin but where are the heads?!”
Today we have to cry out, “Oy! Ribbono Shel Olam, here are the heads but where are the tefillin?!”

The churban is still very much with us in our time. It is just a different kind of churban.

What can we do about it?

What can you do about it?

It may sound harder than it is. But every person can do something.

You can sign up to learn with someone on the phone once a week with Partners in Torah. Through kiruv.com you can learn with someone in person, one on one. You can host a kiruv training seminar in your house or donate some of your ma’aser money to any of the organizations who are involved in kiruv. Oorah also has many ways of getting involved.

And...you can make a kiddush Hashem. Because wherever you go, whatever you do, people you know and people you don't are watching you and may be passing judgement about all Jews...when they see you. You represent the entire Jewish Nation.

So today, when I was outside and I saw an old neighbor of mine who grew up in a totally non-frum home, walking her dog with her non-Jewish boyfriend, I gave her a hug, talked to her for two minutes and treated her the way she should be treated. Like a person. I smiled at her and wished her well. I don't know what she thought when I left but I know I did mine. That tiny spark inside her will never go out. It may be dimmed for a while but there is hope for her and for those like her.

So...when I think about the siyum hashas and the beauty and power of so many people gathering together to celebrate this milestone, I also think about those who do not know of such beauty, who are unaware of what they are missing.

I will daven for them. I will hope for them. And I will do something real, something practical to make sure I can make a difference in someone else's life.

Do you think you can too?