Rabbi E in 3

Welcome to a most uncharacteristic episode of Rabbi E in 3! I recorded it, even though it was not "the perfect time" (whatsoever) to do it. Not at all! And that's exactly the lesson I want to convey, in fact, and it happens to be a HUGELY important one: We shouldn't wait for the "perfect time" to start to work on a self-improvement project, OR to do a certain kind deed or mitzvah we've contemplated...or to study Torah! As the great Rabbi Hillel tells us, in a classic ethical teaching that I quote in the episode: "Don't say, 'When I am free, I will study; for perhaps you will not become free.'" That free time, that perfect time, may never--or more likely, will never--come! And it may just be G-d's intention for us to do that good deed, or start that self-improvement project, or dive into that (even brief) Torah study session anyway. Right now...BECAUSE it is not the perfect time!

"In every generation, a person is OBLIGATED to see oneself as leaving Egypt." Those are the words of the Haggadah....What exactly do they mean? How do we achieve this? Clearly, the Passover Seder is meant to be something much more than just a commemoration of an ancient event, however heartfelt. It is also a deeply personal opportunity (and OBLIGATION!) to experience a taste of true spiritual freedom: allowing G-d to grant us freedom from all the forces, external and internal, that hold us back from truly serving Him and reaching our unique spiritual potential. In short, we all can leave our personal "Mitzrayim" (Egypt) on Seder night! Tune in to this episode of Rabbi E in 3 for more discussion!

Passover is almost here, so I want to give you something to really think about. On Seder night, we have more rules and regulations--that is to say, we observe more mitzvot/commandments--than on any other single night of the Jewish year by far! ("Eat this, and drink this, and lean this way...," etc.) And notice that this festive meal of our holiday of national liberation is called "seder," which itself means..."order!" Now, let me ask you this ONE simple question (and we can save the famous four for later): Is that any way for us Jews to celebrate, "FREEDOM?" The answer is, "It is the absolutely PERFECT way to celebrate our freedom!" We just need to think more deeply (and Jewishly) about that famous and beloved word. " Tune in to this latest episode of Rabbi E in 3 for details!

Every person, Jewish or not, should be aware of what's related in this week's Torah portion, Yisro (in The Book of Exodus). It describes the most important event in human history arguably: The Revelation at Mt. Sinai, and the uttering of the "10 Commandments" by G-d to the entire Jewish people. They were the gateway to, and microcosm of, the rest of the Torah, which constitutes the instruction manual to elevate ourselves and the world...and infuse it with righteousness and godliness. And before hearing the 10 Commandments, the Jewish people collectively, as a nation, accepted the BIG offer (and responsibility) of entering into a covenant with the Holy One, Blessed be He! Big stuff. It's all right here: tune in, as I discuss! And this was recorded not directly as a podcast, but as an old-fashioned video, Rabbi E in 3-D. NO INTRO OR OUTRO THIS WEEK...Producer on break.....just me speaking! Enjoy.

Not feel like smiling? Yeah, I get it, things are kind of crazy in the world. Frowning seems more appropriate. But hold on: smiles are nice, and we all need to feel (and share) warmth and light as much as possible, in my grumpy opinion. Well, the good news is that sometimes all it takes to get the ball rolling--or the smile glowing--is simply putting a pen in your mouth, thereby artificially positioning your facial muscles into the facsimile of a smile. And then, due to the marvelous unity of our physical and emotional/spiritual selves (part of the miracle of G-d's creation), "smile" has somehow been neuronally registered and dopamine is released in our brains. And that means we begin to FEEL happier. The "external" smile has awakened, or induced, an "internal" and genuine feeling of greater well-being. Modern psychological studies have confirmed it...but it's a classic truth discussed in traditonal Jewish sources long before. The external can awaken the internal. Of course, we have to work directly on our inner selves too, and that is primary: studying Torah deeply to absorb its life-affiriming wisdom; praying; cultivating real relationships with others, etc. But taking external action to move ourselves in a better direction--even in the absence at first of the inner joy or spark or inspiration--can be a tremendously helpful strategy to employ to make our lives better. So follow Rabbi E's advice: put that pen in your mouth...and start to smile!

Talk about an episode of Rabbi E in 3 with lots of TESTS!! (Perfect start for 2022, eh?!) From the uncertain acoustic quality of recording in a new home "studio," to the annoyance of having a swab inserted in my nose to find out if I have Covid...to EVERYTHING else that you and I experience in our lives! All the way from the "big" issues and challenges we face on an ongoing basis, down to the the "small" encounters and incidents that inform our daily experience. Judaism teaches that all of life is about facing nisyonos (tests/challenges), which are really specific, precise, Heaven-sent OPPORTUNITIES to elevate ourselves and the whole world!

Chanukah is ending, it's true...8 days infused with a special, inspirational "energy"of light, miracles and purity. But don't worry: there is PLENTY of opportunity to still experience light, miracles and purity in our daily lives beyond the holiday...even if we have to work a bit harder to uncover and enjoy them. Listen to this final epsiode of the "Illuminating Chanukah" series as we discuss bringing the treasures of Chanukah with us as we move forward.

The Greeks were fine with having us be Jewish as an ethnicity (Jewish-Hellenist!) but not Jewish as a HOLY people, with a special mission from the One G-d and special laws (mitzvot) that elevate us--and this world--to a level above mere "nature!" That is why they took special aim at Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh (the new month--our unique Jewish calendar) and circumcision: mitzvot which most vividly announce that we are trying to bring holiness (kedusha) into every aspect of our physical and bodily lives! This is episode 6 (but Day 7) as the holy Shabbat was NOT a day when I recorded a podcast....which I realized would happen only after starting this 8 day series!!! Gotta figure out what to do about that. But for now, Please enjoy Episode 6!

One of the central traits of the Jewish people throughout our history has been, "mesiras nefesh," or "self-sacrifice," meaning going to the very limits of our strength in order to Keep the Torah and serve G-d. The whole Chanukah story is founded on the incredible mesiras nefesh of the Maccabees, and the relatively small number of other Jews who joined them in order to resist the decrees of the Syrian-Greek empire. They went beyond what was "normal" and "natural," and consequently, Hashem responded by rewarding them (and us forever after) with something beyond the normal and natural: the open miracle of one night's worth of oil in the Temple burning for a full eight nights. When we, in our own lives, grab on to the holy trait of mesiras nefesh, we too can awaken a powerful response from Above...and achieve far more than we may think possible.

Part of the story of Chanukah is, of course, the battle between the Maccabees and the Syrian-Greek armies, or more broadly, between the Jews and a foreign civilization. But a huge part of the back story was the tension within Jewish society at that time itself, between those Jews more loyal to the Torah (and its commandments), and those Jews who were powerfully drawn after the outside Hellenistic culture. This is not just ancient history, but a recurring tension throughout our long history, up to and including our own time: loyalty to Jewish ways, values and traditions vs assimilation, or acculturation. It is really a battle within our own hearts! Please tune in to Episode 4 of "Illuminating Chanukah" for an exploration of this intriguing and relevant topic!