Living With Emunah (Part 304) - Wake Up!

good morning B it should be a good morning for and ER and around the world may the hostages be home May the soldiers return to their families may we have a sweeping sweeping Victory okay there's our last till after P because next week it will be and then we'll resume I guess the morning after Pak pesak is over Tuesday night anyone come in Wednesday morning okay if you'll come Wednesday morning I'll be here so we will resume the morning after Welcome to our youngest member we your beautiful B mitzva so amazing and your time off you're at the amuna incredible the amuna series is gener sponsored by drors ABI and B Morgan in memory of Rabbi Dr Brian galbert in in memory of Bella's mother Dr Ellen shanzer we are very grateful to the Morgans for their continued generosity this morning she is also sponsored anonymously is a thank you to BRS for helping people may Hashem bless all of us with the ability to tap in the inherent incredible power of for the small things as well as the big I will use this as an opportunity we are today and tomorrow our annual prees pre rashash a market where we make fruits and vegetables and eggs and a thousand pounds of hurat available to all those who need we need volunteers to help stock the shelves and make it available but we also are short tens of thousands of dollars right now to pay for this Market if you would like every single penny zero overhead nothing goes to pay for anything other than every penny going to put food in the mouths of people who need it and who can use it we could use your help you can uh speak to me right after Shear you could do it online you can give you could pledge 4: to 10 p.m. today and tomorrow we will be having it okay we're gonna get back into our learning but first two amuna stories and then we'll get into our learning together a couple weeks ago on Sunday morning I was doing was one of the crazy Rabbi Sundays I have a friend and Mentor in New York Rabbi Alan Schwarz the rabbi of Oz and he has a rabbi saying he sees rabbis and he says what's the score today what's the score today means how many happy things versus how many sad things particularly the rabbis rabbis have Sundays how many SAS how many funerals how many unveilings you know what's the score today what's the score today so it was a busy Sunday with a with a tough score to it that included a lot uh to it there was a in the morning and a tragic funeral in the afternoon and a two Shum and and a I think bar AB it was a crazy day it was a crazy day so I drove down to Hollywood for the unveiling for the to have to get up to to Congress South Jewish cemetery for the funeral so I I tell you this all not for your sympathy because this amazing story so I get there for this and it had to happen on time and fairly quickly because I had to get to this really tragic funeral that had to take place that that I was officiating at so I get there to and everybody's there ready there's a big crowd to honor to honor the person who's uh mat we don't believe in unveilings in Judaism if you've ever been toas mat with me I always say this same thing an unveiling that says waa you know we're going to take the cloth off and everybody will see it and we'll read it Walla unveil we're unveiling the monument we don't unveil a monument that's not a Jewish tradition I always get there early and I remove the cloth to take away anyone's Temptation for a waa moment that is not a Jewish idea what do we do not an unveiling we do What's called the Mata represents a person's life the Mata captures their years and the dash if you know the poem the dash between their years which represents their life and how the family chose to memorialize them with their name their proper Jewish name and with whatever adjectives and whatever descriptions describe their life the mat is their life the monument is their life and what's our what do we do we take a stone and we put it on top of the monument why the word Stone in Hebrew is Evan Evan is a contraction or an acronym for Al parent child grandchild intergenerational we take the continuity and we put it on top of the MAA and we say we're going to continue to build what you started if this Monument represents your life we stand on your shoulders we're going to build upon it and that's why we have the custom the minute to place a rock a stone in Evan a or we put it on top of the monument we're building up we're doing more so it's not a unveiling it's a we are lifting launching erecting the monument that's what the Jewish people do we don't do an unveiling waa look what it says isn't it amazing no we are this Monument is the person's life we're building upon it so I got to the cemetery fora of of our beloved Arnold hes and I saw there the novin family and and they came to me and they said Rabbi the cemetery apologized they double booked they never do this two unveilings at the same time but the truth is we don't have a minion they were doing three unveilings for Howard Joan and Michelle and Mickey the parents and a daughter who all passed away recently a terrible string and they were having three unveilings but they didn't have a minion I said Hashem you're amazing they didn't double book by accident Hashem double booked the so that I said it we did one I said as soon as we're finished everybody some of which had Walkers and all kinds of other devices we're going to scoot our way down same row and we're going to do three more unveilings hamos and we did and it was such a beautiful cover such a beautiful tribute all in the BRS section and and and the novans were part of our family certainly before they moved and it was all part of hashem's plan there are no accidents there's no such thing as a double booking people are where they're meant to be and that's where we were meant to be so that we could have and pay that tribute that is that is Amun story story number one number two and then we'll get back