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.

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.

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.