Parshas Ki Savo 5784

 

“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”

 

Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Ki Savo

17 Elul 5784/ September 20, 2024

Pirkei Avos – Perek 3-4

UNAPOLOGETIC PRIDE

Each year before Tisha b’Av I spend a considerable amount of time working with the learning director of Camp Dora Golding, my rebbe, Rabbi Noach Sauber, to develop a program for our campers that will be engaging, inspiring and meaningful.

That includes asking our talented rebbeim in camp to introduce each of the kinnos recited. On Tisha b’Av this summer, my friend and summer colleague, Rabbi Mayer Erps, shared the following personal anecdote[1]:

“On occasion I’ve asked teenagers why they don’t always wear tzitzis? Most of the time they reply that it’s uncomfortable.

“I had an experience a few years ago that negates that argument.

“For over a decade I had the privilege of working for an outreach organization called Torah Links in East Brunswick, New Jersey.

“They arranged a program for young men in college who were off for winter break in December to come to Lakewood, NJ for a week. They would learn in the Lakewood Yeshiva in the morning and have fun activities in the afternoon.

“Alex, a former student of mine, was a freshman in college and I invited him to join the program. I told Alex that I came to East Brunswick every Sunday morning because I was the principal of the Hebrew school there. I’d be happy for him to come back with me to Lakewood afterwards and to drop him off at his hosts.

“Alex agreed and on Sunday morning when Hebrew School ended, Alex’s parents dropped him off. Alex got out of his parents’ car wearing the most absurd hat I had ever seen in my life - a triangular hat shaped like a piece of cheese.

“I was informed later that it is called a cheese head. Alex is a Green Bay Packers fan. There is an unwritten rule amongst diehard Packers fans, that no matter where you are in the world, on game day you wear the cheesehead hat. I thought to myself that there was no way I could bring Alex back to Lakewood wearing that hat.

“I suggested to Alex that he leave the hat in the trunk. But Alex looked at me with utter surprise, “But Rabbi, it’s game day!” 

“I was very intrigued by the cheesehead hat and looked into it. There was a gentleman by the name of Ralph Bruno who lived in Wisconsin where a lot of cheese is produced. If you want to insult a Wisconsinite, you call him a cheese head.

“Ralph decided he was going to transform cheesehead into a matter of pride. He took an old foam couch pillow, cut it into the shape of a triangle, hollowed out some holes painted it yellow, and made it look like a wedge of cheese. He then hollowed out the middle and put it on his head.

“When Ralph showed up at the next Green Bay Packers game wearing this cheese hat, fans excitedly asked him where he got it and if they could get one too. It caught on and Ralph began mass producing the cheeseheads. Eventually Ralph opened up an entire apparel line selling cheesehead products.

“Much as I tried, Alex refused to entertain the thought of not wearing the cheesehead hat even in Lakewood.

“Since then, whenever a boy tells me that he doesn’t want to wear tzitzis because it makes him feel uncomfortable, I think about Alex’s determination to show his team pride, even when he stuck out like a sore thumb in the middle of Lakewood.”

 

It’s been almost 6 weeks since Tisha b’Av. For most of us Tisha b’Av is distant memory. However, Chazal teach us that for 7 weeks after Tisha b’Av, we read the shiva d’nichemta - 7 haftoros of consolation. The weeks of comfort literally conclude the Shabbos before Rosh Hashanah. Through the beautiful words of the Navi, Hashem comforts and encourages us that better days, times of glory and greatness, await us. 

Clearly there is an inextricable connection between Tisha b’Av, the subsequent weeks of comfort, and the process of Teshuvah. 

One of the greatest tragedies of Tisha b’Av is the loss of national pride. 

In Eichah (2:1), Yirmiyahu writes, “He cast from the heavens to earth the glory of Yisroel.” Based on those words, in Kinnos we lament, “O how they have thrown the splendor from my head.”

The tragedy of Tisha b’Av wasn’t only due to the numerous physical tragedies we suffered, but also from the national shame and degradation we experienced. 

When one feels worthless and under-appreciated it is that much harder for him to be productive. Without confidence how can one push himself out of his comfort zone?