into our text together writes the author hello Rabbi Goldberg skip skip skip blah blah blah uh uh uhuh fast forward a few years I've been enjoying the weekly amuna stories and notice how a fair amount of them are linked to travel today my amuna story happened let me back it up to the beginning of the week when a new work Venture I began was sitting a rough patch and it was incredibly frustrating and disappointing and Tuesday night I was actually pretty sad about it I shed some tears of disappointment and headed to sleep hoping for a better day tomorrow and Wednesday morning I woke still feeling down and decided it had been a couple of weeks since I had listened to the shear now that I can't attend in person and I decided to tune in as I readed for work as you well know there are no coincidences and there you were talking about atas sadness not only about how we are forbidden to be sad how even Hashem distances himself from sad people but about how we are obligated to put ourselves into SIM mind frame so we can function wholly because the sadness doesn't repair anything and nobody wants to be part of the pity party and then spoke of the r Manu who just lost his teenage daughter and I sobered up real fast how on Earth did I think I have permission to sulk over this I was reminded this is all part of whatever larger plan Hashem has in mind for me I brushed away the sadness determined to make it a better week regardless of how this Venture continued and lo and behold I had the best day in over a week I'll just interrupt the email to tell you I had a similar feeling yesterday I was talking to my sister and my nephew who's been fighting in Gaza hasn't had a break he's part of the Naka Brigade That Remains there battling and fighting some ways more fiercely than they have until now and he just found out he won't be getting out for PES which he's very disappointed by which is an amazing thing I left my my sister a voice note and I guess now I'm I'm leaving it for the world but I said it's an amazing thing the soldiers are soldiers my young nephew a kid who's now more of a man than I'll ever be but they're they're tough soldiers hard on the outside Fierce ferocious fighting to defend our people and inside is still that little boy who said he's not going to be with his family for pesak and it's amazing because you'd think that war would Harden who cares pesak who cares family I'm fighting I'm battling I have nothing left no feeling but the Jewish people are amazing Jewish people are amazing on the outside is This ferocious Fierce Soldier and inside is still this this boy who just wants to be with his family so I I posted yesterday and I really believe from the bottom of my heart there are families I'm in touch with some parents who whose children are hostages for over six months we now have a countdown in the lobby you could see the day when you walk in you know exactly how many days it's been we're encouraging everybody and we're printing posters you could put it at your table or you can download it and print it yourself we'll be printing here designate an empty chair at your s table for the hostages don't go through the Seder and not have in mind the people who have someone absent from their seder who don't even know the fate of the person who's absent from their seder who can't imagine where they are and how they're being treated and if they're alive there has to be an empty chair with the poster a collage of hostages and who would believe that thousands of years later we're still saying let our people go we have an army and it could shoot down 300 missiles from Iran but we're still saying let our people go that's what this is all about let our people go so you have to have a seat so I said if you know where all your family members are if they're all accounted for and safe if they're going to be home with you don't complain about pesak this year any year but don't complain about PES making PES cleaning for pesak don't complain about the cost of P after I heard my nephew who so said he won't be with the family what if you're sleeping in your bed if you're sleeping under a roof if you're not dodging bullets flying your way don't complain about pesak this year or any year so it's that similar idea if we have perspective and scope and context of our lives and of things then then hopefully it gives us uh it gives us a little more back to the email this is the only leadup to the real portion of the Yuna story because also part of this year was the story of your flying to New York and how you supremely frustrated the delay the van upon arrival after being so careful to plan it all and then as you morning the performed artment at the airport for the West Point army guy it was clear why you needed to get stuck there just as the rebit told those kabad rebbit on if you are stuck it's because you have a t there go find it a a Jew is never stuck you're never stuck don't even use that language I found myself since the flying a couple times saying I'm not homc because I'm stuck here I'm stuck don't use the word stuck a Jew is never stuck wherever we are is where we're meant to be you're not stuck in the airport you're not stuck in New York you're not stuck in even in God Jew is where they're supposed to be so the author of the email right so today I was booked on a flight for a close friend's son's wedding in New Jersey Thursday night weddings are challenging both from the standpoint of leaving work at the end of the week and of course getting back in time for making shabas but I was determined to go and time my flight to get there with enough time to get ready and head to the wedding on time excuse me as travel is always unpredictable there was a storm system working its way up the coast and my flight was already delayed an hour when I woke up to check I squeezed in some last minute work during my delay window headed to the airport everything seemed to be going smoothly PL Ed its