Rabbi Mendy's Blog

With everything the Jewish people face in the world today, why are so many in our community apathetic? Why do so many fail to see the writing on the wall and the urgency to get active and support Jewish life? 

The answer lies in this week's Torah portion, Va'era. Moshe reiterates to the Jewish people that the time for their liberation from Egypt has come, and the Torah tells us, "but they did not listen to him because their spirit was broken and because the labor was harsh." The Jewish people at the time were so adversely affected by their slavery, physically, emotionally, and physiologically, that they could not consider a life of greater purpose, a life of freedom to serve G-d fully. 

The Torah teaches us this simple truth: when the realities of life are overwhelmingly painful, we are often deaf to the cure for that pain. This can be clearly seen in our world today. Over the last few years, The Jewish people have been subjected to an increase of hatred, animosity, and resentment around the world. The challenges we face in Israel weigh on each of us daily, and the future seems fraught with fear. All of these factors have created tremendous anxiety for many in our community, that they can't see the solution is right in front of them. Yes, we need to wake each other up and inspire each other to live more Jewishly and be more active in our local communities, but we also need to be empathetic to those struggling to find their footing during this crisis. Their lack of response is not an indictment of their love for Jewish life but rather a cry for help, love and support, kindness, and compassion as they work to find the strength they need to follow your lead. 

Life can be harsh; we need to recognize that and channel the divine light we all possess to help each other rise above it and reconnect with its source. 

Mission:  Help others struggling to move forward in the current climate. Be patient, be loving, and you will see them reveal their Jewish pride.

As we close the book on 2024 and begin 2025, we see a lot pain and suffering. Our brothers and sisters in Israel continue to live under threat, and so many are still held hostage; we look forward to their immediate and safe return and the complete and total victory of our IDF soldiers. So many of our people continue to be persecuted across the world with a rise in violence and vile hatred against Jewish people. Where do we go from here? How do we inspire ourselves to rise to the challenge and continue spreading light in the face of darkness?

The answer lies in this week's Torah portion Shemos. There, we learn about the start of Egyptian slavery and the brutal treatment of the Jewish people who cried out to G-d in pain. The Torah tells us, "But the more they were oppressed, the more they increased and the more they spread." This is an inverse response to pain and suffering; most people throughout history have buckled under the pressure and eventually disappeared altogether from the face of the map. But we, the Jewish people, have not only survived the worst persecutions imaginable, we've grown stronger from them; how?

The answer lies in our belief in Divine providence and divine presence. If everything in our lives is intentional, placed by G-d for a purpose, then this moment is no different. There must be something for me to accomplish here, as painful as it might be. If G-d is everywhere at all times, then now, too, G-d is with me; I am not Chas V'sholom abandoned to face these obstacles alone; I am right where I need to be with all of the divine force I need to overcome the challenges in front of me and expand my illumination of the world.

Let us not diminish the challenges we face today in Israel and worldwide. At the same time, let us not diminish the power of our people and the incredible energy G-d gives us to not only survive but thrive. Now is not the time to play defense but rather to go on the offensive, expanding our work of bringing meaning and purpose to the world. Our light unto nations must be intensified and shined ever further to places and people who have never seen it before. To do this, we must first live more Jewishly, for only when the light shines brightly within us can we share it with the world.

Will you join me in this holy mission? Will you commit to living more Jewishly in 2025 and beyond? What that means individually will be different for each of us, but we will be united in the ever-growing light we shine on the world. This is how we will end this exile and bring peace and harmony to our world.

Mission: Resolve to live more Jewishly by adding one new Mitzvah you will observe and 1 hour of Torah study each week. Unsure how? We're here to help :)

What is stopping us from being great? Why do we keep selling ourselves short? We have proven ourselves time and again both as individuals and collectively as the Jewish people, time and again. Yet, no matter our past, we struggle to move forward confidently, filled with self-doubt. How do we face our fears and finally realize our full potential?

The answer lies in this week's Torah portion, Vayechi, the ultimate portion of the book of Breishis, Genesis. Vayechi means "and he lived" and refers to Yaakov, who spent the final seventeen years of his life in Egypt. These years were the best ones of his life even though he was living in a culture of promiscuity counter to Jewish values because his son Joseph, the viceroy of the Egyptian empire, was there to support him and his entire family, and they were, therefore, able to multiply and prosper.

Consider for a moment the challenges Joseph faced and how many opportunities he had to stop and throw in the towel. How often has life dealt him a bad hand, and how many years has he lived in the most challenging conditions imaginable? Yet, he never questioned that G-d had destined him for greatness and that everything he experienced would ultimately lead him to fulfill his destiny. This trust in Hashem and himself gave him the courage to keep pushing forward and never allow self-doubt or inadequacy to consume him. Joseph knew where he came from, the promise made to them and their ancestors before them.

We must also remember who we are and where we come from; our ability isn't determined by the challenges or limitations society seeks to place upon us. We are princes like Joseph; even when we're languishing in prison or targeted by hateful people, these are only momentary obstacles we must work through on the road to developing ourselves into the divine ambassadors G-d created us to be.

If you want to "live" life to the fullest, you must stop apologizing for who you are and live fully focused on the future, knowing that G-d has empowered you and destined you for greatness.