A man who was wealthy and influential not only lost his fortune and fame but was shamed and abused. But then he started receiving letters from some of the wealthiest and most powerful people in the world. In the letters they informed him that they were aware of his difficult plight, but that they are eagerly awaiting his turn. Not only are they confident of it but they guarantee that his return to glory will far surpass his original success. At that point, he may still be in a difficult situation, but he is now confident that he has the wherewithal to turn things around and reclaim what he lost. Their reassurance gives him the infusion of confidence to start the arduous journey back. 

The stirring words of Yeshaya HaNavi infuse us with fortitude to withstand the endless challenges of exile. They remind us that great events are coming. That added national confidence and reassurance of Hashem’s ongoing love for us, carries us through the month of Elul. It allows us to taste a bit of our forfeited glory so that we can introspect and seek to be better people this year. We seek to do teshuvah, to literally return to Hashem and to ourselves with confidence. 

Packers fans aren’t embarrassed to wear cheeseheads because they are proud to be associated with the team they root for. How can we not feel beyond proud to be part of the eternal people? 

 

Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos,

R’ Dani and Chani Staum

stamtorah@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] Rabbi Mayer Erps has many professional recordings of children’s stories, available on all major Jewish platforms, and on CD available at local Judaica stores. My family loves them. If you’re looking for a most wonderful storyteller to speak in your community, I am happy to share his contact information.

Parshas Ki Seitzei 5784

 

“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”

 

Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Ki Setzei

10 Elul 5784/ September 13, 2024

Pirkei Avos – Perek 2

 

Lovingly dedicated in memory of my Uncle R’ Shmuel Kohn, Shmuel Chaim ben Rav Yaakov Meir, who was niftar suddenly this week.

When we spoke, Uncle Shmuel would often comment to me about how much he enjoyed these articles.

YES WE CAN

I’m sure it’s the same in many homes. The last few days before the school year begins, our children are abuzz gathering school supplies. Our kitchen table and floor is littered with highlighters, crayons, markers, notebooks, binders, sticky notes, hole punchers, glue, tape, staplers and staples, paper reinforcements, looseleafs and looseleaf paper - standard and college (kollel) ruled, subject dividers, whiteout, rulers, compasses, and many other things that we will probably never see again after the first week. But it adds excitement of going back to school and that’s a good thing.

Almost all young children are excited to go back to school. Almost every child goes to school with determination and optimism that he/she will be successful this year and make his/her parents proud.

As the years go by, however, many children become more skeptical of their abilities. Based on their past struggles, they lose confidence and simultaneously excitement for school dissipates.

Many adults have a similar feeling during the month of Elul. “I’ve tried to change so many times, but I keep coming up short. Even the improvements I have made in my life are a drop in the bucket compared to how much work I still need to do to become a half decent person. So, what’s the use of even trying?”

I recently heard a lecture from Rabbi Daniel Kalish, beloved menahel of the Waterbury (Durham) Yeshiva, in which he poignantly expressed a point that I have long felt.

Rabbi Kalish noted that he detests when people have a defeatist attitude.

Paraphrased from his words:

“When I play sports, I give it my all. I can’t stand it when a guy gets on the court, looks at the other team and declares that his team has no chance.

Get your team, rally the troops and bring it. I'm very competitive and I hate it when people have a defeatist attitude. That's how Hashem made me. I'm a fighter and I'm a competitor.

“Don’t tell me you don’t have a chance. This is your team. Dig deep and play hard; fight like a tiger.

“You win, you lose, who cares? I don't mind losing. But the defeatist mentality bothers me.”

Rabbi Kalish compared this idea to an approach often espoused when it comes to spiritual matters, particularly regarding our observance of Tisha b’Av and Elul/teshuvah. People often nostalgically wax poetic about the days of old when people knew how to cry on Tisha b’Av and feel fear of G-d during Elul. They talk about a time when the fish in the sea trembled when the month of Elul was ushered in. Then they add how today our efforts are woefully ineffective and pitifully minuscule and inconsequential compared to generations past.

“It is dumb to say about Teshuvah that we have no connection. That is stupid. That's treif.

“In the Kinnus of Tisha b’Av we refer to a terribly tragic story when the Jews murdered, Zechariah, a kohain and Navi in the Beis Hamikdash. They killed him because they didn’t want to hear his message.

“Well, when you say we have no connection to Tisha B'Av, you're a murderer of the Navi.

