Thursday, October 3, 2013

PARSHAS NOACH 5774

“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Noach – 1 Rosh Chodesh MarCheshvan
30 Tishrei 5774/October 4, 2013

If you have any experience with a computer you know the frustration of finding numerous programs downloaded to your computer, although you never signed up for them. You innocently download one program which you need, and the next thing you unwittingly (and outwittedly) have downloaded six other programs which (ironically) are all trying to convince you to purchase them so they can protect you from other such programs duping you the same way. Before you know it every time you try to open a program on your computer you feel like you’re stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, and when these programs byte it hurts!
Luckily the computer has a built in system to help remedy that problem called System Restore. The program is automatically installed to undo harmful changes to computer and to restore the computer’s performance to an earlier time, called a Restore Point. The process reverts the computer to the way it was at that point without deleting any purposely saved documents, emails, history, or favorites. The best thing about it is that it is a completely reversible process.
Although the computer automatically sets up periodic Restore Points, additional points can be created at will.
Throughout our lives, and more specifically throughout the year, we set up Restore Points along the way. Perhaps we can’t actually physically travel back to those times and places. But we can mentally revert back to the inspiration and nostalgic enjoyment we felt at those points.
Each Yom Tov is meant to be a Restore Point. Throughout the year, we are to be able to mentally recapture the intensity and awe of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, the sublime joy of Succos, the inspiration of Chanukah, the bliss of Purim, the spiritual liberation of Pesach, the feeling of deep connection to Torah on Shavuos, and the yearning for redemption of Tisha B’av.
There is a great deal of mental and spiritual debris that we accumulate along the way, which impedes our growth, and detracts us from the goals we set for ourselves. When we are able to restore ourselves to those high points, if only for a few moments, it helps us delete the silly programs that leech onto our hard drive along the way. Each Yom Tov is so vital for our spiritual growth.
Now if only we could restore our bodies and belts to our pre Yom Tov/Mass-calorie settings, we’d really be in business…

   Good Chodesh
 Good Shabbos & Shabbat Shalom,
      R’ Dani and Chani Staum


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