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!

Windows

I look up
At the clouds
With the sun peeking through
And I seem to see
Windows
Windows to the heavens
And I wonder...
What is going on
Up there
In the heavens?
What happens?
Up high?
Beyond the clouds
Beyond the sun
Beyond all
We can see
What is going on?
Beyond the windows
If only I can see
Through the clouds
Through the shining rays
Understand the days
And nights
Of life.
Yet I cannot
Understand
I cannot fathom
God's ways
I have tried
But I haven't ever
Been able to 
Understand
His plan.
I look up
At what seems like
Windows
And I wish
I wish I could scream
And let my voice pierce 
The heavens
Let my voice reach
The highest heights
And then 
Like a silent whisper
Ask one question
Can I see my brother?
Can I speak to him?
Can I encounter him?
Can I approach him?
Can I spend time with him?
I have so much to ask him
So much to tell him
So much to share with him
So much to do with him
He is gone for so long
But he is not gone
He is in my heart
Never gone
I wish for so much
Wish we could talk
Wish we could spend
Time forever together 
So instead
He's in my head
All the time
And that's where
We spend time together
I think about him
I fantasize about him
About life
My life
With him in it.
He's certainly in my life
But not in the way
I dream of.
He's just in my dreams
But not in my reality
Sure, in reality
He's here
In my son's name
In the stories we share
About him
But it's just in
Our imagination 
I look up once more
Just to be sure
I can't pierce through the heavens
Through the windows above
That look so ready
To be penetrated
With the welcoming rays
Of the sun
I can't see
What's happening
Up there
I can only imagine
And live
The life I'm meant to live
Down here 
In this world of confusion 
Sometimes darkness
Sometimes light
I hold on tight
With all my might
As I continue to forge ahead
Knowing in my head
That Hashem knows
What's best
And He decided 
It's best for me
To be down here
While my brother 
Was taken
To a place up there
A better place 
A place of light
A place of peace
I have made peace
With it
As I pray for 
The ability
And strength 
To continue 
Living
And giving
With light
And love
And help from Above 
With strength 
And peace 
As long as 
I live.
I miss you
Shalom
More than I ever knew I could
I miss you
Shalom
Even though I believe this is for the good
You are in my thoughts
In my breath
In my heart
And in my mind
All the time
I hope I can
Give hope to those
Who have lost hope
Give strength to those
Who have lost their strength
It's through you
And your story
That I hope
I'll be able 
To give
So much
To those
Who need 
So much. 

A Small Meal

Today is Yud Zayin Tammuz, the day we fast to show we are mourning the beginning of the end - the end of the time of clarity and closeness to Hashem through the Bais Hamikdosh.

Imagine your father bought you a house, provided you with everything you needed to keep that house beautiful and also gave you money to buy yourself food and clothing whenever you needed. Now imagine if at the same time, your father was homeless, sleeping on the park bench every night. Would you be able to enjoy the house he so generously gave you, along with all the things he provided you with?

Wouldn't you try to invite him into your home? What if he said he didn't want to come live with you because your home wasn't good enough for him? Wouldn't you do whatever it takes to make your house a place where he would be comfortable moving in?

Hashem gave each of us a place to live us and also blessed us with so much bounty, so much beauty, so much excess... But He is has nowhere to live.

He is homeless.

We need to reflect upon the fact that if He doesn't feel comfortable living with us, we must fix that.

We need to think, what changes can we make to ensure that our homes, our world, can become a place where His shechina will want to reside?

R' Shimshon Pincus zt"l talks about making a "seuda ketana" with Hashem.

What is this small meal?

When someone makes a big meal, like a wedding, they invite many people and serve lots of varieties of food. The reason for this is that everybody has different tastes and he wants to make sure all his guests will be satisfied.

But when a small meal is prepared, for example a seuda for just a chosson and kallah, the food served is different. Before the meal, we check with both the chosson and kallah to see what they like. If the chosson likes something but the kallah does not like it, we do not serve that dish. We only serve foods that both the chosson and kallah enjoy eating.

This, says R' Pincus zt"l, is what we should do with Hashem. We should say, "Hashem, I want to eat a meal with you. I like The New York Times. Hashem, do you like it?"

No, Hashem does not like the New York Times.

"Then I can't have that in my home."

And this is how we can go through the things we bring into our homes, the things we do in our free time and the things we busy ourselves with.

We have to look at what we do, what we buy and what we allow into our homes and ask, Hashem, do you like it? Because I can only have it if you like it. I want you to sit with me Hashem. I want you to feel welcome in my house. I want you to want to spend time in my presence.

By making a seuda ketana with Hashem, we can reflect upon the things we do and the influences we allow into our homes. We will notice what changes we need to make to ensure that Hashem's shechina will want to reside amongst us. And that way, we will show Hashem that we are setting up our homes for Him to stay!

