Rabbi's Blog - Harford Chabad

Sit Back, Relax and Laugh

Friday, July 28, 2023 - 9:06 AM

Do you ever find yourself in a really tough situation and suddenly you sit back and laugh? I didn't think so. It's not a common occurrence. But, maybe it's a practice we ought to adopt. Try this; the next time things are really going rough, you are frustrated with G-d that He is putting you through a seemingly overpowering challenge; you are ready to pull the hair out of your head... Now, sit back with a cup of cold lemonade in your hand, and LAUGH! Laugh at the situation, laugh at how one day you'll look back and see how you were overwhelmed by the circumstances and how you thought it would never work out and it did. Or laugh at the how one day you'll realize that this challenge was a tremendous blessing to help you get to a place you didn't even know you had the potential to reach. Oh, and the more you laugh the better you will deal with the situation.

How do I know this? For that please bring your lemonade onto the porch and I'll tell you a story.

It was sometime after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. (We just completed the three week period where we commemorate the final battle for Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple.) Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues were walking towards Jerusalem and had arrived at Mt. Scopus. There below, they saw the site of the destroyed Temple. They tore their clothing in mourning. Later they approached the actual site of the Temple and they saw a fox emerging from the Holy of Holies. Rabbi Akiva began to laugh, while his colleagues began to cry. The Rabbi's turned to Rabbi Akiva and asked, "Why is it that you laugh?" To which he responded, "why is that you cry?" They answered, "for the Torah states that Jerusalem will be like a plowed field". To which Rabbi Akiva said, "it is precisely for that reason that I laugh. For I see that just as the prophecy of Jerusalem's destruction has come to pass, so too the prophecy of its rebuilding will come to pass". Rabbi Akiva was not belittling the destruction; rather he was calling on a deep inner strength, conviction and faith in G-d that in time G-d's master plan will be revealed.

When we are facing challenge the normal thing is to tear our clothing and cry. Why G-d? Why me? Why this? And that's ok (after all even Rabbi Akiva tore his clothing). But after you are done crying and fretting, step back and call on your inner faith and confidence. This is the faith and confidence that G-d is a good G-d that wants only the best for us. That our situation is really a blessing in disguise and in time it will be revealed. And that until that time our strong faith alone is reason to celebrate, the fact that we have a G-d that loves us and cares for us and wants to help us to greater heights.

Enjoy your lemonade and have an amazing Shabbos.

Rabbi Kushi Schusterman

Challenges are simply opportunities

Thursday, July 20, 2023 - 11:06 PM

My cousin, Rabbi Mendy Deitsch from Chandler, was on a panel of leaders. One of the questions they asked him was “How do you deal with challenges?”. He replied that it's a deep topic, however, he doesn't really see challenges as challenges. “To me”, Mendy said, “they are more like chances for us to learn and grow.”

Even when life gets tough, there's always something we can take away from it, some hidden blessings or lessons waiting for us.

This is especially relevant as the Jewish people are in the midst of observing the “9 days” on the Jewish calendar, remembering the destruction of the first and second temple.

Yes, the destruction was real, and we mourn it. But the 9 days can also be a time when we reconnect to the Holy Temple and other Jewish people.

Let's use this time to grow spiritually and connect with our faith.

Who knows, maybe instead of mourning the destruction, we will be celebrating the rebuilding of the 3rd temple with Moshiach even before the fast of the 9^th of Av.

Have a restful Shabbos.

Rabbi Kushi Schusterman

P.S. There are no services at Chabad this week.

Even when I'm empty, I'm full of potential

Thursday, July 13, 2023 - 8:08 PM

The Baal Shem Tov often said, "Everything one sees or hears is to be taken as a lesson in how to better serve the Creator."

We ordered a new replacement shelf for the refrigerator (climbing kids can cause a plastic shelf to break!). The new shelf arrived, and the box had this message written on it: "Even when I'm empty, I'm full of potential. Please use or recycle me."

At times during our spiritual journey, we may feel empty. Sometimes, our previous practices and efforts fail to fill our cup, leaving us longing for a stronger connection to Hashem. Other times, we may find ourselves in a spiritual low due to the ups and downs of life.

I believe this message is incredibly powerful. When we feel empty, it is crucial to recognize it as an opportunity. We can let go of preconceived notions and realize that we are full of potential. We have the ability to explore additional paths on our journey of connecting to Hashem or to continue walking the path we are on.

To do this, we must take action. We can use this emptiness as a launching pad for a new path or recycle the old tricks of spiritual connection that have worked for us in the past.

As I pondered this, I realized how well it aligns with this week's Torah portion, which discusses the Jews' journeys in the desert. There were times when the Jewish people experienced great spiritual highs, such as at Mount Sinai, and times when they faced spiritual lows, like the aftermath of the spies' saga.

We are all on a journey, and it is important to remember that even when we feel empty, we are full of potential. We can use what we have or reuse what has worked for us in the past as we continue our upward journey toward the promised land.

Rabbi Kushi Schusterman

Can't I just flick a switch?

Thursday, July 6, 2023 - 10:17 PM

Question of the Week

As you know, my wife is a little behind me when it comes to religious observance. One thing she challenged me on and I didn't have an answer. Last week I forgot to leave the light on in the bathroom before Shabbos. She wanted to turn it on, but I said to leave it. So she asked, What is the big deal if I switch on a light on Shabbos? It isn't such hard work to flick a switch. Will the day of rest be totally disturbed by by me turning a light on? I wasn't sure what to say....

Answer

Here's something I think your wife will relate to.

You are out for a romantic dinner, just the two of you. You make a reservation at a fancy restaurant, a quiet table for two in the corner. Gentle music is playing, lights are dimmed, and the ambiance is just perfect for an evening of romance.

You resolve not to talk about work, not to talk about the kids, rather to take the time to really connect and enjoy each other's company. You laugh together, chit chat, and give one another complete focus and attention.

Then suddenly you say, "Oh, I just remembered something." You take out your phone and call your business partner to remind him to send a report you are waiting for. It all took no more than fifteen seconds. You quickly put your phone away and smile at your wife.

But she's not smiling. You just ruined the moment. You destroyed the atmosphere. Until now it was all about the two of you. As soon as you took out your phone, the ambiance was shattered. You brought the outside world into your intimate space.

You could try explaining that it was just a little phone call and is really no big deal. Good luck with that. If you think you can make a business call on a date night, you just don't get what it means to create an intimate ambiance.

The Shabbos laws are all about creating an ambiance of rest, a moment of spiritual intimacy, when we appreciate G-d's creation as it is without trying to change it. The state of the world when Shabbos comes in is the way it remains, and we do not interfere. If the light was off, it stays off. The flick of a switch, as insignificant as it may seem, would change the ambiance and ruin the moment.

Someone who has never fully kept Shabbos may find this hard to understand. But if you've tasted the profound sense of restfulness that Shabbos can bring, you know how even a slight interruption can make a difference.

We all need date nights and we all need Shabbos. And we need to protect the intimacy of these sacred moments.

Good Shabbos,

Hope to see you at shul shabbos, even if the lights are off ;)

Rabbi Kushi Schusterman

This article was written by Rabbi Aron Moss is rabbi of the Nefesh Community in Sydney, Australia, and is a frequent contributor to Chabad.org. His latest book is "Can I Name My Dog Israel? Life Questions That Aren't So Black & White".