from-the-bimah

We Are What We Eat!

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:20:37 +0100

This past Shabbat we read parashat Shemini from the book of Leviticus. Among other topics, the Torah gives us guidelines for permitted and forbidden food concerning animals, fish and birds. The rabbinic tradition regards these laws as chukkot, laws that we could not have figured out through human reason. That does not mean there is no reason for them, just that the rabbis believed it was beyond human capability to discern the reason or reasons. But, of course, that has not stopped commentators and scholars for seeking the underlying reasoning behind these permitted and forbidden foods!

Maimonides was the first Jewish thinker to suggest they might have something to do with health. Well, he was a doctor! And he might not be that far off.

We have all heard that we are what we eat. This is true, at least at the molecular level, since food is broken down in our bodies and molecules absorbed and used by our bodies, or stored for later use. I believe this principle, We Are What We Eat, applies to the laws in this parashah.

As I did some research, I discovered that all the permitted species - large mammals, fish with fins and scales and birds - have one characteristic in common. They are not predators, nor do they eat carrion! They are primarily vegetarian, although some of the permitted birds do eat various insects and other creepy things. Perhaps, the Torah and our ancestors saw a moral principle involved in eating. Since we want to reduce our aggressive tendencies, eating animals without these tendencies could help mold our character. What an insight, and what wisdom. Yes, we are what we eat.
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Comments? Thoughts? Questions? Email Rabbi Vernon at jccrabbi@optonline.net.

A Yom Kippur Reminder

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:05:04 +0100

Dear Congregants

Tomorrow evening we begin the observance of the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur. This year, the concurrence of Yom Kippur with Shabbat amplifies that holiness. Services begin tomorrow evening at 6 pm, candlelighting is at 6:11 pm. We will start with mincha, so you should have time to light candles at home and arrive in time for Kol Nidre.

Services on Shabbat begin at 8 am, with Yizkor scheduled for approximately 11 am. Mincha in the afternoon begins promptly at 5 pm and we expect to sound the Shofar concluding Yom Kippur at 7:15 pm.

Hopefully, we have all made amends with our fellow human beings who we may have hurt this year. We are ready to stand before God and seek forgiveness for sins committed overtly or covertly through our action or inaction. In addition to fasting from sundown to sundown, our tradition asks that we refrain from bathing or annointing, avoid wearing leather items, and focus our attention exclusively on our relationship to God. May our observance of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, bring us closer to God, closer to our fellow human beings and closer to living out the ideals for which we strive. Easy fast for those who are able and g'mar chatimah tovah - a good conclusion and sealing in the Book of Life.

Rabbi Art Vernon

A Vision of Judaism for Today ~ Rosh Hashanah, Day 2

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 23:14:22 +0100

GUT YUNTIF - SHANA TOV

WHAT WAS ABRAHAM THINKING? HE JUST SENT AWAY HIS OLDER SON AND NOW GOD TELLS HIM TO OFFER UP HIS REMAINING SON? THE TORAH CONSIDERS THIS A TEST - A TEST OF WHAT EXACTLY? OF ABRAHAM'S FAITH? OF ABRAHAM'S TRUST? OF ABRAHAM'S SANITY? CAN YOU IMAGINE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH ANY OF US WOULD OFFER UP A CHILD WITHOUT AN ARGUMENT? EVEN IF WE BELIEVED IT WAS THE VOICE OF GOD?

BUT ABRAHAM DOES WHAT HE THINKS GOD WANTS HIM TO DO. IN FACT, HE GETS UP EARLY IN THE MORNING TO GET STARTED - NO HESITATION, NO RESERVATIONS. EVEN ISAAC NOTICES THE UNUSUAL NATURE OF THIS JOURNEY. DAD, HE ASKS, HERE'S THE WOOD AND THE FIRE, BUT WHERE IS THE LAMB FOR AN OFFERING? ABRAHAM CRYPTICALLY REPLIES, GOD WILL PROVIDE HIMSELF A LAMB, MY SON. ISAAC GOES ALONG BECAUSE HE TRUSTS HIS FATHER. WHAT IS ABRAHAM THINKING?