passengers that were arriving wheelchairs were already lined up to board not bad i' simply Rush when I land in New York to get ready upon arrival make it to the wedding then the crackle over the PA system letting us know there was a technical issue being worked over on the plane another half hour they let us know they wouldn't have TVs for the flight I snickered with Glee This was the technical issue and was just happy they were getting ready to board us again once we were on the plane I calmed but then I heard the captain announced they were waiting to be cleared for a new flight path since every airplane leaving Florida has to be rerouted past the storm I started to realize I was no longer making it for the beginning of the week of the wedding but said to myself at least I'm getting to be there and my flight wasn't canceled all together by the time I landed in Westchester Airport it was crawling with people but my contingency plan was right on schedule I had 15 minutes before my husband was arriving to get dressed in the airport bathroom as I headed through the crowd toward the bathroom aish a woman with a young baby and a stroller came over to me looking frazzled and distressed asking for a favor I thought she wanted to ride somewhere but then she then proceeded to ask me if I'd please pay for her flight she doesn't have a credit card on her and the person who booked her flight erroneously booked her for 4 p.m. Friday instead of today Thursday she had flown in from Chicago for her sister's vort left a house full of kids to be here but had to get back home to them today for shabas I knew I was already late needed to get dressed needed to get into the car and found my mind racing thoughts like is that a real baby or is this a scam who just hands over a credit card to a complete stranger to charge almost $500 but as I was thinking about this she said you are such a sight for sore eyes I was searching and searching for a year in that moment I knew this was the why of my delay Hashem had orchestrated every delay to the minute including broken TV screens so we would meet exactly at that spot at that time and I just exhaled and a calm came over me I needed to do this I was late anyway so no rush anymore so we went to the counter together but the guy at the counter was less than enthused to help her he glanced up in disbelief that she actually found a way to return to his counter for her ticket purchase there were only 25 minutes to takeoff and they had started boarding he proceeded to take his time with the customer ahead then when it was our turn he looked up and said I can't guarantee you'll get on the flight's leaving soon he still having cleared security she said I'll take a chance I went to handle my credit card just as another customer stepped in line behind us he said to us please step aside so I can process this person first since she has a ticket and you do not he took his time with this person as well the saint of woman never lost her cool she was calm I was having anxiety for her and I asked if her 9-month-old baby always sleeps peacefully as he was she smiled and said no Hashem is just being really kind right now I couldn't get over her Comm and her sense of amuna that hasem had a plan on whatever is meant to happen will after five more minutes we step up and he says I'll sell you the ticket but it's non-refundable the doors closed in 12 minutes you'll probably not make it through security and time so with no choice we declined the ticket Nash she was standed stranded only with a Friday afternoon ticket no flight options out of this airport for tonight I asked if she had anywhere to go she said her mom lives in m so if we take her to Pak where our wedding was she'll Uber to her mom and mon I paused I thought about it I knew at this point there was no rush for me as I would arrive during the K and my friend would not even know I was there so I just smiled and said my brother lives in myy I need to get dressed anyway for the wedding so come with us to my brother reminded myself that this was the reason my flight was delayed that exact amount of time so I'd be in just the right place for this tkid she was so grateful used the caride to try and get onto a flight that night she only had a flip phone had no access to her Airline account info or way to log in through her email I entered her my smartphone she was able to book her flight out of nework for 8:30 had I sent her in an Uber and not completed the Mitzvah with the ride she would not have had a way to book that flight with her dumb phone postcript yes I arrived Midway through Thea suceeded in give my friend the biggest hug and danced my way figuratively and literally through the night thank you realizing amuna means you're exactly where you're meant to be at any given moment in life or Miss regards having a good sh this was before sh anyway great emails great stories great perspective so as I try to tell you every single week let me rephrase that as I try to tell myself every single week the stories don't right it wasn't no we got on the flight and we got off in time and we got there and she was able to book the flight the story was filled with disappointments and things that didn't work out but you're along for the so it's not going to help getting bent out of shape anxious angry resentful panicking it doesn't help doesn't make lines go faster doesn't make flights go easier just live life and say I am where I meant to be that's where I meant to be at any given moment that's where I am that's where I am okay back to our we're learning we are learning a piece from the p p who during the Persian Gulf War said the he was the at the time and he spoke about we asked a series of questions but they ended with why would say I'm and we are on page page 173 what here's the punch line this is what we've been building up to for the last couple of weeks what is the what's a mat a goal what is the goal what is the