מתחזקות ביחד בצניעות

Alone in the dark? NEVER! Just light Shabbos candles AND make the BLESSING‏

 

"Thank you Hashem for sanctifying SHABBOS (especially this week)"

 

The ideas and some words below are partly based on Rabbi David Aron from ISRALIGHT


Is sitting alone really sitting alone?

Shabbos is ALWAYS a gift - and this week in New York especially! So maybe we can LEARN things from this week's tragic storm!

On a simple level -
Maybe G-d wanted to remind people to always have SHABBOS CANDLES !

Seriously now- how does that tie into Sara and Abraham's story -
and Sodom and Gemora in this week's portion?
(What a storm THAT was!)

I remember when I was sitting Shiva for my father in New Jersey at my brother's house- and - totally unexpectedly - in walked Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach!

It is an amazing feeling to be remembered!

(He never forgot and never missed a MITZVA to do!)

It made me feel like this week's portion - Vayera -

In this week’s Torah portion G-d appeared to Abraham - and yet He said nothing!

Usually there was give-and-take about the FUTURE of the People of Abraham

but it says:


“G-d appeared to [Abraham] in the Plains of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of the tent in the hottest part of the day. [Abraham] lifted his eyes and he saw three strangers approaching and ran towards them.”

Rabbi Aron wrote:

"


When you visit a person who is ill it is not in order to say something;


your mere presence communicates your desire to be with this person in a time of need.


So it was when G-d visited Abraham....


G-d appears to Abraham only to be with him


Sometimes the highest moment of love is when we have nothing to say to each other. We just want to share each other’s presence in silence."

Based on Rabbi Aron's thought :

Was this week's storm in the New York area


... a “G-d experience” or an encounter that advanced ...(a) relationship with G-d?"


Was Abraham's visit from G-d earth-changing?

"When you love G-d, you love all

and always seek ways to put your love into action.

The ability to respond to the needs of others is G-d’s gift to humanity...


when we become G-d’s partner in caring for this world....


" the reward for entering into a loving relationship with G-d — what the Torah calls a covenant — is the feeling ...of love for G-d, G-d’s love for you and your love for the world."


According to our tradition - that is a G-d experience - and a connection to G-d!


Good Shabbos and blessings to all from Tel Aviv


Rabbi Andy