MANY EXPLANATIONS HAVE BEEN SUGGESTED TO EXPLAIN ABRAHAM'S ACTION. BOOKS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN AND COUNTLESS SERMONS DELIVERED. THE SIMPLEST ANSWER - PERHAPS THE MOST OBVIOUS ANSWER - ABRAHAM FELT COMMANDED BY GOD. SINCE EVERYTHING ELSE GOD HAS ASKED OF HIM HAS WORKED OUT OK, THEN SURELY THIS REQUEST WILL WORK OUT OK ALSO. AND IN THE END IT DOES WORK OUT. ISAAC IS SPARED AND A RAM IS OFFERED UP INSTEAD. AND THE END OF THE STORY SEEMS TO IMPLY THAT THIS IS WHAT GOD PLANNED ALL ALONG.

IF WE BELIEVE THAT GOD IS COMMANDING, OR DEMANDING OR EVEN JUST EXPECTING SOMETHING OF US - DARE WE REFUSE TO RESPOND? BUT WE ARE NOT ABRAHAMS - WE ARE NOT SURE ABOUT WHAT GOD EXPECTS OF US. AND THIS IS THE CENTRAL PROBLEM OF JUDAISM TODAY. WE ARE PROUD TO BE JEWS, WE EVEN OBSERVE MANY JEWISH PRACTICES AND CUSTOMS, BUT WE DO NOT FEEL COMMANDED BY GOD. AT LEAST MOST JEWS DO NOT BELIEVE THAT. AND MANY OF HAVE OUR DOUBTS ABOUT THE SANITY OF JEWS WHO DO FEEL COMMANDED BY GOD.

BUT HERE'S THE PROBLEM. IF THE RITUALS AND PRACTICES OF JUDAISM ARE JUST CUSTOMS, IF WE DO NOT FEEL LIKE OBSERVING THEM, OR IF IT IS NOT CONVENIENT OR COMPATIBLE WITH OUR LIFESTYLE, WELL, WE JUST DON'T DO THEM. THE ALTERNATIVE IS TO ACCEPT THAT THE ESSENCE OF JUDAISM AND JEWISH LIFE IS MITZVAH - A SENSE OF OBLIGATION OR DUTY.

WE KNOW THAT MITZVAH IS THE BASIS OF JUDAISM. LOOK AT THE BERACHOT WE SAY - HOLIDAY AND SHABBAT CANDLES - ASHER KIDSHANU B'MITZVOTAV V'TZIVANU - WHO HAD MADE US HOLY THROUGH HIS MITZVOT AND COMMANDED OR ORDAINED THAT ... FILL IN THE BLANK. LIGHT CANDLES, PUT UP A MEZUZAH, WEAR A TALIT, PUT ON TEFILIN, CIRCUMCISE OUR SONS, STUDY TORAH, ETC. ETC. ETC. EVERY OBSERVANCE OF JUDAISM IS BASED ON THIS NOTION OF MITZVAH. IT IS SOMETHING GOD WANTS US TO DO! THEY ARE NOT FOLKWAYS. THEY ARE NOT 'NORMS'. THEY ARE NOT 'THE JEWISH WAY OF LIFE'. AND THEY ARE NOT 'GOOD DEEDS'. THEY ARE MITZVOT - ACTS ORDAINED BY GOD.

SO HOW DO WE - MODERN JEWS - CONSERVATIVE JEWS - MAINTAIN OR ACQUIRE AGAIN THIS SENSE OF MITZVAH ABOUT JUDAISM AND JEWISH LIFE? WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS THE PREVENT OR MAKE DIFFICULT OUR ACCEPTANCE OF MITZVOT AS THE BASIS OF JUDAISM AND JEWISH LIFE?

THERE ARE A FEW I WANT TO DISCUSS THIS MORNING. THE FIRST IS THAT THE NOTION OF MITZVAH RUNS COUNTER TO AMERICAN/WESTERN CULTURE. WE WANT TO BE GOOD AMERICANS, CAN WE BE GOOD JEWS AT THE SAME TIME? THE SECOND BARRIER IS CONNECTED TO THE FIRST WE KNOW MORE ABOUT AMERICAN/WESTERN CULTURE THAN MOST OF US KNOW ABOUT JUDAISM. AND FINALLY, THE PROBLEM OF INERTIA - WE ARE COMFORTABLE WHERE WE ARE NOW - WE NEED A AWAY TO OVERCOME THAT, A WAY TO GET MOVING.

