Rabbi Mendy's Blog - Chabad Chai

Do you want to live the life they're offering, or do you want something more?

Friday, April 25, 2025 - 1:38 PM

This world is tough; it is unrelenting and all-consuming. Our society seeks to define us by its materialistic standards and compels us into an unwinnable rat race. The anxiety we develop as a result is to be expected; it's no wonder we struggle to gain control of our lives and redirect our thoughts, speech, and actions. So how do we do it?

The answer lies in this week's Torah portion, Shemini, and our current Hebrew month, Nissan. The Torah tells us about the importance of the Mitzvah of Kosher eating, not because of its health qualities, but because it helps us redefine ourselves, not by the world's standards, but by divine wisdom. We eat differently because we want to live differently, focused not merely on our own existence and gratification but on a greater purpose to improve ourselves and refine the world around us.

This is also reflected in the word "Nissan," which means miraculous miracles. The month of Passover, when we were liberated from Egypt, beckons us not to live by natural means, by order of the world, but to reach for higher and follow Hashem's plan for each of us. When we do, we become insulated from the "influence' of others and undaunted by the obstacles that appear because we no longer operate by the mechanisms of a materialistic society.

As we transition from Passover to Shavuot, the next holiday commemorating the Torah's giving on Mt. Sinai, we must choose. Do we want the "normal" life our world offers, or do we want something more, a life of meaning and purpose? It's time we raised ourselves to the level Hashem chose us to be.

Mission: Reject a mediocre life defined by materialistic standards; adopt a divine path, and enjoy a newfound enthusiasm for life.

The final frontier, there's no way to get there but through

Friday, April 18, 2025 - 1:36 PM

As we enter into the final days of Pesach, we are invited not just to commemorate history but to live it. The seventh and eighth days of Passover are not just bookends to a week of matzah, eggs, and potatoes; they are spiritual touchstones, each carrying a unique energy that speaks directly to our lives today.

The seventh day of Pesach marks the miraculous splitting of the Red Sea. It wasn't just a geographical escape route but a personal transformation. The Israelites stood at the edge of the impossible, with Pharaoh behind them and the sea in front. And then, miraculously, the sea split.

We all have our own "sea moments"—situations where the pressure builds, the path seems blocked, and fear starts to rise. But just like at the Red Sea, the breakthrough often comes when we move forward in faith. According to the Midrash, only when Nachshon ben Aminadav stepped into the water did the sea split. Sometimes the miracle doesn't come before the courage—it comes because of it. The seventh day of Pesach reminds us that Hashem doesn't just remove obstacles—He transforms them into pathways. But we must take that first step.

So ask yourself: What is the "sea" I'm facing? What fear, habit, or doubt has hemmed me in? And what might it look like to take one bold step forward?

Outside of Israel, we celebrate an eighth day of Pesach—a day that Chassidic tradition especially associates with the coming of Moshiach. Known as Acharon Shel Pesach, it's not just about remembering the redemption from Egypt—it's about anticipating the ultimate redemption and beginning to live with that consciousness now.

This day invites us to ask: What would life look like if I truly believed that the world was on its way to healing, to peace, to unity? How would I speak? How would I act? What kind of hope would I carry in my heart?

A Moshiach mindset doesn't wait for the world to change before it starts acting differently. It lives as though redemption is already unfolding—and in doing so, it helps bring it closer.

There's a beautiful arc here: The seventh day of Pesach is about breaking through our limitations. The eighth day is about becoming the kind of people who live beyond them. We move from surviving the sea to envisioning the future. Fromreacting to circumstances to radiating purpose.

May these holy days bring you the strength to split the sea before you—and the vision to live with faith, joy, and a redemptive spirit every day after.

Mission: As the sea once split, take one bold step forward in your life—past fear, toward growth. And as we envision a better world, live today with hope, purpose, and the belief that your actions help shape tomorrow.

We're not a free people, not yet

Friday, April 11, 2025 - 1:34 PM

As spring breathes new life into the world, the Jewish calendar brings us to Pesach, the Festival of Freedom. At first glance, it's a historical commemoration: the miraculous exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. But Pesach is not just about what happened—it's about what happens, year after year, inside of us.

Every detail of the Passover story is rich with symbolism. Egypt—Mitzrayim in Hebrew—shares its root with meitzarim, meaning narrow places. Egypt isn't just a location on a map; it's the embodiment of constriction, of limitation, of being stuck. And just as Pharaoh's rule once confined the Israelites, we, too, find ourselves constrained—by fears, habits, toxic patterns, and limiting beliefs that enslave us in our day-to-day lives.

The beauty of Pesach lies in its dual message: liberation from without and liberation from within. The external story of leaving slavery is powerful, but it serves as a mirror to our inner journeys. What parts of our lives are holding us back? What "Pharaohs" do we listen to—those voices that tell us we're not good enough, not ready, not deserving?

Pesach invites us to ask bold questions at the Seder table but also quietly within. It challenges us to lean into discomfort, to taste the bitterness of our struggles (maror), and also to celebrate our growth with joy (charoset). It reminds us that redemption often begins with a small, trembling step into the unknown—just like our ancestors stepping into the Red Sea before it parted.

The holiday teaches that freedom is not a one-time event but a process. Every year, we're offered the opportunity to shed a layer, to walk out of our personal Egypts with a renewed sense of purpose, clarity, and openness.

So this Pesach, as we gather with family or reflect alone, let's not just recount the ancient story—let's live it. Let's examine our own lives: What are the "narrow places" we need to break free from? What parts of ourselves are waiting to be liberated?

True freedom is not just about breaking chains; it's about discovering who we are when limitations no longer bind us so we can be the best version of ourselves, the person G-d destined us to be.

Mission: Break Free, let the Seder inspire your journey forward to a better version of yourself.

sacrifice is hard, but it's the choice that means the most

Friday, April 4, 2025 - 1:34 PM

Humans like choice, and boy, do we have choices today. The world's advanced connectivity and digitalization have created an environment that caters to our every whim. With so many options at our disposal, why does humanity seem so insecure rather than empowered?

The answer lies in this week's Torah portion, Vayikra. G-d tells Moshe to offer the Jewish people an opportunity, a real choice, to transcend a menial physical existence and get closer to Hashem. "When a person will offer from themselves a sacrifice to G-d." The Korban, or sacrifice, represents someone giving their resources to a higher purpose and, through this action, redefining their raison d'etre as something more than material pleasures. This choice stands in stark contrast to the myriad of options you have at the ice cream store. While Tequila Sunrise and Mac and Freeze might be incredible flavors to try, they won't be life-changing events no matter what the marketing might say. On the other hand, if you sacrifice some of your comforts to help others and to live more Jewishly, you will find yourself strengthened to live life not restricted and encumbered by what society says but instead empowered to be the person G-d destined you to be.

Not all choices are equal, and not all of them move your life forward. We need to use the Torah as our guide to determine which ones matter and which ones not as much. Let's stop stressing over the small ones and start embracing the big ones. While sacrifice can be challenging at the moment, it is an incredible gift of empowerment, allowing us to transcend the limitation of our physical world and channel divine energy as a light unto nations.

Mission: Stop stressing over meaningless choices, and embrace the tough ones that demand sacrifice. When you start to feel it in your gut, you'll know you're getting closer to the divine.