A Soulful Journey

On one occasion President Harry Truman was asked to speak at a fundraising project to help the children of the White House guard who was slain in the line of duty. With great feeling he said, “You can't imagine just how a man feels when someone else dies for him!” King David must have had a similar feeling for the three mighty men who were so loyal to him. When he expressed a longing for a drink from the well of Bethlehem, three soldiers voluntarily broke through the Philistine lines and secured it for him. David was so moved by their courage that he wouldn’t drink even one drop of that precious liquid. Instead, he poured it out as a libation to God saying: “Can I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” To him their act was as noble as if they had died for him.  - Rabbi Gary Greene   The men and women who defend us at the risk of their lives every day- whether soldiers, police, medical personnel or the person who stops at the roadside to ask if you are...

The time limit of a vow (unless the Nazirite states otherwise) was set at thirty days.  At the end of the thirty days (or at the end of a longer vow) the Nazirite had to come to the Temple bringing four sacrifices, including “one ewe of the first year without blemish for a sin offering” (Numbers 6;14)  At that time, in a special room in the Temple set aside for the purpose, the Nazirite cut his hair, which was the sign of one following a vow. Why should a person who vowed to be holy and to consecrate himself as a Nazirite have to bring a “sin offering”?  What sin did the Nazirite commit through vowing to be “holy unto the Lord”? (Numbers 6:8)   1.Words are sacred.  Every spoken word is heard below and Above. Therefore if the Nazirite made the slightest error with his or her vow they have sinned.   2. Vows are frowned upon in Judaism.  If one makes a vow intoning the holy name he could potentially violate one of the Ten Commandm...

If a Festival passed and a person did not offer the  Hagigah  (the requisite sacrifice for the holy day), he is no longer responsible to bring it.  Concerning this it is said, “ A twisted thing cannot be made straight and what is not here cannot be numbered.”  - Ecclesiastes, Talmud, Hagiga 1:6 There are times when we can make up for what is lost and times when time is the gift itself.  Pay attention.

Two Israelis were speaking, just having left the country. "When are you coming back to Israel?" the first asked. "We're sitting on our suitcases. Just as soon as our son finishes college, we are taking the first flight back to Tel Aviv." "Wonderful! We will meet the plane."  When does he graduate?" "Well, he graduates kindergarten next year."  - Wendy Leibowitz What do we do for our children  Sacrifice so that they will have a better life.

Rav Sheshet when he would fast would conclude the fast within prayer, "Ribbino shel Olam, when the Beit HaMikdash existed and we sinned we would offer a sacrifice.  Through the flesh and blood offered we would find forgiveness.  Now, here I sit, sinful, in this fast and my flesh and blood are the offering and they are nothing. May it be Your will that my flesh and blood being so meager act like the sacrifice before Your holy altar.  And may it find favor."   -Berachot 17:a

The Talmud tells of a peace sacrifice that was brought into the women’s court, in order to satisfy a woman’s feelings and bring calm to her soul. Note: Peace offerings are not always for yourself, your personal sense of wellbeing.  It is good to pray for people we love.

When Abraham approached the mountain where he was to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, the Torah says, “And Abraham saw.”   What exactly did he “see?” He saw a cloud enveloping a mountain.   Recognizing the sign Abraham said, “This is the place where the Holy One, blessed be He, told me to bring my son.”   Abraham, then turned to Isaac and asked, “My son, do you see what I see?”    “Yes.” Abraham then turned to his servants and asked, “Do you see what I see?” “No,” they answered.   – Midrash Rabbah At this point Abraham and his son went on alone.   Here are four people all facing the same direction yet coming up with radically different worldviews.   The servants see emptiness while Abraham observes majesty.   What we see in life is determined how we see.

"And so he took Isaac to a certain place and prepared to sacrifice him but at the last minute the Lord stayed Abraham's hand and said, "How could thou doest such a thing?" And Abraham said, "But Thou said - " "Never mind what I said," the Lord spake.  "Doth thou listen to every crazy idea that comes thy way?"  And Abraham grew ashamed.  "Er - not really....no." "I jokingly suggest thou sacrifice Isaac and thou immediately runs out to do it." And Abraham fell to his knees.  "See, O never know when you're kidding." And the Lord thundered, "No sense of humor. I can't believe it."  - Woody Allen, Without Feathers

“And Abraham awoke in the middle of the night and said to his only son, Isaac, “I have had a dream where the voice of the Lord sayeth that I must sacrifice my only son, so put your pants on.”   And Isaac trembled and said, “So what did you say?   I mean when He brought this whole thing up?” “What am I going to say?” Abraham said.   “I’m standing there at two AM in my underwear with the Creator of the Universe.   Should I argue?”        - Woody Allen, Without Feathers When we cannot laugh we are lost.  Do not be lost.