We meet our illustrious grandparents Avraham and Sarah in the last verses of parashat Noach, but there is no information regarding what made them the chosen human beings of HaShem and progenitors of HaShem’s chosen nation – Am YIsrael.
In actuality, the story of Avraham and Sarah is inseparably bound to the episode of Kayin and Hevel, even though they are not mentioned by name as follows…
At some point in our lives, HaShem presents us with a custom-made moment of truth – to fulfill our potential or to cling to an easy non-challenging path.
At this time in history, HaShem is presenting our brothers and sisters in the galut with their moment of truth. On the one side is aliya to Medinat Yisrael – returning to the God-given home of the Jewish nation. On the other side is remaining in the galut where the Jew and his family link their future with the gentiles to be partners in their destiny.
Of all human frailties, the one most likely to cause us grief and suffering is our compulsion for great expectations. The greater one’s ability to envision and project, the greater his capacity to expect and to become overwhelmed with disappointment. It occurs in one’s professional life when the “dream job” turns into a nightmare or when the idealization of a future blissful life with one’s “soulmate” turns into “sourmate”.
Can we find a similar phenomenon in the spiritual world?
How does Hashem’s voice sound? And why do some hear Hashem’s voice as a “still, small voice”, while others report it as having enormous intensity sending shockwaves through the heavens?
With every new year we draw closer to the final redemption of our nation as we return to our holy land, as promised by our prophets.
The Torah states (Devarim 22:1-2):
If you see your brother’s (fellow Jew) ox or sheep straying, do not ignore it but return it to its owner. If your brother (the owner) is not close to you or if you do not know who owns it, take it into your home to be with you until your brother seeks it out, then return it (after receiving convincing signs of description).
What is HaShem planning for His people in Eretz Yisrael?
In our unpredictable, erratic world one immutable principle has stood the test of millennia, with no sign that it will ever change – that nothing of significance has ever evolved or will evolve without implicit or covert implications for the Jewish people!
A LETTER TO HASHEM
It’s that time of year, when Your children withdraw a bit from the distractions of this life in order to introspect on what we have or have not done properly this past year.
I will skip the formalities of asking how You are because You are absolute perfection.
The following is my yearly E-mail (Elokim Mail) to report to You on the state of Your people as perceived from this virtual world, which of course is quite different from what is perceived from Your world of absolute truth.
