JEWISH HOME LA

Dear readers,

Does the individual really matter in our current upside-down world? In a world where the only democratic nation in a region is labeled as the aggressor? Where a congresswoman attempts to rewrite history, even while there are people still alive from that time to testify her words are false, as well as troves of physical evidence which disprove her claims? Where, closer to home, it seems the loudest get the honor and the actual doers remain in the shadows?

Our natural reaction to globalization and the instant world of Whatsapp and Twitter is to lose ourselves to it and get drowned out in the sea of conversation, of condemnation, and counter-condemnation. The value of the individual and the individual deed seems like a speck of dust on the beach.

This is all true if we look solely through our physical eyes. From a metaphysical, spiritual view, however, noise is just that: noise. It sounds mighty, it feels like it will be here forever, yet it’s simply the absence of light.

If we look at the spiritual, G-dly reality, it’s mitzvos, acts of kindness, which are most true and powerful. Each mitzvah is packed with energy like an atom bomb, holding huge amounts of energy in a tiny amount of matter.

Of course, we don’t see it. And that’s the whole point. But that doesn’t take away from its truth. This is one of the reasons we daven at least three times a day. We need to think about and connect to our Creator so that we don’t get swept away by the way reality feels vs. what it is.

Pesach Sheni is a good time to refocus on our individual thoughts, speech, and action, knowing these are the real reality. And all the fake news, statements, and claims will go the way of the Greeks and the Romans, the Persians and the Canaanites with the coming of Mashiach, when all the nations of the world will serve the Creator of this world for they shall all know Him.

Wishing you a wonderful Shabbos,

Shalom