Rabbi's Blog - Harford Chabad

He made a mistake.... and got promoted

Thursday, May 29, 2025 - 6:59 PM

Mark Gallagher, an executive in Formula One auto racing, spoke about a conversation he had with ‘David’, a driver from the Williams team. David had suffered a terrible accident when his steering had failed during a test lap. David described it as one of those accidents where you genuinely feel frightened because you know you're about to hit the wall, hard, very hard.

After the crash, Sir Frank Williams himself, founder and chief executive of the team, invited David to the Williams factory. Frank brought him into the boardroom for an unusual meeting: to face the mechanic who hadn't bolted the suspension together properly.

The mechanic was devastated. He apologized profusely and said, "I just cannot believe what happened. I was building your steering system when I got distracted by a colleague. I walked away to do another job and completely forgot to come back and finish it."

Mark asked David, "So what happened to that mechanic?"

David's answer was fascinating. "Frank promoted him," he said. "He made him head of all steering systems. Frank's reasoning was simple: that guy will never, ever let another Williams car leave the garage without perfect steering. He's completely focused now because he never wants to repeat that mistake."

As we prepare for Shavuot, we're reminded that we are a nation of kohanim. Each and every Jew needs to see themselves as a true prince or princess, a child of G-d. We don't need to beat ourselves up when we stumble and make a mistake. Instead, we need to recognize that we're not just cogs in the factory, we are the head. And as head of "steering," or whatever area we've erred in, we must ensure we never repeat it.

Although we are not literally the "head of steering," we are the head of our own life. As we once again receive the Torah, let's commit to doing our best and not making the same mistake twice. As the saying goes: first mistake, shame on circumstances; second mistake, shame on me.

May we all be blessed with receiving the Torah with joy and pnimius.

Rabbi Kushi Schusterman

Are you actually always doing the thing you are always doing?

Thursday, May 22, 2025 - 9:01 PM

Sometimes we're not actually "always" doing the thing we think we're always doing.

A rabbi complained to my brother that he was "always fundraising." When they broke it down, he wasn't constantly on calls or in meetings. He was constantly worrying about fundraising. Without a clear plan, worry rushed in to fill the space.

The solution was simple but profound: create a concrete plan. Focus on doing something about the problem rather than being consumed by it.

Sometimes we get stuck living inside labels like "anxious" or "overwhelmed." We identify ourselves as overwhelmed instead of seeing it as experiencing overwhelm—living in it as opposed to moving through it.

When you have a challenge, break it into manageable parts. Recognize that you are not your challenge, and then figure out if there is any ONE thing you can do to overcome that challenge. Do it.

This week's Torah portion describes a time when the Jewish people would "flee the sword, even though there is no pursuer." Although we as a nation have "fulfilled" this curse, sometimes we might still feel like we're running from invisible threats.

Turning the worry into tangible positive action might be one way to start healing from this paralyzing experience.

Good Shabbos,

Rabbi Kushi Schusterman

P.S. After the attack in DC, a few people reached out to ensure we are safe. I got a call from the Bel Air Chief of Police ensuring we are safe, noting they are increasing patrols and there are no known credible threats in our area. Some threats are real and we are very vigilant.

General Note: If you have a real issue, please consult with a professional. Today's message is about when we have an imagined pursuer that the Torah is talking about: "The sound of a rustling leaf will pursue them; they will flee as if fleeing the sword, and they will fall, even though there is no pursuer." — Leviticus 26:36

Are you Happy?

Thursday, May 15, 2025 - 11:56 AM

Did you know that happiness is a choice you can make with your brain? About ten years ago, we gave a course called "How Happiness Thinks". Something that stuck with me is that the Zohar explains that the Hebrew word for joy, "Simcha," is the same as "Sham Moach" - which means "there is brain." This tells us that joy is something we can choose with our minds!

The Zohar, a kabbalistic writing, was written by Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (called Rashbi for short). Tonight is Lag Ba'Omer, the 33rd day of the Omer counting, and marks the day Rashbi passed away. Rashbi was known as "the happiest of all tzaddikim" (righteous ones). As per his deepest wish, we celebrate this day with happiness. Not just any happiness, but true Joy.

Joy is a choice. Joy comes from seeing things from their deepest level. Kabbalah is the “Inner light of the Torah” and if we tap into the inner Torah, it is easier to be happy!

Think of Torah like an apple. The outside is the stories and rules we can all see. However, inside the apple is something sweet and special, like Torah’s inner light. Rashbi taught that when we understand these deeper meanings, we find true joy!

