06/21/2024
Our rabbi always has a great Friday message.
Greetings from Rabbi Yossi and Sarah
Dear Karen
A psychologist friend shared a chilling story about a patient treated for nearly three decades. They traced his deep insecurities to a childhood trauma. On New Year’s Eve, when he was six or seven, his parents left him with a babysitter. In an ill-fated attempt at humor, his father said, “See you next year!” The boy, not understanding the joke, spent the night agonizing over not seeing his parents for an entire year.
One school of thought maintains that we are slaves to our childhood experiences and genetic dispositions. Our present and future behaviors, tendencies, and attitudes are seen as direct results of our past. This perspective suggests that life is a series of consequences shaped by early experiences, influencing our happiness and life skills.
However, a more optimistic school of thought argues that while we cannot change the past, we are not its slaves. With the right mindset and discipline, we can create new behaviors and attitudes, mastering our present. Jewish mysticism teaches “The mind controls the heart,” advocating for “mind over matter.”
Consider this humorous text: “I just read an article on the dangers of smoking. It scared the daylights out of me. So, after today... no more reading!” This illustrates that belief in change is crucial. Thankfully, this philosophy has gained traction, promoting the self-help era and empowering people to shape their own destinies.
In this week's Torah portion, Judaism's unique perspective emerges that extends our reach forward and backward in time. Through "teshuvah", or repentance, we can transform past negatives into positive forces. The sages say, “Even intentional sins can be transformed into merits.” True repentance involves not just retracing steps but surging forward with renewed passion and fervor, unavailable under normal circumstances.
Ultimately, while we are shaped by our past, we are not confined by it. With the right mindset, we hold the power to redefine our future and redeem our past. Embracing this potential, we can transform our lives and those of others, turning even our darkest moments into sources of light.
Shabbat Shalom with Love & Light,
Yossi & Sarah
