Rabbi's Blog

Last week we discussed created a flame, a passion and a fire.

For a fire to survive, it needs oxygen. How do we provide fire with oxygen? We remove the cover, opening the container that the fire is contained in. We need to move our egos out of the way, so our internal flame can be a roaring fire of passion and connection with G-d.

We need to create a crack in our personal armor to allow otherness and G-dliness in.

To quote the love story from Song of Songs: “My beloved resembles a gazelle or a fawn of the hinds; behold, he is standing behind our wall, looking from the windows, peering through the crack" 

G-d, our beloved, wants to see our fire. G-d wants to have a personal relationship with each and every one of us. But we need to let him peer in, by creating a crack. 

“Where is G-d? G-d is only where you let Him in.” - The Kotzker Rebbe

Have a great Shabbos,

Rabbi Kushi Schusterman 

Where is your fire?
Your passion?
Your flame?

We all understand the need to make changes in our lives. To change, we need a why, a reason.

Now take a moment to think of a time that you knew intellectually you should change something, but you didn't do anything about it. Why not?

You wanted to get more involved in your Jewish heritage, yet actually making changes didn't happen. Why not?

Perhaps the reason why no change was made was because the desire was an intellectual one. The ‘why change?’ didn't permeate your heart. It didn’t cause you to jump with joy at the thought of connection or anger at the lack thereof. Or perhaps some other reason. Ultimately, the desire remained in your head.

When we look at the protests going on, they are an expression of a cerebral understanding - that existed for too long -, that there is inequality and racism amongst us. The protests were started because this understanding moved from our heads to our hearts making us boil with anger at injustice.

It's very different when you "know" something bad happens then when you feel it in your bones.

So, if you want to change yourself, or change society, you need to ask yourself, am I feeling it? Or do I think I want to change, but there is no fire in me yet to make it happen.

Rabbi Kushi Schusterman

P.S. Local women, if you don’t light shabbat candles (and want to change that) or if you do and want to  join our Shabbat candles "Candle lighting time text list" reply to this email (or text me) your cell phone numbers. (times are only for Bel Air, MD)