I thought I was ready, but now I know I wasn't. Let me explain. This Monday, we will be hosting a grand tour of our newly purchased Center for Life and Learning, and then on Tuesday, we will launch a Million-dollar campaign to fund the renovation of our new space. The development of a future center is a project I've worked on and off for many years; it is one I've invested hundreds and hundreds of hours to make a reality. I thought I was ready for this next step a long time ago, but Hashem clearly knew better and compelled me to wait for this moment to move forward and build a beautiful space for our community. This begs the question, is it essential for Chabad Chai to have a big, beautiful home?
The answer lies in this week's Torah portion Vayishlach. There, we learn about Yaakov confronting his evil twin, Eisav. Yaakov sent a message to him: I lived with our uncle Lavan before arriving here today. Why was this message so important? What was he trying to say? Rashi tells us that the Hebrew word Garti is the same letter as Taryag, which symbolizes the 613 Mitzvot of the Torah. Yakov was essentially telling his brother, I lived with Lavan, our uncle, a man who is materialistic and lives only for himself, and I never compromised on my ideals and my faith; I remained committed to observing the Mitzvot of the Torah. This is a powerful statement in stark contrast to Eisav, who, like Lavan, lives only for personal gratification.
What is most confusing is that Yaakov then starts sending gifts to his brother, highlighting his tremendous wealth, seemingly at odds with the spiritual image he had just highlighted.
The answer tells us how we should approach our interactions with this world. Yaakov understood that the true measure of success and the fulfillment of G-d's mission wasn't simply to live a spiritual life separated from the physical world but rather to embrace these material elements and harness their potential to bring more G-business to the world. Yaakov was telling Eisav and us, his future descendants, that the true measure of connection to G-d is not a life of asceticism but one immersed in the physical world and using all of its beauty for our divine mission.
When I began this journey to develop a new home for Chabad Chai, I thought a new building would instantly translate into greater attendance and participation in Chabad Chai's programs. The truth is I was wrong. Over the last 10 years, it has been the heart and soul of Chabad Chai's people and their desire to enhance their Jewish life that has spurred the growth we have seen in our community. Now that we have codified the heart and soul of who we are, we are ready to embrace this new beautiful Center for Life & Learning.
ב"ה