NOW I AM NOT ANTI AMERICAN CULTURE. I APPRECIATE THE GREAT FREEDOM AND OPPORTUNITY THAT AMERICA PROVIDES FOR SO MANY, INCLUDING US JEWS! BUT I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT AMERICAN CULTURE TODAY ESPOUSES THE PHILOSOPHY OF INDIVIDUALISM. IN FACT, UNFETTERED INDIVIDUALISM. EACH OF US IS FREE TO CHOOSE A PATH IN LIFE AND MAINTAIN IT. THIS IS GOOD FOR AMERICA AND HAS BENEFITS FOR US. WE CAN CHOOSE OUR PROFESSION OR OCCUPATION, WE CAN CHOOSE OUR PLACE TO LIVE, WE CAN CHOOSE OUR SPOUSE, AND NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO QUESTION THAT CHOICE. CERTAINLY NOT THE GOVERNMENT OR OTHER AMERICANS. BUT THIS PHILOSOPHY OF UNFETTERED INDIVIDUALISM CONFLICTS WITH THE NOTION OF MITZVAH. IT ENCOURAGES US TO SHUN OBLIGATIONS OUTSIDE OURSELVES. IT REGARDS RELIGIOUS OBLIGATION WITH SUSPICION. FOR EXAMPLE, WHY WOULD WE EAT KOSHER IF WE REALLY DON'T HAVE TO?

AMERICAN FREEDOM CUTS THE OTHER WAY ALSO. IF WE CHOOSE TO LIVE OUR LIVES ACCORDING TO RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES, WE ARE FREE TO DO THAT ALSO. AND NEITHER THE GOVERNMENT NOR MOST AMERICANS ARE GOING TO OBJECT. AMERICA ALSO ALLOWS US TO BE AS JEWISH AS WE WANT.

DID YOU KNOW THAT 40% OF AMERICAN ADULTS TODAY OBSERVE A RELIGION DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE PRACTICED IN THEIR FAMILY OF ORIGIN? THIS MEANS WE, TOO, CAN BE MORE JEWISH OR LESS JEWISH AND AMERICAN CULTURE REALLY DOESN'T CARE.

ONCE UPON A TIME, WE THOUGHT THAT BEING TOO JEWISH, PARTICULARLY IN PUBLIC, WOULD NOT BE GOOD FOR US. TODAY, IT TURNS OUT, IT SOMETIMES IS VERY GOOD FOR US TO BE JEWISH.

SO IF AMERICAN CULTURE CAN GO EITHER WAY - LET'S CHOOSE MITZVAH. LET'S CHOOSE TO BE MORE JEWISH.

BUT MOST OF US PROBABLY DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF MITZVAH TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THIS CHOICE. AS I SAID EARLIER, WE KNOW MORE ABOUT AMERICAN CULTURE THAN WE DO ABOUT JUDIASM. WE HAVE BEEN TAUGHT, PROPERLY, TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS. AND WE MAY NOT BE WELL ENOUGH INFORMED ABOUT JUDAISM TO ACCEPT THE NOTION OF MITZVAH. SO, WE NEED TO STUDY. NOT JUDAISM IS GENERAL, MITZVOT IN SPECIFIC. WE KNOW THAT THE MITZVOT ARE ALL BASED IN THE TORAH. AND WE READ THE TORAH ON SHABBAT EVERY WEEK. SO BEGINNING THIS YEAR, I WILL SPEAK ABOUT A MITZVAH FOUND IN THE TORAH AS WE ENCOUNTER IT IN THE WEEKLY PARASHAH. OBVIOUSLY THE TIME AVAILABLE FOR SERMONS IS JUST A BEGINNING. I HOPE THAT MANY OF OUR ONGOING CHAVUROT WILL ALSO CHOOSE TO FOCUS ON MITZVOT IN SOME WAY SO THE OTHER OPTIONS FOR STUDY ARE AVAILABLE.

BUT THERE IS STILL THE PROBLEM OF INERTIA. HOW DO WE OVERCOME OUR TENDENCY TO REMAIN IN OUR COMFORT ZONE?

A PERSONAL STORY. MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT I WAS RAISED IN THE REFORM MOVEMENT AND ORDAINED AT THE REFORM SEMINARY. WHILE I WAS IN SCHOOL, I WAS VERY ACTIVE IN YOUTH WORK. IN THE POST 1967 JEWISH WORLD, YOUNG REFORM JEWS BEGAN TO EXPLORE JEWISH TRADITION. IT BECAME THE CUSTOM FOR MANY BOYS TO WEAR A KIPPAH AT WEEKEND EVENTS. ONE EVENING ONE OF THE YOUTH ASKED ME IF A WORE A KIPPAH ALL THE TIME. HE WAS THINKING ABOUT DOING THAT. AT THE TIME, I DID NOT. I TOLD HIM THAT AND HE ASKED MY WHY. I DID NOT HAVE AN ANSWER. SO, I BEGAN MY OWN EXPERIMENT. I STARTED WEARING A KIPPAH ALL THE TIME! IT FELT STRANGE AT FIRST, BUT I SLOWLY GOT USED TO IT. I HAVE BEEN WEARING A KIPPAH EVER SINCE, IT WILL BE FORTY YEARS THIS YEAR.

