Weekly Message

On Wednesday, our family, along with Shoshana’s grammie Sheila, joined together in Judge Rienne McElyea’s courtroom to finalize Shoshana’s adoption. It was a truly special moment; she’s ours forever. Later that evening, as we celebrated with friends, Chavie and I acknowledged that raising a preteen is not always a picnic, but that we wouldn’t give it up for anything in the world. I wished Shoshana a life of happiness, growing to be a Bas Chabad, a girl who lives up to the Lubavitch value system, and be a woman of valor.

It’s not easy, as she was not raised this way, but when there’s a will, there’s a way.  

On Tuesday, we will commemorate the Rebbe’s 23^rd Yahrtzait. While I’ve often wondered which of the Rebbe’s life-lessons impacted my life most, this week I figured it out. The greatest malady of western civilization is the need for instant gratification. Everything must be easy; it’s the sacrosanct principle that ensures   Amazon and Brookestone’s existence. The Rebbe taught me that “I don’t have a contract with G-d that all will be easy”. Losing my mom, experiencing infertility, adopting children are not easy to handle. Being a good husband, mentoring a Jewish community, spending time with my children isn’t always easy? But does it have to be? Why?

Korach, the rebel of our Torah portion, wanted something that wasn’t meant to be his. Instead of marveling in his own struggle, he thought he can find inner peace by shifting into another life that was destined for someone else. He failed, because everyone is meant to be themselves. My struggle makes me a better person and your struggle does the same for you. The Rebbe gifted me with the ability to see the light in the struggle, suspending the search for an easy way out. It’s ok to occasionally ask G-d to ease things up, but don’t ask him to give your someone else’s life, as that would just be foolish.

Rebbe I know you miss us, even more than we miss you, but please know that forty-four years of your loving leadership is still inspiring Big Sky Country.

May G-d guard our brethren in Israel and the world over from harm and send us Moshiach speedily. May He protect the armed forces of Israel and the United States wherever they may be. Shabbat Shalom! Chazak!!! L'Chaim!!!

It’s unfortunate, but people often think of themselves as “insignificant” in the world, “inconsequential” in the “bigger picture”. This week, while meeting with Dr. Godfrey Saunders, former beloved principal of Bozeman High School, he shared with me something his mom told him “Son, the universe is like a puzzle. We must place our piece in the precise spot, so that the generations after us, will be able to add their piece to the puzzle”. It’s not about changing all human history, but rather about giving it everything we’ve got to better ourselves and the civilization around us.

In this week’s Haftorah we read about Pinchas and Caleb, two spies who Joshua sent to study the land of Israel just prior to the Jewish people coming home. While lodging, their innkeeper Rachav, who also served as the local prostitute, hid them, thus saving their life from the locals who sought to murder them. In return, they assured her that when the Jews conquer Jericho, she and her family will be saved and indeed that’s what happened. Amazing! A woman who was forced into harlotry at the age of ten, living a life of immorality for forty years, performs an act of kindness for a few hours and is then gifted with life, a conversion to Judaism and the eventual marriage to Joshua himself, meriting grandchildren the likes of Ezekiel and Isiah, Prophets with A+ ratings. 

A powerful moment of good.

We each are endowed by our Creator with choice. The choices we make at every juncture in our day can either be beneficial to our wellbeing, spiritual and physical, or G-d forbid, harmful. We sometimes look at our past and think we are long gone, we occasionally predict our future and believe it is grim, but in truth, our past and future aren’t relevant to the “now”. If we live life in the “now”, we create moments of light, seconds of truth and milliseconds of good, which will affect us positively in ways that we can’t imagine. Don’t be shortsighted or nostalgic; live in the moment and change the world.

Learn from Rachav!

May G-d guard our brethren in Israel and the world over from harm and send us Moshiach speedily. May He protect the armed forces of Israel and the United States wherever they may be. Shabbat Shalom! Chazak!!! L'Chaim!!!

Tuesday night was spectacular! When Chavie and I tied the knot eleven years ago, Chana’le was a young eleven-year-old and now she is married to her beloved Shneur. As we danced the night away, I couldn’t help but think about the life that lies ahead for the newlyweds. With G-d’s blessings, they will grow together in their love for each other, raising their future children and together build a home in which Judaism will flourish. A marriage must have G-d as its third partner; it’s the anchor of stability.

In this week’s Torah portion, Behaalotecha, Moses is commanded to use his own wealth to fashion two silver trumpets. When the nation traveled, when Moses needed the elders to assemble at the Tabernacle, when bringing Rosh Chodesh and holiday offerings and when going to war, Moses’ trumpets were sounded with jingle variation, depending on the occasion. The verse says “when you enter into battle in your land, against adversaries who attack you, you shall blow a wailing sound on the trumpets. You will then be favorably accounted before The Eternal, your G-d, and be saved from your enemies”. Ibn Ezra explains that the crying sound awakens Jewry to repent and thus invokes G-d’s mercy for deliverance from their enemy.   

As Chana’le and Shneur embark on their new journey together, they too, may encounter adversity. Life has ups and downs, moments of bliss and those of challenge, but their home will be based on “Foundation of Torah and Mitzvot”, a G-dly footing, ensuring that they remain focused and strong, through thick and thin.  Like in Numbers, our Moses, the Rebbe of blessed memory, has gifted each of us, his Chassidim, with “silver trumpets”, guidance for life, that brings inspirational song to our every day, even the tough ones.  Chana’le and Shneur will undoubtedly use the trumpets, not only for themselves, but to uplift all those with whom they interact.

An Everlasting Edifice! 

May G-d guard our brethren in Israel and the world over from harm and send us Moshiach speedily. May He protect the armed forces of Israel and the United States wherever they may be. Shabbat Shalom! Chazak!!! L'Chaim!!!