purpose of non-jewish Nations battling and fighting with the Jewish people because when the Jewish people are in a crisis we wake up I'm gon to talk about this more in chabas shabas give you a little sneak preview but do you know what the most Googled search term in Israel on Saturday on chabas M shabas was to hilum as 300 missiles ballistic missiles drones assortment and a a concoction of missiles were on their way over to Israel not knowing was it going to kill thousands of people what were on the WarHeads of these missiles the most Googled search term you could look this up there a lot of articles that covered it the most Googled it didn't say the most Googled search term in benra because they don't search Google at least not in theory in benra it didn't say the most Googled search term in gar it didn't say the most Googled search term in the communities the most Googled search term in Israel religious and so-called non-religious among all why because there's nothing to wake you up and to feel and lean on hash like 300 ballistic missiles flying your way nothing will wake you up but are the Jewish people not amazing I was talking by Leo on Sunday and he said if not for October 7th M shabas would have been the most traumatic thing in the history of Israel the entire country facing over 300 missiles coming your way from your enemy who said they want to wipe you off the face of the Earth and who are building a nuclear program and what happened in Israel I saw a great meme at night we shoot down missiles the next morning we have coffee SU morning I texted on my family WhatsApp group my siblings in Israel how are you and my sister says I'm getting a manicure for a wedding tonight aroma's packed with people the kids are all playing Israeli people are unbelievable at night we shoot down missiles and in the morning we have coffee if not for the context of every day being something insanely crazy millions of people in bomb shelters not knowing what's coming their way and what was the biggest Google term search term in those bomb shelters what were were all the Jews all the Israelis I shouldn't just say Jews after we had Yosef Hadad speak here the other night a Arab Christian who served in the IDF and his foot was blown off and who was an advocate stch staunch advocate for Israel not just Jews Israelis what was the most Google search term for these Israelis in bomb shelters Psalms to looking up to so we're going to read on the seventh day the Jewish people cross they came out and they describe and that's what hasem answers the Persians and the Romans and he says don't tell me you started these wars for the Jews me I'm the one who controls the wars I'm the and what does the say on this reveals himself in every missile in every drone and every bomb and every threat in every danger does God need our weapons does he need the weapons on our end Hashem could just make the all the enemies could disappear could die in their sleep all the enemies we wouldn't even know you know we say in halem all the nonous nations of the world praise Hashem they do why are we focused on that that's we acknowledge and praise Hashem by saying the non-jewish nations of the world praise hem the answer is we know what they tried to do that we stopped we know what they tried to do that it worked we mourn we grieve we cry we know what they tried to do that we stopped but we have no idea what they tried to do that we're not even aware of that Hashem that Hashem nullified their plans hem the non-jewish Nations can praise and acknowledge Hashem in a way on the things that don't even know about that they tried to do that they tried to do perhaps you saw the little write up of someone who says they're a physicist who says that stopping 300 more than 300 missiles is a bigger Miracle than the Six Day War it feels like we went just it feels like we went right back to work and right back to life we right back to cleaning for pesak but in the history in the context it is a bigger Miracle what happened on Mo shabas could be a bigger Miracle than the sixth day it does it have to be for us to say thank you we have to start rating Miracles ranking Miracles you know what do the Chinese judges give it they give it an 8.2 like what we have to start raing our Miracles how about it's a miracle it was a miracle thank you and Hashem is in the Iron Dome Hashem is in the Patriot defense Hashem is in these these systems that the whole world said can't be done don't waste money on it when we fall asleep when we're fighting with each other when we're on the brink of a civil war because we think judicial reform is the most important thing it's important different perspectives on it when we can't get along when we're fighting when we're breaking away when we're divided when we're criticizing when we're condemning Hashem says oh I really don't want to do this I hate to do this this is the only thing that will wake them up and bring them together this is the only thing that makes them see each other see what they have in common not their differences feel connected to one another and collectively makes them Google tum you don't Google to hilum when everything's Hony Dory and well you don't Google to hilum when everything's smooth sailing you don't Google tillum sadly just because you have the most exits or the most representation on the NASDAQ or Intel invested billions more nobody Israel was not Googling to hilum you know when they Google to hilum when they face the when they face the Rockets is when you Google to says I don't want to do this I would hesitate to say this who am I sitting in the comfort and the safety of bone learning a piece talking about why hasem does these things and the fa the dangers they face believe me I hesitate but first of all it's Torah and we're learning it and we shouldn't be ashamed or apologize for it and number two it's the P who was living during the Persian Gulf War and not knowing and not