Articles

Bottled Up Kindness

rafael@maaleh.org (rav rafael) — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 20:37:57 GMT

by Rabbi Rafael

'The kindnesses of the Lord I shall sing forever; to generation after generation I shall make known Your faithfulness, with my mouth. For I said, "Forever will it be built with kindness; as the heavens, with which You will establish Your faithfulness."' -- Psalms 89:2-3

The lessons of kindness coming from the scriptures are as boundless as the kindness Hashem used when He formed Creation. The midrash teaches us that the Torah begins with kindness (the clothing of Adam and Eve) and ends with kindness (the burial of Moses). It seems that chesed is a fundamental force of the universe.

Behar - To Infinity and Back

rafael@maaleh.org (Rebbetzin Malkah) — Tue, 15 May 2012 08:00:00 GMT

by Rebbetzin Malkah

Infinity. Philosophers, mathematicians, physicists and theologians have tried for centuries to wrap their minds around this idea. Symbolically represented as ∞, the definition of infinity is "unboundedness", or something without end. In Hebrew, it is called Ain Sof and has been the topic of many rabbinical discourses - all in reference to the Holy One. What is it about infinity, or ain sof, that captivates us? And how is it that mathematicians are able to pull this symbol into equations of relevance? How is it they and countless others harness this concept, dance with it, and return with something tangible? Whether we realize it or not, the Torah addresses this exact dance through Bris Milah, the Yoveil (Jubilee year), Shemini Atzeret, Chanukah, and the counting of the Omer into Shavuot. Through these special times, we experience what humans have been driving towards since the dawn of time: a taste of the Divine as we slip into the intangible, sublime realm of infinity and back.

Parashat Bo - This Month Shall Be Unto You...

rafael@maaleh.org (Rebbetzin Malkah) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

by Rebbetzin Malkah

In the world in which we live today, grandeur and wealth continue to be a means to power and influence. Despite this trend throughout history, it is important for us to recall a time when one person, and then a nation, made a remarkable transformation in a time akin to today. We see Moshe unravel the greatest illusion and break through the arrogance of a leader whose kingdom was built on the sand. We also see our people receive the first mitzvah, the key for a return journey, which would not only bring redemption, but lead them on the path back to Gan Eden.

Sukkot - Luxury Outdoor Accommodations

rafael@maaleh.org (Rav Rafael) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 08:00:00 GMT

by Rebbetzin Malkah

When we think about taking a holiday, we imagine pristine beaches with white sand, blue water, blue skies. Or perhaps it is that mountain vista with ice cold streams bubbling down river rock dotted beds, deer crossing the forest laden roads and the clean quiet. But how many of us imagine a hut topped with branches so we can see the stars, walls for protection from the wind and sun, and a chance to eat and sleep in the outdoors during one of the more unsettling times of the year? Most of us probably don't conjure up such images in the autumn, but it is precisely at this time when we read Kohelet (Ecclesiastes), enter the outdoors, and contemplate our true purpose and the meaning of life: outside the safety and comfort of our home.

Ki Tetzei - Mother Bird

rafael@maaleh.org (Rebbetzin Malkah) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 08:00:00 GMT

by Rebbetzin Malkah

After G-d's creation was finished at the conclusion of six days, everything was in perfect balance. The seventh day represented the paragon of wholeness. The earth, nature, and humanity were in perfect relationship with their counterparts. When we ate from the Tree of Knowledge in Gan Eden with the wrong intention, we suddenly plunged ourselves into a world where we fail to understand anything in a pure and simple state. There would be no single pure moment or action. There was always a mixture of pain, or suffering, or sorrow which opposed the good in life. We would know the joy of bringing a child into the world, but not without the pain of labor. We would enjoy the fruit of the earth, but not without toil and tremendous work. We would witness a marriage ceremony, but not without the breaking of the glass and remembering our forlorn Jerusalem. We would strive to create the perfect energy source, but always find the means to produce it are far too costly or toxic. Once we were forced to leave Gan Eden, a place of plenty and goodness, we lost the ability to find anything in a pure and simple state.

Re'eh - Be Warm-Hearted and Openhanded

rafael@maaleh.org (Rebbetzin Malkah) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 08:00:00 GMT

by Rebbetzin Malkah

(this commentary was written in response to hurricane Katrina.)