I SHARE THIS WITH YOU AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW TO OVERCOME INERTIA. TAKE A LITTLE STEP, LITERALLY, TRY IT ON FOR SIZE. SEE HOW IT FITS FOR YOU.

IF YOU ALREADY KEEP KOSHER AT HOME, TRY KEEPING KOSHER OUTSIDE - NOT ALL THE WAY - MAYBE JUST STOP EATING THE FORBIDDEN FOODS. IF YOU ATTEND SHABBAT SERVICES REGULARLY, MAKE A COMMITMENT TO ATTENDING WEEKDAY SERVICES ONCE A WEEK. IF YOU ARE NOT KEEPING KOSHER AT HOME, YET, ASSUMING YOU ARE NOT EATING FORBIDDEN FOODS, START BY NOT SERVING MEAT AND DAIRY AT THE SAME TIME.

IN THE CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT, WE CALL THIS GRADUALISM. WE ACCEPT ALL OF THE MITZVOT IN PRINCIPLE AND WE GROW IN OUR OBSERVANCE ONE MITZVAH AT A TIME.

ABRAHAM WAS ABLE TO CARRY OUT THE UNTHINKABLE BECAUSE HE ACCEPTED GOD'S DIRECTIVE AS A MITZVAH - A GOD ORDAINED ACT. WE WILL NEVER BE CHALLENGED AS ABRAHAM WAS. BUT FROM HIM WE LEARN THE MEANING OF MITZVAH. WE LEARN THE EMPOWERING NATURE OF MITZVAH. AND WE LEARN THAT FOLLOWING MITZVOT, ULTIMATELY, TAKES US OUT OF HARM'S WAY. IF WE WANT JUDIASM TO CONTINUE IN AMERICAN CULTURE, WE NEED TO REACQUIRE THE SENSE OF MITZVAH ABOUT JEWISH LIFE. TOGETHER, LET US LEARN IN ORDER TO PRACTICE. TOGETHER, LET US DISCOVER HOW MITZVAH, IN GENERAL, AND MITZVOT IN PARTICULAR CAN HELP LEAD RICHER, MORE MEANINGFUL LIVES AS AMERICANS, AS HUMAN BEINGS AND AS JEWS. AMEN.

Getting Older, Getting Better ~ Rosh Hashanah, Day 1

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 23:15:18 +0100

GUT YUNTIF, GUT YOR, SHANA TOVA

HOW OLD WAS ABRAHAM WHEN ISAAC WAS BORN?

HOW OLD WAS SARAH?

ABRAHAM WAS 100 AND SARAH WAS 90. EVEN MAKING ALLOWANCES FOR THE LONGER LIFE SPANS RECORDED IN THE TORAH, THAT IS QUITE SOMETHING.

AND IF YOU REMEMBER EARLIER IN BERESHIT, THEY DID LEAVE HARAN FOR CANAAN UNTIL ABRAHAM WAS 75!

AGE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A RELEVANT FACTOR IN HOW ABRAHAM AND SARAH LIVED THEIR LIVES. THEY TOOK ON NEW CHALLENGES LATER IN LIFE AND THEY JUST KEPT GOING!

PERHAPS ABRAHAM AND SARAH ARE GOOD MODELS FOR US SINCE MANY OF US ARE LIVING LONGER LIVES.

IS THERE A SECRET TO LIVING A LONG LIFE, WITH VIGOR AND VITALITY?

ALL THE DOCTORS WHO HAVE WRITTEN ON THIS SUBJECT - DEEPAK CHOPRA, ANDREW WEIL AND MANY OTHERS - ALL AGREE. REMAINING ACTIVE HELPS. PHYSICALLY ACTIVE AND MENTALLY ACTIVE.

OF COURSE, GENETICS PLAYS A ROLE. BUT MANY OF OUR CONGREGANTS HERE TODAY ARE LIVING WELL INTO THEIR 80'S, SOME INTO THEIR 90'S, IN REASONABLY GOOD HEALTH.