If Hashem once again feels comfortable living among us, He can bring us all back to His home and He will no longer be homeless. We will be able to live with the clarity and closeness to Him we so desperately need. And we will be able to say, "I know that I did what it took to welcome Hashem back home. I made the changes I needed to make Him want to make the changes we were all hoping for!"

May we merit to celebrate the rebuilding of the bais hamikdosh instead of mourning its destruction!

Have a meaningful and introspective fast.

Believe

I love this! It's too good and I had to pass it on. I hope you will like it as much as I do.

Question:

How can a rational, thinking person believe in G‑d, when there is absolutely no evidence for His existence? Today we have X-ray, radar, satellites, infrared photography, ultrasound imaging, gamma-ray telescopes and CCTV, and yet we still have found no trace of G‑d. If He is supposed to be everywhere, why is He nowhere to be seen? My logic says, if you are nowhere, you don't exist...

Answer:
By R' Aron Moss

Being everywhere doesn't make you easy to find. On the contrary, logic says that if you are everywhere, it's as if you're nowhere. A bit like our fridge.

As our family grew, we needed more fridge space, so we bought an old fridge online. It was a bargain. We soon found out why. When we plugged it in, it started humming quite loudly. At first, we thought we couldn't live with this constant, monotonous buzz coming from the kitchen. But in a day or two, we didn't even notice it anymore.

You can only hear a noise if that noise sometimes goes silent. But if it's always there, it's like it’s not there at all. If you would ask our kids what that buzzing noise coming from the fridge was, they wouldn't even know what you were talking about. When you live with a noisy fridge, buzzing is silence.

It's the same with G‑d. We live in a reality where the buzz of G‑d is everywhere. There is no place devoid of Him, no moment when He is absent. So of course we can't detect Him. You can only detect the presence of something if you can detect its absence. The very definition of finding something is knowing where it is, but for that you have to know where it isn't. As the Baal Shem Tov taught, G‑d is all and all is G‑d. There is nowhere that he isn't. So we never see Him, because we are always looking right at Him.

This leads to an interesting conclusion. It's not that you can't see G‑d. You actually can't miss Him. It just depends how you are looking. Put down your telescope and look at your life. You'll see He's been right there all along.

Night of Questions

I posted this last year and wanted to share it with you again.

I am standing in the kitchen having a discussion with my son while I work. We are talking about the makkos, and my ever so curious boy has a lot of questions. He really wants to understand.

We go through the makkos one by one and I try my best to describe each of them to him.

I get up to makkas arov, that of the wild animals.

My son has a lot of questions.

"Why did the animals hurt the mitzriyim?" he wants to know.

I give a simple explanation.

"They were so mean to the yidden. The mitzriyim made them work really hard and they hurt them. So Hashem punished them. Are we allowed to hurt? Nooo. We have to be nice to other kinderlach."

I am feeling proud of myself for sticking that little lesson into our conversation.

But my son has his own take on it.

"Hashem is so mean." he tells me.

I stand there open-mouthed for a minute and I just want to pinch my son's cute cheeks.

I try to explain it to him a little more. I explain how Hashem punishes anyone who hurts the yidden and how hard the mitzriyim made the yidden work. How they hit them and the yidden used to cry.

I describe the different animals and what they did to hurt the mitzriyim. How some animals kicked with their feet and how the elephants hit with their trunks.

My son is so "there"; it seems like he is living the story along with those back in mitzrayim.

And then he says, "Mommy, who punished the animals?"

He realizes that no one gets away scot-free. And if the animals hurt the mitzriyim as a punishment for hurting the yidden, then the next step is that the animals must get punished too.

I am done. My mind is racing. I love the way this little kid thinks.

And I wonder...when do WE stop thinking and asking? When do our minds stop questioning and just accept everything we are told?

And more importantly...why?

Why don't we continue to ask?

In Judaism, not only aren't we afraid of questions, but questions are encouraged. We are supposed to ask, inquire, delve, learn and hopefully come out with a deeper understanding and feel more satisfied inside.

On Pesach night, parents do so many unusual things.

Why?

Kidei sheyishalu...so that the little children should ask.

But it's not only the little ones who should be asking.

All of us, no matter our age, should be encouraged to open our minds and our hearts and ask those questions that have be bothering us for some time. And if the Seder night is not the right time for it, save it for another time, but don't forget about it.

So hold on to this message...and never stop asking.

Because the more we ask, the more chances we have for answers. And answers add so much depth and meaning to our lives.

The Seder night is a night of questions. It's a time to think and a time to ask.

May you be able to achieve clarity amidst confusion, depth when you are searching for meaning and may you always find the right people to ask your questions to. And most of all...may you be able to get answers that satisfy you and make you feel like you can keep asking. There is so much growth you can attain when you ask and you learn!