As we continue through Devarim, we see the bulk of the commandments are revisited again in this week's Parashat R'eh. The parasha begins by presenting the choice to follow the mitzvot and receive blessing. If we should choose not to, we are left open to the negative consequences. Given that the concept of blessing is presented to us first, there is no mistaking the way in which Hashem wishes us to be motivated. The Children of Yisrael have the incredible option to "have it all" and be the winners of a physically and spiritually rich land - all by simply adhering to the mitzvot laid out by Moshe.

Bamidbar - An Empty Tank

rafael@maaleh.org (Rav Rafael) — Tue, 24 May 2011 08:00:00 GMT

by Rebbetzin Malkah

"We like to continue to believe what we have been accustomed to accept as true, and the resentment aroused when doubt is cast upon any of our assumptions leads us to seek every manner of excuse for clinging to them. The result is that most of our so-called reasoning consists in finding arguments for going on believing as we already do." James Harvey Robinson, American historian (1863-1936)

A quote like the one above succinctly sums up the tone and the troubles of the Children of Israel throughout the book of Bamidbar. The continuing struggle for a past reality, the misconception that all that there was and is now is all that will be, and the struggle to step forward in faith. As we see all around the world, society is becoming disgruntled over the price of fuel. Not one of us wants to pay more for the substance, but neither does anyone wish to run completely out of petrol on the highway or byway. But perhaps the solution coming our way is quite contrary to what we might expect or desire. Indeed, what we might need is to come to the verge of running out completely in order to spur on a true change and a new hope. As B'nei Yisrael needed to enter the vast desert to run out all of their adverse ways, the future of transportation and our own lives is very much dependent on one thing for change: an empty tank.

Vayakhel - The Nature in the Mishkan

rafael@maaleh.org (Rav Rafael) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 08:00:00 GMT

by Rebbetzin Malkah

The car packed to the hilt, the Thule threatening to burst at the seams atop our car, our family drove with desperation for one purpose only: to be near the mountains. The familiar rental cabin nestled fifteen miles from Mt. Baker in Washington affords five star mountain accommodations: no cell phone access, no wireless internet and no cable TV. In essence, the goal was to set up shop, our own Mishkan, away from the roar of everyday life. While some of the usual technological conveniences were lost, we knew we would not be without the four elements crucial to the Mishkan and considered symbolically essential in any Jewish home: the Ark, the Table, the Menorah and the Incense Altar. Ok, well not literally - they wouldn't fit in the car. However, all of these elements are interconnected to the basic physical elements that still exist in this world: air, fire, earth and water. Being out in the more remote areas at the foot of a mountain, it wasn't hard to see that I was in a larger than life Mishkan model that was vitally connected to all of these natural elements. Perhaps it was noticing on our second day the Holy Smoke bus, clad in gold (or school bus yellow paint) that waited outside the gate of the cabin properties boasting of an eatery just down the road. It sat there, as if some beacon, reminding me that even in this remote area, under the Heavens, we carry our own Mishkans with us today and follow suit with the kohanim: setting up, tearing down, wherever we go, wherever we stay.

Vayiggash - The Harvester and the Plower

rafael@maaleh.org (Rav Rafael) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 08:00:00 GMT

by Rebbetzin Malkah

This week we witness a momentous reunion of two brothers, Joseph and Judah. Judah boldly pleads for the life of Benjamin and the sake of his father's well-being. Through this event, we witness not only redemption and restoration for that moment in time, but a prophetic vision of the future for all Jewry through the traits and attributes of these two men.

Not by might, not by power

malkah@maaleh.org (Malkah) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 19:38:24 GMT

by Rebbetzin Malkah

"Not by might, nor by power, but through My spirit" - Zechariah 4:6, read on Shabbat Chanukah

There is no doubt that we, as women, have the ability to carry much and rest little. Whether we have families, or care for those around us, we are constantly in motion. Sometimes before we even realize where the day has gone, it is over. But how do we maintain the balance of giving light and being sure our cruise of oil doesn't run out? As the darkness of the winter season comes upon us, it can be difficult to motivate ourselves, let alone feel cheery. However, as bearers of the light of Mashiach, it is possible to dance like the flames of the candles and radiate light, as well as endure the challenges of our days beyond what we think is possible.