AND THIS GIVES GREAT HOPE TO THOSE OF US IN OUR 50'S AND 60'S!

BUT, EXPECTATION OF A LONGER LIFE IS A GAME CHANGER. FOR THOSE WHO ARE LIVING LONGER, THOSE WHO HOPE TO AND THOSE WHO ARE JUST STARTING OUT.

WHEN SOCIAL SECURITY WAS ENACTED IN 1935, THE LIFE EXPECTANCY FOR MEN IN THE UNITED STATES WAS 67. NO WONDER RETIREMENT AT 65 MADE SENSE. THE LIFE EXPECTANCY FOR WOMEN WAS ONLY SLIGHTLY LONGER.

SO, IF WE CAN EXPECT TO LIVE WELL INTO OUR 80'S OR 90'S, HOW SHOULD WE PLAN OUR LIVES?

HOW MANY YEARS SHOULD WE SPEND IN EDUCATION - ACQUIRING THE SKILLS, DEGREES AND CERTIFICATES THAT WE MAY NEED DURING OUR WORKING LIFETIME? AND HOW MANY YEARS SHOULD WE EXPECT TO WORK, EITHER FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME? AND WHEN SHOULD WE GET MARRIED AND START HAVING A FAMILY?

LONGER LIFE CHANGES EVERYTHING - ALL OUR ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT AGE WE SHOULD BE AT A PARTICULAR STAGE OF THE LIFE CYCLE.

ARE THERE ANY RULES WE CAN FOLLOW - ANY WISDOM FROM OUR TRADITION - THAT MAY HELP US COPE WITH THIS NEW SITUATION?

IF WE LOOK CAREFULLY AT THE STORIES OF ABRAHAM AND SARAH, WE WILL FIND A FEW ORGANIZING PRINCIPLES

THEY ARE ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE

THEY STAY ACTIVE

THEY ARE RESILIENT - THEY ADAPT TO CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES.

MAINTAINING AN ORIENTATION TO THE FUTURE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. IMAGINING THAT WE HAVE A FUTURE, OR STILL HAVE A FUTURE, IS WHAT KEEPS US GOING. WE HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO. WE HAVE GOALS, WE MAKE PLANS.

MANY SAW THE POPULAR MOVIE WITH JACK NICHOLSON AND MORGAN FREEMAN, THE BUCKET LIST. HERE WE TWO RELATIVELY YOUNG MEN WHO DEVELOPED FATAL ILLNESSES. INSTEAD OF WAITING TO DIE, THEY DETERMINED TO EXPERIENCE ALL OF THE THINGS THEY HAD PUT OFF. WE CAN LEARN A LOT FROM THEIR STORY. DON'T PUT OFF THE THINGS THAT YOU ALWAYS HOPED TO DO, ALWAYS DREAMT OF, ALWAYS WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH. MAYBE YOU NEVER GOT A COLLEGE DEGREE OR MAYBE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO STUDY ANOTHER SUBJECT. GO FOR IT! TAKE THE TRIP YOU NEVER MADE TIME FOR. THE CRITICAL POINT IS TO KEEP MAKING PLANS, NOT JUST FOR TOMORROW OR NEXT WEEK, BUT FOR NEXT YEAR AND THE YEAR AFTER THAT!

WHAT ABOUT TODAY. FOR TODAY, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ACTIVITY WILL HELP KEEP US IN SHAPE SO WE CAN CARRY OUT OUR PLANS.

WHEN MY GRANDMOTHER WAS WELL INTO HER 80'S, I ASKED HER THE SECRET OF HER LONGEVITY. AFTER SHARING WITH ME THE LONG LIFE OF SOME RELATIVES, SHE TOLD ME IN HER BROKEN ENGLISH - DAHLINK, EVERYDAY I GET OUT OF BED NO MATTER HOW I FEEL. GRANDMA KNEW SOMETHING - REMAINING PHYSICALLY ACTIVE HELPS TO KEEP YOU ACTIVE. THERE MAY BE DAYS WHEN IT IS DIFFICULT, BUT KEEP MOVING TO KEEP MOVING. KEEP PLAYING COMPETITIVE SPORTS IF THAT IS YOUR INTEREST. SWIM EVERY DAY OR TAKE LONG WALKS IF THAT IS YOUR BENT. AN EXAMPLE FROM ABRAHAM. SHORTLY AFTER UNDERGOING HIS OWN CIRCUMCISION, THREE STRANGERS APPEAR ON THE HORIZON. THE TORAH TELLS US THAT ABRAHAM RAN, YES RAN, TO GREET THEM, IN SPITE OF THE PAIN HE MUST HAVE FELT. OH, HE WAS 87 AT THE TIME.

