“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh parshas Shemos
24 Teves 5781/January 8, 2021
Mevorchim Chodesh Shevat
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SMALL STUFF
This past Shabbos our family was
discussing that famous Shakespearean bonnet (that’s what Shakespeare wore in
the rain when composing his deepest poetry): “Chazak Chazak v’nischasek, my
mother baked a chocolate cake and in the cake there was rake and in the rake
there was a snake.”
We were debating the great wisdom
invested in this deep rhyme. How did a rake end up in a cake and how did a
snake end up in a rake? More importantly, why does it have to be a chocolate
cake? And what if my wife made it and not my mother- does that fulfill the
obligation? We also wondered why the cake didn’t fall in a lake owned by Jake
who just ate a steak?
In the end, we admitted that the
deeper meaning eludes us and we’ll have to add it to the list of “tayku”s which
will have to wait for Eliyahu Hanavi.
The more worthy point that emerges
from the silly poem is to have a cake to celebrate the completion of learning
an entire Chumash.
New Years is a time of resolutions,
when people commit to accomplish things they may have always wanted to do but
haven’t done in the past. Everyone is always looking for the key to help them
maintain their resolutions and meet their goals.
One important tip is to celebrate
small accomplishments. One’s ultimate goals are often a long journey away.
Celebrating smaller milestones along the way infuses a person with momentum to
stay the course until the larger goal is met.
The same holds true regarding
spiritual matters. When we celebrate easier and smaller accomplishments along
the way, it gives us added confidence to work towards bigger goals.
A year ago, Klal Yisroel celebrated
the incredible siyum hashas. But every few months there is a siyum on another
masechta that also warrants celebration. It’s often a good idea to celebrate
completing every chapter along the way, at least in a small manner.
On Simchas Torah we have a
passionate celebration of our completion of the entire Torah. But four other
times during the year we mark the Shabbos when we complete a Chumash by rising
together and encouraging ourselves to forge onward.
I recently reread the autobiography
of my rebbe, Rabbi Berel Wein, “Teach Them Diligently”. It struck me afterwards
that, like many autobiographies, each chapter was formulated based on a period
of his life. Each major change in his life warranted the beginning of a new
chapter. It didn’t matter whether he was in a certain location/job for 5 years
or 20 years. It all fit it into one chapter.
Most of us dread change. But it
seems that it’s those very changes that color the stories of our lives. As long
as things remain the same, it’s all part of the same chapter. There can be
great accomplishments and growth but all within one basic stage of life. As
soon as the situation changes however, it becomes a new stage of life with its
own narrative, direction and perspective.
In the end, it doesn’t matter
whether you celebrate with chocolate or vanilla, a cake or a knish, or if the
cake is made by your mother or your wife. The main thing is to recognize and
celebrate accomplishment. But for goodness sake - keep the snake out of the
cake!
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos,
R’ Dani and Chani Staum