Get Going, Get Growing...and be a BLESSING!!

Avraham and Sara both pass away in this week's Torah, Chayei Sara (in the book of Bereishis), and the Torah uses expressions that emphasize the way they made use of each and every day and year. We have the ability to follow in their footsteps.

It's November 3rd, Election Day as I record this...and it happens to be my birthday as well! In fact, let's combine the two concepts (truthfully): one's day of birth is the precise time in human history that Hashem "ELECTED" to send that person's neshama into this physical world! To do its special and sacred mission, of elevating oneself...and the whole world. (Not sure how I'm doing on that, but I hope to keep trying--harder and harder--for many years to come.) Some say that one's birthday is a specially propitious time to bestow blessings...so tune in as I do some reciting, perhaps a little reminiscing (not lamenting), a bar or two of singing, and loads of BLESSING!!

Last week I walked in the footsteps of our patriarch Avraham Avinu as he journeyed to an unknown land at Hashem's command....Now I am sitting in his place (figuratively) scanning the street for guests, as he did at the start of this week's Torah portion, Vayeira (in the Book of Genesis). But there are some significant differences between him and me. Tune in to learn more...and to learn how we can emulate his LOVE of doing kindness to others.

Shalom, everybody! Join me in this special WALKING edition of Rabbi E in 3, as I follow in the footsteps of our patriarch, Avraham Avinu, who was commanded by Hashem in this week's portion (Lech Lecha) to get walking, to get GOING, to always be moving forward and GROWING...and to be a BLESSING in this world! (Not to mention always making sure to get your daily 10,000 steps). GOOD SHABBOS!

We begin the Torah again this Shabbat, beginning the book of Bereishis (Genesis), with the parsha that tells us WHO and WHAT we are! Yes, we are "dualistic," folks, we are the utterly unique being in all of Creation that is a composite of body (physical) and soul (spiritual). We can reach beyond the heights of angels, or we can descend below the level of animals. The choice is relentlessly, thrillingly and constantly OURS!!

We are getting ready to close out an incredible 3-week period of closeness to Hashem, starting with our "REbirth" on Rosh Hashanah; our "REturn" on the days of teshuva afterwards culminating in Yom Kippur; our "RE-joicing" on the festival of Sukkot...and now our ending the cycle of the Torah reading and RE-starting it once again on the incredible (and not-so-well known) holiday of Shemini Atzeres/Simchas Torah!! Hashem holds us back for one more (deliriously happy) celebration before we skate off--yes, the ice is still smooth--into the new year ahead!

Do you feel lighter today post Yom Kippur?? I do... physically yes (I can button my sport coat now, for real!), but more importantly, in a spiritual sense. The weight and stain of our transgressions lifted off/wiped away! Our purified selves. Let's take advantage of our new lightness to do great things: acts of chesed (kindness), Torah study, and mitzvot...including getting ready for Sukkot, which NOT COINCIDENTALLY, comes 5 days after Yom Kippur. So we can BUILD on (and with) our newly regained purity.

Yom Kippur, the holy Day of Atonement, is almost here...a day when we transcend our physical selves and pleasures, and taste the (even deeper) PLEASURE of closeness to G-d, to our spiritual essence, and to our fellow Jews and human beings. EAT (and drink) WELL today--it's a mitzvah--so you can have the strength to RETURN in love to a state of At-ONE-ment.

The Talmud teaches us that we should always see ourselves--and the entire world--as equally balanced between merits and transgressions. Do one single mitzvah NOW, and you save yourself and the entire world! Do one single transgression NOW, and....well....you fill in the blank. We are presently in the 10 Days of Return (teshuva) that culminate in the holy and sacred day of Yom Kippur, day of atonement. These are days of judgment, when our lives are hanging in the balance. Let's not be scared by this awesome thought, let's get inspired to TIP THE SCALE (together) with good deeds and words that can bring life and salvation for us and this beautiful world!!

No time to sit back and relax...it's time to DO!! More than usual. Why? We are in the awesome and powerful period known as the 10 Days of Return, which began on Rosh Hashanah, and continute until Yom Kippur one week from today. Every bit of extra energy put towards doing mitzvot, kind deeds (chesed), prayer (tefila) and giving charity (tzedaka) help us to "do teshuva," to RETURN to our true selves and purpose in this world. What we do now has more power to elevate us--and all of Creation--AND bring us close to G-d than at any other time of the year! Do...More (good) NOW.