On Lag Ba'Omer, we connect with the inner part of Torah. Then, two weeks later, on Shavuot, we receive the whole Torah. Before we can fully understand all of Torah, we need to connect to its heart first!

The word "Moshiach" is a permutation of "Yismach" (he will be happy) and "Y'samach" (he will make others happy). This wordplay reveals a profound truth: happiness is super important for bringing Moshiach - the time of the ultimate redemption of the Jewish people!

In addition, the Hebrew word for "messenger" (shliach) has the same numerical value as the word for "happy" (sameach). This means that being G-d's messenger naturally means being joyful!

Joy has a special power; it helps us create new things! As it says in the Tehillim - Psalms, "The mother of children is happy." That's why Lag B'Omer carries special blessings for those desiring children. Joy helps everyone bring new good things into the world.

Even though Lag Ba'Omer marks the day Rashbi passed away, we celebrate instead of being sad. This teaches us something powerful about happiness: true joy comes from seeing the deeper meaning in everything, even things that seem sad at first.

When we choose joy with our brains, connect to the inner light of Torah, and remember that we're all G-d's messengers, happiness becomes much easier! This happiness isn't just for us; it helps bring light to the whole world and brings Mashiach closer.

Today, let's make the choice to be happy by finding joy in the deeper meaning of things! We can all be happy messengers bringing more light into the world.

Have a good shabbos and a happy Lag B'omer

Rabbi Kushi Schusterman

Is the mystic, monk, or guru holy?

Thursday, May 8, 2025 - 9:12 AM

Who is holy? Is it the mystic, the monk, or the guru?

So, here's the thing about holiness, it's not what most people think it is.

When it tells us to be holy, the Torah goes on to give examples like charity to the poor, honesty in business, respecting parents and elders, love thy neighbor, etc. Behaviors that seem more mundane and far from “holiness”.

When we examine the Hebrew word for holy - "kadosh" (קָדוֹשׁ), we discover something nuanced. The root word ק-ד-ש, K-D-Sh, isn't just about purity. It essentially means "set apart" or "separated" for divine purpose.

Here's where most religions get it twisted. They teach withdrawal from the world to achieve holiness. The message becomes: separate yourself completely, avoid contamination, preserve your ritual purity at all costs. The holier you are, the less you touch the messy world around you.
Judaism flips this script. We're taught to dive into the world while remaining kadosh - set apart in purpose, not in participation. We engage fully with life around us, while maintaining our divine essence.

This isn't about hiding from the world; it's about transforming it. Take ordinary actions, ordinary moments, and elevate them. Make them G-dly. Your separateness isn't about physical isolation; it's about bringing divine purpose to everything you touch.

Being holy in the Jewish sense means being in the world but not of it; remaining above the fray while actively working to raise it higher.

What normal and holy thing are you going to do this week?

Have a good Shabbos,

Rabbi Kushi Schusterman

Complete Coverage is the key to Complete Clarity

Thursday, May 1, 2025 - 9:27 PM

There's an old joke we often share: What is worse than finding a worm in your apple? Finding half a worm.

This carries deeper wisdom when we read in this week's Torah portion about tzaraas, a spiritual affliction that presents similar to leprosy. What is worse than finding out you are fully covered in tzaraas? Finding out that half your body is covered.

Surprisingly, being fully covered is actually better! Why? Because then you remain pure.

As the Torah says, "And if the tzaraas has spread over the skin, and the tzaraas covers all the skin of the [person with the] lesion, from his head to his feet…he has turned completely white—he is clean" (Vayikra 13:12-13).

In other words, while a partial lesion may require isolation and purification, once the condition covers the entire body, the Torah declares the person pure!

One powerful explanation for this seemingly paradoxical law is that when your entire body is covered in tzaraas, the battle between good and evil becomes crystal clear. The division between right and wrong is so evident that healing has already begun.

Complete coverage represents that you've successfully separated your internal experience from external afflictions. All negativity is being expelled from your inner self, and you're well on your way to recovery.

When we face situations that blur the line between right and wrong, we need guidance (like going to a Kohen in biblical times). However, when something is clearly wrong, we should appreciate the gift of that clarity. The decision becomes straightforward, sparing us the struggle of moral uncertainty.

In today's world, there is often a lack moral clarity. The more we study Torah and integrate its timeless values into our daily lives, the easier it becomes to distinguish between good and evil. Our spiritual vision sharpens, allowing us to navigate life's challenges with confidence.

May we all merit to maintain our inner purity while keeping life's challenges external. When faced with difficult choices, may the light of Torah illuminate our path forward with clarity and conviction.

Have a good Shabbos,

Rabbi Kushi Schusterman