If you need to drive for a work meeting, it may as well be to Big Sky. On Monday I drove through the canyon up to the Montage for a few Chanukah related meetings. While driving along the Gallatin River, with a white dusting on the mountains, my soul was stirred, it’s uplifting; nature does something to bring us closer to our Creator. As I made my way up to Spanish Peaks, the snowcapped mountains awed me. While there are many ways for me to connect with Hashem, taking deep breaths while immersed in nature does wonders for my Neshama.

In this week’s Torah portion, Lech-Lecha, we read about Abram, before the name-change to Abraham, and the command from G-d that he head to Israel. Yet, that command was when Abram was seventy-five years old, what about his early life? When did he join team-G-d? The Midrash tells us that at a young age Abraham began to explore and think . . . “How is it possible for the sphere to continue to revolve without having anyone controlling it? Who is causing it to revolve? Surely, it does not cause itself to revolve. He realized that there was one G d who controlled the sphere, that He created everything, and that there is no other G d among all the other entities”.

Nature is what opened Abram’s eyes to recognize Hashem and the rest is history. He didn’t find G-d in Shul, he found Him in the mountains.

I know that I write about nature more than most, but it’s a truth worth repeating. G-d is constantly showering us with light and energy, He sends blessings galore our way, but too often we aren’t receptacles for His gifts because our spiritual arteries are clogged, unable to welcome the Brachos. Yet, there are mechanisms that He gave us that open our hearts, creating an expansiveness where the glory from on High can enter our fragile being. Sometimes it’s a Mitzvah, sometimes it’s a dose of Torah, other times it’s a deep journey into a Chassidic discourse, but don’t underestimate the power of nature in this process because Hashem created it for a reason. To ignore the beauty that He has bestowed upon us is a crime and can hold us back from truly living enveloped by His presence.

Gaze at a mountain; your soul will be grateful and so will your psyche.

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!

On Tuesday, while driving with Chana Laya on Kagy, heading to SMS to pick up Menny from basketball practice, we saw an accident that, sadly, included a large deer lying in middle of the road visibly taking its last breaths. It was hard to see, making me sick to my stomach; a beautiful, majestic, creature passing away in real-time. I’m not sure I can explain exactly why, but it really hits a very deep nerve in my gut. Chana Laya and I spoke about it quite a bit, she had many questions and comments, and it really got me thinking.

In this week’s Torah portion, Noach, we read about the great flood and how Noah was instructed by G-d to care for the animals on the ark. He worked overtime, feeding each animal at the time of day or night when they are meant to be fed, giving them their specific choice of food, even finding the proper food (worms) for the chameleon. One day he was late feeding the lion and the lion struck Noah, crippling him, with the commentaries teaching that he deserved the injury because he failed at his vital role of feeding them on time. I think it’s fascinating to think of how much emphasis the Torah places on our care for the animal kingdom.

“A deer in the headlights” is no joke in our mountain town, as our deer population has exploded over the past three years, making accidents more common, and occasionally unavoidable, but let’s never forget that these incredible creatures are all here for a reason and we must do everything in our power to minimize their pain, and fight against animal cruelty in every possible way. Too often important discussions are swept under the rug because they are labeled “political”, but I study Torah and will never shy away from sharing its values. One day I’m labeled “right wing” for standing unbashfully with Israel, the next day I can be called “left wing” for caring “too much” about animals, but that’s really it, I am not part of a “wing”, I’m just a Jew on a journey seeking to internalize the Divine wisdom in my everyday life experience, and Divine wisdom isn’t right or left, it’s infinite.

“His mercies are upon all His works”.

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!

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