Parshas Bo -- 8 Shvat, 5773 / Jan. 19, 2013 -- Vol. 4 Issue 3
We
all have people in our lives that we love.
And even more than that, those really special people know that we love
them; that’s why our relationship with them is so extraordinary. What would happen if we stopped telling them
that we loved them? What if we didn’t
ever give them a sign that we had strong feelings for them, or that we
appreciated them for who they are? Most
likely that special relationship would slowly wane and we may find ourselves in
an uncomfortable situation trying to explain our verbal infidelity.
In this week’s parsha, G-d strikes the Egyptians with the tenth plague; the killing of the first born. It’s interesting to note that Hashem tells the Jewish people that they should put the blood of a lamb on their doorpost so that He will know which house belongs to them and ‘pass over’ it, and not kill their first born. Hmmmm, did Hashem suddenly forget who was Jewish and who was not? Did the all powerful Omnipresent Creator of the world lose His knack? Why would G-d need us to remind him who we are?
Perhaps, it’s not that G-d wanted us to remind Him who we are, but that He wanted us to acknowledge who He is, and what our relationship with Him means to us. The Egyptians worshipped sheep as though they were god. By slaughtering a lamb and placing the blood on the doorpost, the Jewish people were showing G-d that they love him, and they didn’t care if the whole world knew, even the Egyptians who they were enslaved to.
Every serious worthwhile relationship is a partnership in which both parties need to recognize who the other is. But it isn’t enough just to know what the other person means to you, you need to tell him or her. You need to show them that you love them with a love that transcends all else and that nothing can stop you from showing that love. What the best way we can demonstrate to G-d that we love Him? By loving each other. Help another person, offer a kind word, show a genuine smile, regardless of what others might think, and demonstrate to G-d that you care!
In this week’s parsha, G-d strikes the Egyptians with the tenth plague; the killing of the first born. It’s interesting to note that Hashem tells the Jewish people that they should put the blood of a lamb on their doorpost so that He will know which house belongs to them and ‘pass over’ it, and not kill their first born. Hmmmm, did Hashem suddenly forget who was Jewish and who was not? Did the all powerful Omnipresent Creator of the world lose His knack? Why would G-d need us to remind him who we are?
Perhaps, it’s not that G-d wanted us to remind Him who we are, but that He wanted us to acknowledge who He is, and what our relationship with Him means to us. The Egyptians worshipped sheep as though they were god. By slaughtering a lamb and placing the blood on the doorpost, the Jewish people were showing G-d that they love him, and they didn’t care if the whole world knew, even the Egyptians who they were enslaved to.
Every serious worthwhile relationship is a partnership in which both parties need to recognize who the other is. But it isn’t enough just to know what the other person means to you, you need to tell him or her. You need to show them that you love them with a love that transcends all else and that nothing can stop you from showing that love. What the best way we can demonstrate to G-d that we love Him? By loving each other. Help another person, offer a kind word, show a genuine smile, regardless of what others might think, and demonstrate to G-d that you care!
From out of Darkness Comes Light (Parshas Bo)
Like most guys, I enjoy gadgets. I don’t own too many of them, but they have always fascinated me. I try to exert some semblance of self control and restrict myself from buying those items that I know I don’t really need. Some of the time I try to rationalize why I might need a specific item if I find it particularly exciting.
Take the spy pen I saw on Amazon. Listen, it was only $25.00, and for all you know, I may find myself in a situation where an inconspicuous high quality digital recorder could mean the difference between thinking I know who ate the last cookie and having concrete proof. How about the $15.99 lock picking set? The product description says that it could be used to unlock any door; (as a novelty item only of course). What if I lose my keys and there is no one home to let me in the house? That lock picking kit would come in pretty darn handy right then. Any friend that was locked out of their house would know exactly who to call. I certainly wish I had one of these when Ettie and I locked ourselves inside our home when we lived in London. Yes, you read correctly, it is supposed to say inside, and it’s a long story.
But if I really think about it, I know I don’t actually need those items. There is, however, one item which I am seriously considering: infrared night vision goggles. Now those would seriously be put to good use. Living in a 750sqft two bedroom apartment with two young children, I don’t need to tell you how important it is for there to be a limited amount of noise and light after the kids are sleeping. With night vision goggles the house could remain pitch black when I get up to get a glass of water at 3am. Or if Ettie was ready to go to sleep and I still wanted to read; well I would just put on the goggles and relax to a great book. What if there was a power outage? With my night vision goggles I could keep both hands free and still be able to find the emergency supplies. What about that huge manhunt game that the neighbourhood has been planning? I would come in first place for sure, bringing tremendous pride to the Shurack family name! I know, I know, most of those situations are fairly unrealistic and I’m probably too old to enter the manhunt competition anyway.
But there are times when I really do feel as though I’m walking in the dark; that I am helplessly feeling my way through the shadows of life trying to grasp at any ray of light to help guide my way. What am I to do then? In today’s world there are so many tests that a person is faced with. There is such a wide variety of things you can buy, do, sell, sign up for, and go to, that it is almost easier to fumble in the dark than search for the light. We are faced with challenges everyday from small to big and everything in between. Am I learning enough Torah? Am I doing a good enough job at work? Am I raising my children to have a thirst for Judaism and love of mitzvahs? Should I have splurged and bought my spouse the nicer but slightly more expensive gift? Should I have gotten a different flavour of Slurpee? So many questions and feelings of uncertainty can leave one feeling as though they are paralyzed by the thickness of the shade.