“I promise you, that’s exactly what it is.

“We have a spiritual force inside us that energizes us to want to connect to the day and grow from it. But then we’re told that our observance of Tisha b’Av is pitiful, it kills our momentum. The Navi comes to connect us to the word of Hashem. When one extinguishes that fire he’s destroying that effort. Saying that our Elul and Tisha b’Av aren’t good enough is analogous to killing the Navi.

“I'm not saying that we experience it in the full ways we should. But we are trying.

“People like to preach on Tisha b’Av that we cry because we don't know what to cry about. Sometimes it’s said almost smugly as if sticking it to us.

“I say to those people - Stop it! Sit down! What are you doing? What are you trying to accomplish?

“I say kinnos for the person who tells everyone else they cry because they don’t know what to cry about!

“You’ll tell me the Sfas Emes says it. But the Sfas Emes didn't have a defeatist mentality. He didn’t mean it the way people say it today. He never meant to convey a feeling of we have no chance at really experiencing Tisha b’Av so let's all just wing it.

“Tisha B'Av is a force that you could plug into. There's a Moed called Tisha B'Av.

“Stop with the defeatist attitude! It's not a good thing. It's bad middos.

“Don’t say we can’t play because we don’t have a shot at winning. That's not how healthy people live life.

“Whatever you’re doing, do it with all your energy and effort. Live that on the court. Live that in the way you interact with your wife and children. Live that way on Tisha B'Av and in Elul. It may sometimes be hard. That’s fine. But never allow yourself to have a defeatist attitude.”

 

Noted inspirational speaker Zig Ziglar quipped that, “Ultimately, your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” This is undoubtedly true in spiritual matters as well. We have to believe that our efforts are invaluable in heaven (and there are enough sources to corroborate that idea). First and foremost is the fact that the most prominent hint of Elul is that the very word Elul is an acronym for “Ani l’dodi v’dodi li - I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me.”

I don’t know of a greater expression of love. Elul must be viewed as a time of love, and that engaging in teshuvah is a meaningful endeavor treasured in heaven. That positive attitude is the starting point from which all else flows.

 

 

Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos,

R’ Dani and Chani Staum

stamtorah@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

Parshas Shoftim 5784

 

“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”

 

Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Shoftim

3 Elul 5784/ September 6, 2024

Pirkei Avos – Perek 1-2

MAMA RACHEL CRY

It wasn’t the way we envisioned or hoped. We so wanted to see Hirsh Goldberg-Polin reunited with his family. No family should have to suffer as they did. Perhaps we, in America, identified more with them because they and Hirsh are American, and because we heard Hirsh’s parents speak so many times. Perhaps we felt it more because Rachel, Hirsh’s mother, tugged at our emotions, by openly personifying the Jewish mother, who will stop at nothing for her child. Hirsh’s parents traveled, spoke, begged, encouraged, and basically didn’t leave a stone unturned in their tireless efforts to get Hirsh out of the Gaza inferno. But to our chagrin and national pain, that’s not the way Hirsh was reunited with his family.

Along with 5 other precious hostages who suffered together for 332 days, Hirsh was murdered, just hours before the IDF was able to reach them. The 6 bodies were brought back to Israel for burial.

The poignant words of the Navi Yirmiyah that we read in the haftorah of the second day of Rosh Hashanah came to mind: “A voice is heard on high, Rachel is crying for her children. She refuses to be consoled for her children because they are not here.”

Yet, in her incredible eulogy, Rachel expressed gratitude (!) for the gift of her son:

“I am so grateful to G-d. And I want to do hakarat hatov and thank G-d right now in front of all of you for giving me this magnificent present of my Hirsch. For 23 years, I was privileged to have the most stunning honor to be Hirsch's mama. I'll take it and say thank you. I just wish it had been for longer.”

The six grieving families, along with every other shattered family since October 7, have wittingly and unwittingly inspired us with their relentless dedication and refusal to give up on their loved ones. Hope is very much a Jewish trait. So is the ability to forge on in the face of adversity and untold anguish.

In Parshas Vayera the Torah relates that after Hagar was banished from the home of Avrohom and Sarah, Hagar’s young son Yishmael became fatally ill. The pasuk relates that Hagar, “cast him under one of the shrubs, for she said I will not see the death of the child.”