MANY OF US HAVE REACHED THE POINT WHERE OUR BODIES HURT EITHER FROM ILLNESS OR INJURY OR WHENEVER WE EXERT OURSELVES. ABRAHAM WORKED THROUGH IT - WE MUST LEARN TO DO SO AS WELL.

MENTAL ACTIVITY IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS AS WE GET OLDER - CROSSWORD PUZZLES, OTHER PUZZLES, READING. THERE IS SOMETHING NEW THAT WE CAN BENEFIT FROM - COGNITIVE CONDITIONING. ITS ON THE INTERNET - YOU CAN DO IT AT HOME. EXERCISES SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR SUPPORTING MENTAL ACUITY. MOST OF US COULD BENEFIT FROM THIS.

AND FINALLY, RESILIENCE - ADAPTING TO CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES. THERE ARE TWO EXAMPLES IN OUR TORAH READING THIS MORNING.

SARAH BECOMES CONCERNED ABOUT ISHMAEL'S INFLUENCE ON ISAAC. SHE DEMANDS THAT HAGAR AND ISHMAEL BE EXPELLED. ABRAHAM IS DISTRESSED, HE DOESN'T LIKE IT. BUT GOD ASSURES HIM THAT ISHMAEL WILL BE PROTECTED, SINCE HE TOO, IS ABRAHAM'S SON. SO ABRAHAM ACCEDES TO SARAH'S DEMAND AND SENDS ISHMAEL AND HAGAR AWAY.

FOLLOWING THIS INCIDENT, AVIMELECH AND PHICOL SHOW UP TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF WATER WELLS. IT SEEMS THAT AVIMELECH'S MEN HAVE EITHER STOLEN THE WELLS OR DENIED ABRAHAM'S FLOCKS ACCESS. AFTER ADMONISHING AVIMELECH, THEY MAKE A TREATY AND AGREE ON OWNERSHIP OF THE WELLS.

LEAVING ASIDE THE DETAILS, IN BOTH CASES, ABRAHAM IS FACED WITH CHALLENGES NOT OF HIS MAKING. AND YET, HE MUST RESOLVE THEM, IN ONE CASE, TO KEEP PEACE IN THE FAMILY, AND IN THE OTHER, TO KEEP PEACE WITH HIS NEIGHBORS. HE DOES WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO AND MOVES ON. THE TORAH DOES NOT RECORD SECOND GUESSING, REGRET OR REMORSE BY ABRAHAM. THAT IS WHAT WE MEAN BE RESILIENCE. RESPONDING TO CHALLENGES, RESOLVING THEM AND THEN MOVING ON.

OFTEN DIFFICULT FOR MANY OF US. WE LIKE TO NURSE ISSUES AND SITUATIONS, SOMETIMES WE WORRY THEM TO DEATH. WE GIVE THEM MORE TIME AND ENERGY THAN THEY DESERVE. THEY BECOME OBSTACLES TO MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR LIVES. THEY STEAL JOY AND HAPPINESS FROM US. LEARN FROM ABRAHAM! ACCEPT CHALLENGES AS THEY ARE, FIND A SOLUTION AND MOVE ON.

IF ALL OF US COULD ONLY LEARN FROM ABRAHAM'S EXPERIENCE AND EXAMPLE. IF WE COULD ONLY GET OUT OF OUR OWN WAY MORE OFTEN. HOW MUCH HAPPIER WE WOULD BE, HOW MUCH MORE PRODUCTIVE.

WE MAY NOT HAVE DISCOVERED ALL THE SECRETS TO LIVING LONG PRODUCTIVE LIVES, BUT CERTAINLY PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE, REMAINING ACTIVE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY AND REMAINING RESILIENT IN THE FACE OF CHALLENGES ARE AMONG THEM.

AS WE ENTER THE NEW YEAR, LET US PRAY THAT ALL OF US, HOWEVER OLD WE MAY BE, DEVELOP THE ATTITUDES AND HABITS THAT ABRAHAM LIVED BY SO THAT OUR LIVES WILL BE RICHER, HAPPIER AND HOPEFULLY, CONTINUE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME. AMEN.