AM Inspiration

As people we are created Betzelem Elokim and as such we have Gd like propensities We can create We give and most of all we want control We want to be in charge of our own destinies We plan everything down to the last detail We work hard to make our dreams, big or small, come true. Unfortunately, we all know too well that things don't work out how we'd like. Sometimes huge.     "natural" disasters happen. Sandy hits and all of a sudden your homeless jobless and everything-less. Or you leave right on time but when you get on the train..someone has been pushed into the tracks and there is no way your are going to make it in time. There are few feelings as awful as being helpless. Just standing there watching everything you've built, worked on, poured your sweat and tears to.. Crash and burn in front of you. And there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. This world is a hard balance. We know that we have free choice, at the same time we know that Gd i...

Its Chanuka The holiday of lights. The holiday of oil. This holiday celebrates our spiritual and physical victory. The Greeks wanted our souls, and we fought back. We refused to give in. We fought.The few won the many. The light dispelled the darkness. We rededicated the Beit Hamikdash. We returned kedusha back into our lives. It does not take much digging to see that we are in the same predicament. We have been plunged into darkness-quite literally!Shabbat is at 4:11 this week! We are deep deep into our galut. I was walking through Manhattan today and it struck me that along with all the typical holiday decorations- the tinsel, the sparkly lights and all the holly, one can find a menorah and dreidal in every store window as well. This galut is so well disguised. We are free to do whatever we want. We have religious freedom. We cannot be fired or penalized for observing religious holy days. Recently, well not so recently. This whole past year.. I have ent...