Rabbi Samson Rafael Hirsch comments:

“Hagar's whole behavior… typifies the unrefined Chamite nature. A Jewish mother would never abandon her child, even if all she could do for him would be to speak softly to him, to soothe him if only for a millionth part of a second. One who abandons a child and does nothing because "she cannot bear to see the child's misery" does not act out of compassion. Such conduct reflects the cruel egotism of a brutish character. True humanity is marked by a sense of duty that is capable of mastering even the strongest of emotions. A sense of duty makes one forget his own painful feelings and enables him to extend help and assistance, even if one can do no more than give the comfort of one's compassionate presence…

“All of the foregoing shows that Hagar completely lost her head when overcome with her own grief. A mother descending from Avraham would never behave toward her child in such a manner.”

The inhumanity of our enemies is truly unbelievable. The only reason it’s not downright shocking is because we are aware of similar terror subjected on our people throughout our long and painful exile. We are shocked only because we are naive in thinking it wouldn’t happen in 2024.

Rachel concluded her eulogy:

“Okay, sweet boy, go now on your journey. I hope it's as good as the trips you dreamed about, because finally, my sweet boy, finally, finally, finally, FINALLY!, you're free!

“I will love you, and I will miss you every single day for the rest of my life. But you're right here. I know you're right here.

“I just have to teach myself how to feel you in a different way. And, Hirsch, there's one last thing I need you to do for us. Now I need you to help us stay strong. And I need you to help us survive.”

 

This week, I was reading “Stories from the Land of Israel” by Chanan Morrison about Rabbi Avrohom Yitzchok HaKohain Kook zt”l, whose yahrtzeit is 3 Elul.

Six months after the 1929 Arab riot and massacre, Rav Kook spoke at a memorial event in the Yeshurun Shul in Yerushalayim. In light of this week’s tragic events, I found his words to be so applicable and encouraging:

The holy martyrs of Chevron do not need a memorial service. The Jewish people can never forget the holy and pure souls who were slaughtered by murderers and vile thugs.

Rather, we must remember and remind the Jewish people not to forget the city of the Patriarchs. The people must know what Chevron means to us.

We have an ancient tradition that "The actions of the fathers are signposts for their descendants." When the weak-hearted spies arrived at Hebron, they were frightened by the fierce nations who lived in the land. But "Calev quieted the people for Moshe. He said, 'We must go forth and conquer the land. We can do it.” (Bamidbar 13:30)

Despite the terrible tragedy that took place in Chevron, we announce to the world, "Our strength is now like our strength was then." We will not abandon our holy places and sacred aspirations. Chevron is the city of our fathers, the city of the Machpeilah cave where our Patriarchs are buried. It is the city of David, the cradle of our sovereign monarchy.

Those who discourage the ones trying to rebuild the Jewish community in Chevron with arguments of political expedience; those who scorn and say, “What are those wretched Jews doing?" Those who refuse to help rebuild Chevron – they are attacking the very roots of our people. In the future, they will have to give account for their actions. If ruffians and hooligans have repaid our kindness with malice, we have only one eternal response: Jewish Chevron will once again be built, in honor and glory!

The inner meaning of Chevron is to draw strength and galvanize ourselves with the power of Netzach Yisrael, Eternal Israel.

That proud Jew, Calev, announced years later, “I am still strong... As my strength was then, so is my strength now" (Joshua 14:11). We, too, announce to the world: our strength now is as our strength was then. We shall reestablish Chevron in even greater glory, with peace and security for every Jew. With G-d’s help, we will merit to see Chevron completely rebuilt, speedily in our days.

Our collective heart is broken and aches for the pain of the six families. But our response will be as the Jewish people have always responded - with greater conviction and dedication to our cause.

“Behold a people that rises like a lioness and raises itself like a lion. It does not lie down until it eats its prey and drinks the blood of the slain.” (Bamidbar 23:24)

 

Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos,

R’ Dani and Chani Staum

stamtorah@gmail.com

 

 

 

Parshas Re'eh 5784

 

“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”

 

Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Re’eh

26 Menachem Av 5784/ August 30, 2024

Pirkei Avos – Perek 6

Mevorchim Chodesh Elul 

A HERO INDEED

I never thought of myself as being very tech savvy. In fact, I still don’t. If you would’ve told me two years ago that I would be a media director I would have told you that you got the wrong guy. But for the last two summers I’ve been the media director at Camp Dora Golding and have enjoyed it immensely.

