Shavuot

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Dear Community Family,

As we move persistently and consistently through the 49- day journey of self-evaluation, elevation, transformation, refinement, and growth, we transverse the critical path between our exodus from enslavement in Egypt to the apex of absolute freedom from all restraints and human confinement, with the receiving the Torah at the Sinaic Revelation.

It takes just a moment to remove our shackles and get out of slavery, but it takes an absorbing effort of 7 full weeks to take the shackles out of our mindset.

Maimonides, when referencing the fundamental principle of Jewish faith, requires the absolute acceptance of Divine revelation of Torah and all of its contents, from the seemingly most significant Mitzvah to the seemingly most casual inconsequential statement, as fundamental to our faith as Jews. The term that is used to identify Almighty G-d as the origin of Torah is the Mouth of Gevurah.

Gevurah, which generally refers to severity, strength, discipline, restraint is another term used to identify and describe G-d, in contrast to Chesed, referencing kindness, giving, sharing and promise.

Why continuously use that aphorism to identify G-d, which seemingly has a harsh insinuation, rather than the term Chesed?

One very simple response is that the Torah objective is kindness, to create the best world, with the best inhabitants, with the best lifestyle, with the most moral ethical behavior, with the ultimate goodness, kindness, sharing and peacefulness.

However, in order to achieve that desired consequence, it takes an enormous amount of discipline, structure, control, limits, and acceptance of authority often beyond one’s natural instinctive desires. It is via the mechanism of the Torah’s disciplines, and specific orderly way of life, that molds and forms the most accomplished form of the complicated sophisticated human who can serve as the trusted agent of G-d to make our world into a garden of Eden.

Though it might seem burdensome and limited to accept authoritative control over everything we do, including eating, dressing, sleeping, conducting business, relationships, parenting, etc. etc. etc. the result of the effort has been historically proven to work maximally.  It is only this enormous gift of Torah, the “how to manual” to live most properly that is conveyed via the disciplines and strengths of a Jewish lifestyle, that guarantees us the best and most pleasant balanced results, to withstand the downward trajectory and challenges of our present society that seeks to abolish all borders, structures and discipline.

May we each merit to receive and accept the Torah with joy and internalization and attain its ultimate benefit of a life of wholeness, purity, holiness, happiness, success, balance, and peace and may G-d bless you always.

Looking forward to seeing you at Shul for our special celebrations and the reading of the receiving of Torah with our entire community, together with our men, women and children and rejoicing thereafter with our community celebrations.

Wishing you well, with Torah greetings and blessings, love and esteem,

Sholom D. Lipskar