Chana Laya and Zeesy were spending time with friends, Chavie and I were busy, but Menny was “bored” until I said “Menny, why don’t we hike the M?”. On Sunday, the three of us, along with Chaya, who was home for Pesach break, hiked the M and enjoyed the views, the silent nature and even a 15–20-minute downpour along the way. While I have an awesome trainer, Aaron, my workouts are mostly focused on building strength through weightlifting and working on flexibility and balance. Halfway up the M it became clear that I need more cardio in my life to get blood flowing and to stay heart-healthy, so, a new plan was hatched with aerobics.

In this week’s double Torah portion, Tazria-Metzora, we read about a gossiper, someone who speaks negatively (Lashon Hara) about others, and is punished by G-d with Tza’raas. Sometimes the negativity is shared maliciously, because the “speaker” is rotten on the inside and wants to hurt the other person about whom they’re speaking. Yet, too often, good people, who aren’t nasty, end up gossiping because it just lands in their lap and they feel like casually sharing. Whether you are in category one or two, the bottom line is that talking about others is unnecessary. Unless you show up as a friend or seeking to help an individual, the realities of other people’s lives shouldn’t be the topic of your conversation. If one is empty on the inside, they seek to fill that void by seeing the negative in others, making them feel “ok” in comparison, which is so wrong. In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds talk about others”.

While hiking, we observed the beauty of Bozeman from 6,000 feet, we followed the incoming, and outgoing, thunderstorm, we chitchatted with other hikers, conversed about how blessed we are to live in Bozeman, and we discussed school, Bar Mitzvah, workout regimen and even enjoyed Menny laying Tefillin at the M. It’s a myth that we “must” talk about others, it’s simply not true. G-d spent almost two full Torah portions reminding us that our internal wellbeing never benefits when maligning others or spreading rumors. Yes, it may be the social norm, but we don’t need to participate. Get a life and you won’t need to talk about the lives of others.

And if nothing else works; take a hike!

May G-d guard our brethren in Israel and the world over from harm and send us Mashiach speedily. May G-d protect the armed forces of Israel and the United States wherever they may be!

Earlier this week I had the honor of delivering a hot lunch along with grocery gift cards to fifty or so TSA agents at our Bozeman Airport. It wasn’t my idea. A generous Jewish couple in town called me and said, “what can we do for the TSA agents?” and a plan was conceived. The genuine gratitude expressed by the TSA team was beautiful, and because “kindness breeds kindness”, another couple just reached out and asked me to do the same again next week. We can choose to be numb to the woes of others, but it’s not the Jewish way, not the Torah way.

We are inching closer to Passover, a holiday on which we celebrate our exodus from Egypt. It’s an historical era that reminds us constantly that all people should be free to worship their Creator. The Egyptian experience taught us that enslavement, human trafficking, and tyranny isn’t natural, and we must do everything in our power to show up for those who are struggling, individually or collectively, under harsh circumstances. The entire Seder is infused with this message: Let’s contemplate and feel the pain of those who suffered, let’s envision redemption for humanity, and let’s ensure that we don’t leave it to the “theoretical” but actualize this idea by inviting and hosting all those who are hungry to join us in the journey towards a freer world.

In a world that is plagued with so much suffering, numbness is almost natural. It overwhelms us to hear all the news and internalize it. The brutalized people of Iran, the Uyghurs in China, the Ukrainians on the run. We hear about those effected by fire like Captain McDaniel and his family near Helena, those who deal with floods like the families at Texas’ Camp Mystic this past summer, and we of course follow with horror the daily barrage of cluster bombs that Iran is dropping on our brothers and sisters in Israel, our Jewish homeland that is home to many millions of Jews including my Aba and his wife Leah who live in Jerusalem. Yet Judaism demands that we remain sensitive and responsive to the pain around us and that we do everything in our power to celebrate all that we do have and show up for those depending on our kindness in their time of need. Passover isn’t just about the past; it’s about experiencing personal redemption which includes remaining attentive to all those who aren’t yet free.

Next year we will be free!

May G-d guard our brethren in Israel and the world over from harm and send us Mashiach speedily. May G-d protect the armed forces of Israel and the United States wherever they may be!