My role can be summed up as sharing a taste of the magic of camp with the outside world, most importantly with parents of campers and camp’s alumni. I oversee the pictures and weekly camp videos that are disseminated and posted on the camp’s website. In addition, I create videos for various functions within camp, such as Olympics, special learning programs, videos shown as part of Tisha b’Av programming, and the compilation of events video at the end of the summer.

Camp Dora Golding is renowned for its incredible learning program. Under the tutelage of our esteemed learning director, Rabbi Noach Sauber, the program has had tremendous success. Part of its success has to do with the incredible prize auction held at the end of the summer. The prizes include very expensive and coveted autographed sports memorabilia. Many of those items are valued in the hundreds and some well over a thousand dollars as well.

Throughout the summer the various sports memorabilia are announced and shown to the campers to help maintain the hype of the learning program. Usually, the item is introduced with a video depicting highlights of that player. I am usually tasked with creating those highlight compilations for camp.

Many campers who do not do well in school report that their summer learning in Camp Dora Golding gave them their first real experience of the sweetness of Torah study. Many alumni of camp contribute to the prizes each summer, in an effort to “give back” to the program that inspired them years earlier.

One of the most beautiful sights in camp is to see staff members learning with campers on Shabbos afternoon. To that end, this summer an autographed Mickey Mantle baseball was donated to be given as a staff prize.

In preparing the intro video for the Mantle baseball, I was looking for highlights clips about Mantle and I was perusing some articles about Mantle.

I remember my father telling me how in his youth he watched “The Mick” play for the Yankees. Mantle possessed exceptional talent, including being a switch-hitter with speed, power, and a strong arm as an outfielder. Coupled with his good looks and youthful vigor, Mantle was the hero of many baseball fans, even beyond New York.

His personal legacy, however, is not quite that impressive.

Mantle had a drinking problem that he didn’t address until very late in life. Despite how great of a player he was, there is always doubt as to how much better he could have been. To be fair, he was plagued by numerous injuries that stunted his career. However, his terrible off-the-field habits unquestionably had a deleterious effect. He was out drinking and partying every night, including being unfaithful. During his years with the Yankees his drinking didn’t impede his performance, at least not visibly. Still, it’s impossible to know how much his negative habits made him more injury prone.

His last years as a player were subpar. He retired as a .298 hitter, despite the fact that he was an above .300 hitter for the majority of his career. In his later years, he agonized over the fact that he retired with an under .300 average. Although he hit a whopping 536 homers, had he remained healthy he could have hit over 600.

Mantle also wasn’t very involved in the lives of his children while they were growing up. He was too busy living it up himself.

In his final press conference shortly before his passing a contrite Mantle expressed his frustration with himself:

"G-d gave me a great body and an ability to play baseball. G-d gave me everything, and I just … pffft! I'd like to say to the kids out there, if you're looking for a role model… don’t be like me."

It was amazing to me that a person who was such a celebrity and hero on the field, could be such a failure in his personal life.

Everyone wants to be successful. But the golden and vital question is how one defines success.

Success is often measured in terms of amassment and adulation. Being popular, wealthy and influential is the mark of “making it”. But such success is temporal at best. No one remains young and vibrant forever, and nothing remains forever.

The Torah tells us, “See that I have placed before you life and good, and death and evil” (Devorim 11:26). “See” doesn’t merely mean to look with physical eyes. It adjures us to look beyond, to contemplate and ponder a deeper truth than what is immediately available. It is a call to “see” the real truth; what is truly good and what is truly living.

So many individuals who are deemed successful by society, and have earned the accolades and jealousy of millions, have tainted personal lives at best. There are often multiple failed marriages, they may have no relationship with their children, and they personally feel empty inside. Many have been destroyed by their success.

On the flip side, there are many people who seem to live an unremarkable life but attain inner fulfilment and a beautiful legacy.

One can be successful by society’s standards and live a fulfilling life, but only if he never forgets what true success. Of course, one can also live an unremarkable life and have nothing to show for it.