Night of Questions

I am standing in the kitchen having a discussion with my son while I work. We are talking about the makkos, and my ever so curious boy has a lot of questions. He really wants to understand.

We go through the makkos one by one and I try my best to describe each of them to him.

I get up to makkas arov, that of the wild animals.

My son has a lot of questions.

"Why did the animals hurt the mitzriyim?" he wants to know.

I give a simple explanation.

"They were so mean to the yidden. The mitzriyim made them work really hard and they hurt them. So Hashem punished them. Are we allowed to hurt? Nooo. We have to be nice to other kinderlach."

I am feeling proud of myself for sticking that little lesson into our conversation.

But my son has his own take on it.

"Hashem is so mean." he tells me.

I stand there open-mouthed for a minute and I just want to pinch my son's cute cheeks.

I try to explain it to him a little more. I explain how Hashem punishes anyone who hurts the yidden and how hard the mitzriyim made the yidden work. How they hit them and the yidden used to cry.

I describe the different animals and what they did to hurt the mitzriyim. How some animals kicked with their feet and how the elephants hit with their trunks.

My son is so "there"; it seems like he is living the story along with those back in mitzrayim.

And then he says, "Mommy, who punished the animals?"

He realizes that no one gets away scot-free. And if the animals hurt the mitzriyim as a punishment for hurting the yidden, then the next step is that the animals must get punished too.

I am done. My mind is racing. I love the way this little kid thinks.

And I wonder...when do WE stop thinking and asking? When do our minds stop questioning and just accept everything we are told?

And more importantly...why?

Why don't we continue to ask?

In Judaism, not only aren't we afraid of questions, but questions are encouraged. We are supposed to ask, inquire, delve, learn and hopefully come out with a deeper understanding and feel more satisfied inside.

On Pesach night, parents do so many unusual things.

Why?

Kidei sheyishalu...so that the little children should ask.

But it's not only the little ones who should be asking.

All of us, no matter our age, should be encouraged to open our minds and our hearts and ask those questions that have be bothering us for some time. And if the Seder night is not the right time for it, save it for another time, but don't forget about it.

So hold on to this message...and never stop asking.

Because the more we ask, the more chances we have for answers. And answers add so much depth and meaning to our lives.

The Seder night is a night of questions. It's a time to think and a time to ask.

May you be able to achieve clarity amidst confusion, depth when you are searching for meaning and may you always find the right people to ask your questions to. And most of all...may you be able to get answers that satisfy you and make you feel like you can keep asking. There is so much growth you can attain when you ask and you learn!

Hurricane Sandy

Someone submitted the following question anonymously. Please could you write about the hurricane what message can we take from it... it was only one day and then everything back to normal!?!

There are many lessons and messages that we can take from the hurricane and all that happened in the last few days-the excitement and preparation leading up to it, the time spent indoors to ensure full protection from the storm, and the aftermath…living without electricity and waiting for the power to be restored.

I got the following text message this morning: Hashem is powerful and we are powerless.

When we are hit by a “natural” disaster, it gives us a chance to stop and think. To realize WHO really is in control of every aspect of our lives.

Yes, we are the ones who go through the motions of our day-to-day lives, accomplishing and getting things done. But when we are blessed with that clarity the moment we lose power, we realize Who is the one who has the power and who is really powerless.

I am reminded of a poem/song I once posted, If Hashem Were To Go On Strike. It's taken from a tape, The Iron Butterfly, by Suki and Ding. I will post it here again because the message is so on target.

It’s just a good thing that Hashem above has never gone on strike,
Because He wasn’t treated for or for the things he didn’t like.
And if He had just once sat down and said, “That’s it, I’m through,
I’ve had enough of those on earth so this is what I’ll do:

I’ll give my orders to the sun, cut off your heat supply,
And to the clouds, give no more rain and run those oceans dry.”
And just to make it tough and to put the pressure on,
He’d cut off all the oxygen ‘til every breath is gone.

Do you know that Hashem would be justified if fairness were the game,
For no one has been more abused or treated with disdain.
And yet Hashem has carried on supplying you and me,
With all the favors in His world and everything for free.

No more would flowers bud in spring and food just wouldn’t grow,
And summer turn to winter, Hashem can do it all, you know.
He could make the daytime pitch black so we’d see our way no more,
There’s just so much Hashem can do to even up the score!

Men say they want a better deal and so on strike they go,
But what a deal we’ve given Hashem to whom everything we owe?
We don’t care who we hurt or harm to gain the things we like,
But what a mess we’d all be in if Hashem were to go on strike!!

So here we have it-Hashem "pushed a button" and the whole world went crazy. People ran around stocking up on water, canned goods, bread, candles, flashlights...you name it. How could we live for a few days without power?