In this week’s parsha, G-d enacts the ninth plague, the plague of darkness. The Torah describes it as being so dark that the darkness was palpable. The darkness was so thick that the Egyptians couldn’t even move. The Jews, however, could still see and were able to move freely wherever they wanted. It was a miracle in that in the same exact room there was darkness for some people and bright illumination for others. Why were the Jewish people able to see? The Egyptians placed their faith in Pharaoh, in a man. They embraced materialism and short term pleasures. The Jewish people, on the other hand, placed their trust in G-d and refused to stray from the path of Torah. When a person embraces G-dliness and knows that it is G-d who is in control of the world, and that our job is to engage in acts of goodness and kindness, their path is illuminated by the light of heaven, a light more luminescent than any fluorescent bulb.
In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and as though we are fumbling in the dark, even when others tell us how bright it is. The solution? Get yourself a pair of infrared night vision goggles. Not the pair that sells on Amazon for 69.99, but the one that you are already wearing perched atop your forehead. You see, in His infinite kindness, G-d has endowed each and every one of us with the power to see our true selves, not only as we are, but as He envisions us to be.
When we put our faith in G-d and know that every challenge he throws our way is an opportunity to become a better person, we see the finite in the infinite, the vision behind the mission, the light in the darkness. Our “G-d goggles” brighten our way and allow us to move freely through a sea of difficulties and tribulations because just knowing that we aren’t alone lightens our load. So as much as I want to buy those night vision goggles, I think I’m going to give my “G-d goggles” another chance. After all, Amazon can’t beat the price, and the warranty, well, let’s just say they’re guaranteed for life.
Take the spy pen I saw on Amazon. Listen, it was only $25.00, and for all you know, I may find myself in a situation where an inconspicuous high quality digital recorder could mean the difference between thinking I know who ate the last cookie and having concrete proof. How about the $15.99 lock picking set? The product description says that it could be used to unlock any door; (as a novelty item only of course). What if I lose my keys and there is no one home to let me in the house? That lock picking kit would come in pretty darn handy right then. Any friend that was locked out of their house would know exactly who to call. I certainly wish I had one of these when Ettie and I locked ourselves inside our home when we lived in London. Yes, you read correctly, it is supposed to say inside, and it’s a long story.
But if I really think about it, I know I don’t actually need those items. There is, however, one item which I am seriously considering: infrared night vision goggles. Now those would seriously be put to good use. Living in a 750sqft two bedroom apartment with two young children, I don’t need to tell you how important it is for there to be a limited amount of noise and light after the kids are sleeping. With night vision goggles the house could remain pitch black when I get up to get a glass of water at 3am. Or if Ettie was ready to go to sleep and I still wanted to read; well I would just put on the goggles and relax to a great book. What if there was a power outage? With my night vision goggles I could keep both hands free and still be able to find the emergency supplies. What about that huge manhunt game that the neighbourhood has been planning? I would come in first place for sure, bringing tremendous pride to the Shurack family name! I know, I know, most of those situations are fairly unrealistic and I’m probably too old to enter the manhunt competition anyway.
But there are times when I really do feel as though I’m walking in the dark; that I am helplessly feeling my way through the shadows of life trying to grasp at any ray of light to help guide my way. What am I to do then? In today’s world there are so many tests that a person is faced with. There is such a wide variety of things you can buy, do, sell, sign up for, and go to, that it is almost easier to fumble in the dark than search for the light. We are faced with challenges everyday from small to big and everything in between. Am I learning enough Torah? Am I doing a good enough job at work? Am I raising my children to have a thirst for Judaism and love of mitzvahs? Should I have splurged and bought my spouse the nicer but slightly more expensive gift? Should I have gotten a different flavour of Slurpee? So many questions and feelings of uncertainty can leave one feeling as though they are paralyzed by the thickness of the shade.
In this week’s parsha, G-d enacts the ninth plague, the plague of darkness. The Torah describes it as being so dark that the darkness was palpable. The darkness was so thick that the Egyptians couldn’t even move. The Jews, however, could still see and were able to move freely wherever they wanted. It was a miracle in that in the same exact room there was darkness for some people and bright illumination for others. Why were the Jewish people able to see? The Egyptians placed their faith in Pharaoh, in a man. They embraced materialism and short term pleasures. The Jewish people, on the other hand, placed their trust in G-d and refused to stray from the path of Torah. When a person embraces G-dliness and knows that it is G-d who is in control of the world, and that our job is to engage in acts of goodness and kindness, their path is illuminated by the light of heaven, a light more luminescent than any fluorescent bulb.
In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and as though we are fumbling in the dark, even when others tell us how bright it is. The solution? Get yourself a pair of infrared night vision goggles. Not the pair that sells on Amazon for 69.99, but the one that you are already wearing perched atop your forehead. You see, in His infinite kindness, G-d has endowed each and every one of us with the power to see our true selves, not only as we are, but as He envisions us to be.
When we put our faith in G-d and know that every challenge he throws our way is an opportunity to become a better person, we see the finite in the infinite, the vision behind the mission, the light in the darkness. Our “G-d goggles” brighten our way and allow us to move freely through a sea of difficulties and tribulations because just knowing that we aren’t alone lightens our load. So as much as I want to buy those night vision goggles, I think I’m going to give my “G-d goggles” another chance. After all, Amazon can’t beat the price, and the warranty, well, let’s just say they’re guaranteed for life.