The Torah also tells us to choose life (Devorim 30:19). It may seem like a trite statement. However, one needs only to look at the foolish choices many make, sacrificing long-term fulfillment for short-term, fleeting fun, to know that it’s not such a simple idea.

In the words of Robert Frost:

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.”

Long before Frost wrote those words, the Sifrei (quoted by Ohr HaChaim at the beginning of Parshas Re’eh) writes that there are two divergent paths. One appears straight and clear at the beginning, but after a few steps, it will be overgrown with thorns. The second path has many thorns at the outset, but later becomes straight and clear.

The path of Torah and the path to fulfillment is not always smooth sailing. But it is an investment that will always reap wonderful returns in the long run.

 

Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos,

R’ Dani and Chani Staum

stamtorah@gmail.com

 

 

Parshas Eikev 5784

 

“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”

 

Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Eikev

19 Menachem Av 5784/ August 23, 2024

Pirkei Avos – Perek 5

UNINHIBITED GROWTH

Our family has the great fortune to spend our summers at Camp Dora Golding. We have a wonderful and comfortable bungalow, but obviously smaller than our home in Monsey. For two months we have to figure out how to get by with only one bathroom.

For some time this summer, on the side of our bungalow’s bathtub I noticed two styrofoam cups filled with water. In each cup was a foam-like sponge in the shape of an animal. Those sponges had started as little capsules that “grew” when placed in water.

Our younger children eagerly watched how the capsule expanded into a foamy animal. They concluded that if they left it in water for longer it would continue to grow even more. It was only after about two weeks that the cups were disposed of, and the foam critters remained on the side of the bathtub.

 

In June 1924, at the age of thirty-eight, George Mallory, one of Britain's greatest mountain climbers, was leading an expedition attempting to reach the summit of Mount Everest. He had failed twice before, and this was his third attempt.

In spite of careful planning and extensive safety precautions, disaster struck when an avalanche hit. The 38-year-old Mallory and with most of his party were killed. It wasn't until 1999 that his frozen body was discovered by another expedition, only two thousand feet short of the summit.
When the surviving members of his group returned to England, they held a banquet saluting Mallory's final trek. A representative of the survivors rose to speak, and looked up at the framed picture of Mallory on the back wall. Then he turned his back to the crowd to face the huge picture of Mount Everest behind the banquet table.
With tears streaming down his face, he addressed the mountain on behalf of Mallory:
"I speak to you, Mount Everest, in the name of all brave men living and those yet unborn. Mount Everest, you defeated us once; you defeated us twice; you defeated us three times. But Mount Everest, we shall someday defeat you, because you can't get any bigger while we can!"

 

In Oros Hakodesh, Rav Avrohom Yitzchok HaKohain Kook writes:

 

אם תרצה בן אדם הסתכל באור השכינה

התבונן בפלאי היצירה בחיי האלוקות שלהם

דע את המציאות שאתה חי בה

דע את עצמך ואת עולמך

עלה למעלה עלה כי כוח עז לך

יש לך כנפי רוח כנפי נשרים אבירים

אל תכחש בם פן יכחשו לך

דרוש אותם ויימצאו לך מיד

 

“If you desire, mortal, look at the light of God’s Presence,
Gaze at the wonders of creation, at the Divinity in them.
Know the reality in which you live; know yourself and your world.

Rise up.
Rise up, for you have the strength to do so.
You have wings of the spirit, wings of powerful eagles.
Do not deny them, or they will deny you.
Seek them, and you will find them right away.”

Oros Hakodesh 1:64

 

A few years ago, Mrs. Avigayil Ouziel, wrote a beautiful song to Rav Kook’s words. In March of 2015 the Yeshivah l’Tzeirim from Yerushalayim choir recorded the song in memory of the 8 students brutally murdered in Yeshivas Merkaz Harav in a terrorist attack a few years ago.

 

By definition, human beings are vulnerable and fallible. But that is a core component of our ability to attain greatness. If we can fail miserably, we can also grow exponentially.

Unlike shaped sponges or even huge mountains, as mortals we can always ascend. Rav Kook reminds us that we need only to tap into that capacity for greatness and want to become greater.

 

Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos,

R’ Dani and Chani Staum

stamtorah@gmail.com