People are left without access to the internet. Ask yourself this question. Who is part of your social circle? Does it extend past your Facebook friends and those you talk to through email and text? How much face to face contact do you have with the people who are important to you-beyond your immediate family?

In preparation for the hurricane, someone on the radio mentioned that this will give families a chance to reconnect with each other. When the power goes out and the batteries on all the electronic devices start to die, siblings and parents can actually talk to each other. There's no distraction of laptops and computers, iPhones and Tablets and any other electronic devices. Devices that instead of connecting us, disconnect us from those who are important and close to us.

Trees got thrown down just a few inches away from houses and cars. I saw with my own eyes the precision of the fall...how every inch is calculated. Another inch-and that car would have been smashed. Another inch-and that house would have had major damage. This showed me how every little detail is calculated, every inch, every moment of our lives. The same One who made the tree fall directly in front of that house and an inch away from that car, is watching over me every moment. The details of my life are calculated; Hashem works with precision and care.

Many people are still in the dark. They are illuminating their homes with candles instead of electric lights. The effects of the hurricane are far from over. It will still take another few days for power to be restored. The impact and the message of Hurricane Sandy may stay with them for a little longer than it stays with you. The choice is yours.

How long do you want to remember this hurricane for? How long will these messages stay with you?

Chanukah - a Time to Daven by the Menorah

Tonight is the last night of Chanukah. When the menorah is lit, it is a very special time to daven to Hashem. What should you daven for?

First of all, Chanukah is a special time to daven and ask Hashem for clarity in understanding Torah! We all have our questions that we would like to find answers for! So when you stand by the candles tonight, open up your heart and daven to Hashem! Beg Him for clarity! Beg him for answers! Say, Hashem, I only want to serve you better! And if I understand these things, I will be a much better Jew!!

Daven for those people who have not yet seen the beauty of yiddishkeit! Daven that Hashem should show them the light of torah so that they too will want to come home! Daven for Hashem's children who have left the path of torah, the path of beauty! Daven for them to meet the right kinds of people so they can be inspired to come all the way home!!

Daven to have the light of Torah shining in your home always!

Ask Hashem for yeshuos for all the people you know - there should be light and salvation and happiness in their lives! There are so many people who need refuos, sick people who spend so much time at doctors and in hospitals...daven for them to get better!

There are people who are waiting for all kinds of yeshuos...I don't have to go through each one. But each person knows at least one person who wants to get married, needs to find a job, is looking for the right kinds of friends, is looking for clarity...so daven for them!

Daven for the end of this long galus! Daven for moshiach because we need Him so badly!!! We see in the story of Chanukah that no matter how hard they try, the goyim cannot kill us out!! The Greeks were so much greater and powerful than the small army of the macabim but when you have Hashem on your side, you will win!! So daven that we should also be zoche to see that - the day when moshiach will come and we will be let out of this galus!!

Use the special time you have tonight, on the last night of Chanukah, to daven and come close to Hashem!

Lenses and Clarity

I was taking off my lenses the other day and started to think about how amazing it is that something so thin and tiny can help me see so far. I put this little thin, clear (hard to see or notice) thing into my eye and presto! I can see! Not only can I just see, but I can see just as clearly as a person without lenses who has 20/20 vision! Besides for the fact that this is an amazing invention, there is a great lesson we can learn from this.

Sometimes, all you need is that one answer or that one mashal to make everything crystal clear to you. You may have a whole bunch of questions on a certain topic and then when you hear this one thing, it makes everything else, all the questions and all the doubts, fall into place. And then you can understand everything and all your questions disappear. You go to a speech and you hear an amazing thought, an amazing piece of inspiration, and suddenly, your worries get smaller and you feel like you have the strength to go through it. You read a book that inspires you just in the area you needed chizuk.

When the 11 brothers stood before Yosef, the mishneh lamelech, they did not know who Yosef was and why they were being questioned about the way they came through the gates separately and why they were accused as spies. They did not understand why they were invited for a whole meal, why they were chased and why they had to go through so much pain when they just came down to Mitzrayim to get some grain and food. But then, Yosef said, “Ani Yosef!” and everything became clear. Suddenly, they understood why they had to go through all that he did.

We now live in a very crazy, confusing world. We are in galus. Things do not make any sense! We look around and see a world of pain, death, sickness, children leaving the beautiful path of Torah thinking they will find happiness and excitement somewhere else…only to learn that they were so wrong. We look around and see people who look so happy, who have everything going for them and it is confuses us. Things don’t look fair! We have questions, we want answers and we just want to understand…and it’s the one answer that we are waiting to hear that will make us understand. When moshiach comes, Hashem will say two words and everything will become crystal clear – Ani Hashem! I am Hashem! I was here all along and I have a reason for each and every thing that I did and for everything that happened in your life!!

May the time come very soon!!