Rabbi's weekly messages - Chabad of Olney

Chukas- Great gift-giving advice

Friday, June 22, 2018 - 12:30 PM

Many companies and organizations give gifts to employees and clients. Typically, it will be something with the company's name or logo on it. Seems like a great strategy for building your brand and generating good-will, right?! John Ruhlin, an expert in marketing, thinks they got it all wrong.

In his book, John Ruhlin makes the case for companies to rethink corporate gift giving. For example: engraving a name on a nice gift item is a wonderful idea... Just not the company's name, but the recipient's name! If the heart of a gift is to express how much you cherish the other, then do it on their terms, not your own.

It's like the husband who bought his dream car as a gift to his wife on their tenth anniversary, only to be dumbfounded why she couldn't care less for the gift. The next week, he bought her a bouquet of flowers and wrote her a personal note with it. She didn't stop talking about it for the next year...

This week's Torah portion is Chukat. It means a Mitzvah, but it also means “to engrave”. It discusses some ritualistic Mitzvot (commandments) which are less popular, and, frankly, seem odd and downright strange to our non-Jewish friends. But that’s exactly the point. Giving to the poor, educating our youth, and honesty are all big Mitzvot, but because they make us feel good, (I'm generous, honest, and a great teacher...) they aren't necessarily as impressionable in our relationship with our Creator.

So if you want to take your spiritual journey to the next level, think of it as a gift to your significant other. If you invest in your Judaism only on your terms, just enough to make you ‘feel good’ about it, then it's essentially self-serving. It makes no real impact. Invest on G-d's terms, however, and you will see your relationship blossom. Carve out some time in your day or week for a ritual Mitzvah, the kind that you can proudly say: “G-d, this one is for you..." it will, no doubt, leave a deeply meaningful and lasting impression.

Shlach- CAPS WIN! What a game!

Friday, June 8, 2018 - 12:26 PM

Sports competition obviously strikes a chord with people. I think it's because the story of a team working towards a win is essentially the story of our lives.

Yes, it's a struggle. We lose here and there, for forty-three years we seem to fall short of our goal... Yet, if we stick to our journey, remain motivated and determined, believe in our ability to win and work together with our fellow teammates - we ultimately prevail!

At the end of the day, the challenge is embraced too. The celebration and sense of achievement are only magnified as a result of all the hard work we put into it. No pain no gain.

So what do the Caps winning teach me, making me a better mentch and a better Jew?!

Life is game.
We are the key players.
The Puck resembles our world.
Our job is to help move the world along toward the goal - that humanity's collective consciousness should appreciate that we are truly in the 'gateway' of G-d's loving embrace.

But like the game, In life, we encounter fierce opposition and resistance in trying to do the right thing. Sometimes we question if we are even capable of winning and overcoming the challenge. Whether the challenge appears in the form of people scoffing or standing in our way or feeling depleted and down inside…

Then we remember that the challenge is only there to bring out the best in us, and make the win so much more meaningful.

So let's get to work, give it all you got - we're on the winning team after all :)

Behaalotecha- Too little too late

Friday, June 1, 2018 - 12:22 PM

The story is told of and emergency security cabinet meeting called by the Russian Czar. Napoleon's French army was unstoppable. They conquered every city and town in their path, and were soon approaching St. Petersburg. The mood in the room was that of despair, as the military experts, pointing to the map, showed how close Napoleon was, and concluded: there is no chance of preparing for a counterattack.

The Tsar nodded and then motioned to his personal military secretary to come and ask him: Go to my office, bring the big map of Russia on the wall. It was a map ten times the map of the war cabinet room.

Then the Tsar turned to the army chiefs and said, "Friends, explain to me again the situation, how close is Napoleon and why we have no chance of progress? Well, on the big map, Napoleon was no longer so close, and suddenly there seemed to be hope and it was not too late to go to war to save the situation.

This week's Parshah tells the story of Pesach Sheni, of determined Jews who focused on what can be done today, rather than what was missed yesterday.

"Too Little too late" is a much too narrow and small-minded approach. Remember there is a bigger map up there, which gives room for infinite more opportunities. Take the Jewish approach to problem solving. The only day that really matters is today. Having the past weigh us down us one step today something positive today, tomorrow may be too late.