Transcript
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You would not believe what I learned
about Parshat Va'etchanan.
Sometimes people [music] think about
having a real relationship with God.
And they say, "Spirituality, [music]
that's not my bag. It's not for me."
And they may have one of three reasons
that sound legitimate.
The first one is, "Look at me. I'm a
human being. I have a body. I have
physical needs, desires, temptations.
How can somebody like me possibly
>> [music]
>> connect with God?"
Or
maybe they say,
"Well, it might be possible to connect
with God, but that's only for the great
righteous people, the tzadikim.
I'm not on that level. Not for me."
Or there's a third possibility.
Maybe you'll tell me that even I can
reach that [music] level someday. Fine.
But that would take a lifetime of
working on myself before I could really
possibly [music] connect with God, with
Hashem.
It's a beautiful idea from the book
Hamda Geniza. He points out that one
verse in this week's Torah portion
answers all of those objections.
The Torah says, "Va'atem Hadvekim Bashem
Elokeichem Hayim Kulchem Hayom."
You who cling to God,
you are all life today.
But look at those last three words.
Hayim,
Kulchem,
Hayom.
Hayim, alive. You can connect with God
as long [music] as you are alive. I
don't care that you have a body. I don't
care that you have physical [music]
challenges and desires.
Hashem is saying, "Hayim, you're alive.
You can be devekim. You can cling to me
and find spirituality and connect." Next
word, Kulchem, all of you. It's not just
reserved for the greatest Sadiqim,
[music] righteous people. It's available
to all of us. And finally, Hayom, today,
you don't have to wait until you've
spent an entire lifetime perfecting
yourself.
You can begin that relationship today.
What an incredibly encouraging message.
>> [music]
>> And think about when we read these words
immediately after Tisha B'Av, the 9th of
Av. We've just spent Tisha B'Av mourning
the loss of the Beis Hamikdash, the
Temple in Jerusalem, the place [music]
where the Jewish people once experienced
an extraordinary closeness to God.
And yet, [music] just days later, the
Torah reminds us,
Hayom Kulchem Hayom.
Even without the Beis Hamikdash, we can
connect with Hashem
alive right here in this world, every
one of us, today. Hashem is not waiting
for us to become perfect before we
develop [music] a relationship with him.
He wants us right now
to reach out [music] wherever we are.
So, let's develop that relationship.
Let's reach out to Hashem today. And
hopefully, soon,
we will merit to experience [music] that
closeness
in its fullest form with the rebuilding
of the Temple, of the Beis Hamikdash, in
Jerusalem.
Thank you.
And Shabbat Shalom.
>> [music]
