TORAH PORTION
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SUNDAY, AUGUST 9TH
Create A Spiritual
'Rainy Day Fund
1 Oam = 3pm
Shabbat Behalotecha: Numbers 8:1-
12:6; Zecharia 2:14-4:7.
A
"rainy-day fund." This
phrase I have heard from
birth counsels us to set aside
a fixed amount of money
that we keep in a safe
place should life change
drastically. This "rainy-day
fund" provides not only a
safety net for a financial
need, but offers us peace
of mind in knowing that
we are sheltered for a cer-
tain time.
But a "rainy-day fund"
is not a new phenomenon,
as the Talmud (Yoma 74b)
relates,"Someone who has
bread in his basket is not
like someone who does
not have bread in his basket."
Discussing this week's Torah por-
tion, the 13th-century Spanish rabbi
Nachmanides ref-
erences the same
Talmudic quotation.
"Who will feed us
meat?" some of our
ancestors complain
(Numbers 11:5-6).
"We remember the
fish that we ate in
Egypt free of charge;
the cucumbers, mel-
ons, leeks, onions
and garlic. But now, our soul is dried
out; there is nothing; we have nothing
except anticipating the manna."
What does it mean that their "soul
was dried out"?
Nachmanides explains that it is
much easier to go without eating
when we know we have food in the
pantry. Our ancestors, however, had
nothing in their "pantries!' Rather,
they had to rely on God providing
their sustenance and the fear that
tomorrow might not offer the same
as today caused their "soul" to "dry
out."
Yet, I believe there is a double
meaning in Nachmanides' advice. Not
only did our ancestors grow weary
because they had no food in their
pantries, they grew weary in the faith
that God would continue to provide
such food. These former slaves needed
God to constantly refresh their faith
in Him.
Like our ancestors, we
too often have a very short
memory. Therefore, just as
we are sure to save money
for a rainy day, we ought to
build up in the good times
a storehouse of faith as well
so that, when difficult times
come, we have a supply upon
which to turn.
Through daily prayer,
regular Sabbath and holiday
observance and active par-
ticipation in our synagogue
communities, we build a res-
ervoir of spiritual strength
that can sustain us through both phys-
ical and metaphysical "rainy days!' If
our relationship with God and with
the Jewish community
is strong, we can turn
to those relationships
for sustenance, even
when our own souls
begin to run dry.
"Someone who has
bread in his basket is
not like someone who
does not have bread
in his basket." May
God bless us with the
knowledge, ability and opportunity
to build a rainy-day fund not only for
financial downturns, but for times
when our souls run dry as well.
We ought to
build up in the
good times a
"storehouse of
faith."
Aaron Starr is the director of education
and youth at Congregation Shaarey Zedek
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•
L'C
® .iteGi
How to Stop
Worrying
and Start
Living
Starts June 18, 8:0o pm
West Bloomfield JCC
Free admission
and refreshments, too
Find out more:
jrpdetroit.com
In what ways can you work
harder to strengthen your rela-
tionship to God and to your
community? Are we, in the 21st
century, like our ancestors in
that we forget the blessings in
our lives and focus only on the
challenges? If so, how can we
change that perspective?
Face it. Times are hard.
Ancient authentic Jewish wisdom and teachings
definitely have answers
for today's contemporary problems.
Rabbi Irons' last series drew 700 attendees
—filling the entire main auditorium of the
West Bloomfield Jewish Community Center
You might want to get front-row seats this time.
(That's Jewish wisdom.)
Did we mention the refreshments?
An Exciting Monthly Series
of Oakland County.
Conversations
to schedule a pickup
(248) 565-2757
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oyai id
Self-Fulfillment
hrough
Jewish Wisdom
Rabbi Shmuel Irons
Dean of the Kollel Institute of Detroit
111 1 )Jewish
ALLIANCE FOR
JEWISH EDUCATION
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June 11 . 2009
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