knowing what they were facing getting fitted for gas masks people shaving their beards so they would fit and seal tightly so they could survive and he in that midst before it was clear the Miracles that they would experience he was talking about why this happens so it's Torah it's the Torah of the and it's not a criticism with anyone other than ourselves it's to wake us up too we choose in maybe it's time to go home to go back and to consider our timeline not of if but when when we will be there and when we're going there so I'm not talking about Yen and somebody else not talking about our brothers and sisters literally and figuratively in is I'm talking about us is talking to us wake up wake up don't be lowed back to sleep fatigue can't set in just because it's almost seven months now six and a half months later wake up we started to fall asleep again Iran had to get involved so we would Google tum how many times do we want to test Hashem how many times are we hitting snooze and going back to sleep so he keeps waking us up let's wake up let's wake up and become the people we're meant to be individually as a community and as as a people and as a nation it's all in the hearts and the hands of hem what will happen next bib Biden leaders of Iran Kamas has it's all the it's all hasem is moving the chest pieces around the board the heart of Kings they're all in the hands of hem we have to take our initiative of course we have to take our initiative but it's all doesn't need a shield or a sword he doesn't need arrows doesn't need any weapons so we need to have this mindfulness yes spend money let's eliminate the squad let's take out let's make sure John fedman is a permanent fixture in the Senate can't believe I'm saying those words let's make sure he can wear whatever he wants can appear however he wants the guy is unbelievable let's make sure he doesn't go anywhere let's eliminate let's eliminate this you talk about Reckoning after what happened on Mo shabas I ran 300 missiles do you know the people who didn't vote the people who voted down Iron Dome funding now you'll say and I don't mean to get political here but you'll say well why should we pay for it America the answer is picture what would happened M shabas of 300 missiles to Israel and there was no Iron Dome and Israel had no choice but to hit back and hit back hard then Iran hit American bases and then America was pulled into a war so for whom is Iron Dome Iron Dome was protecting the Iranian people Iron Dome was protecting American interests it's no favor that America supports Iron Dome it's American interest and Israel takes the brunt by facing the threat and by being the Target by being by being the target so yes we take our initiative we have to do our yes take your money help support our market and with whatever you have left fund the candidates who are going up against the people who voted down America's funding of the Iron Dome and of the missile defense including AOC if you remember shed a tear on the floor of Congress when it passed cried about it yeah okay well no no no we don't uh you stopped short of saying that hopefully the mic didn't pick that up um but the point is we take our initiative we do our part we we get involved in political giving and we Advocate and we write letters and we do our part but in the end of the day it's all in the hands of hashm so to live these six and a half months living through this extraordinary time and not be feeling closer more connected more aware of Hashem which is the essence the goal the purpose a big part of this whole thing is to miss out on what it's what it's all about we're living this on two planes there's down here which are the headlines what happened today where do we go in where do we pull out who's threatening what what's the next move what's the next timeline who's being called up that's the down here but we also supposed to be living it up here Hashem where are you what's this all about what do you want from me how can I see you and feel you and your presence and we have the responsibility to live it in both places simultaneously tells us that when took off his ring and empowered hamon to exterminate the people did more to wake up the Jewish people than 48 prophets prophesizing more than every Rabbi in Israel the most famous the most popular the biggest influence of rabbis in Israel and reans Y and others add up all of their Shum watch time listens friends followers posts millions billions of hours Mo shab 300 missiles did more to Google to hilum than all the rabbis all the prophets in the world the removal of the ring from the pressing of launch from Iran did more than 48 prophets did more than thousands hundred hundreds of thousands of teachers and rabbis and Reit because it was the removal of the ring and the threat from ham and all of a sudden Esther says wake up unite just stop fighting over silliness and narish stop bickering and fighting even over important things but that you could learn to disagree agreeably about to get along to May respect different positions about V says came close so the says don't read it par came close but par brought closer what did parro bring closer us to one another when you're a slave when you're in misery you point fingers and you blame but when you're need to survive together and you need one another he brought us closer how do you not feel Hashem when the missiles are flying certainly how do you not feel hasem when they're all shot down all of this is about at the end Hashem when we went to see and our fly in he said the world is radically changing are you that's what this is all about the world has changed and the world is changing have you are we the same people we were maybe we slept a little less we're a little more worried we've cried a few more tears but if you were to look at our life someone took a snapshot of your life today and October 6th could they see a difference what are you doing differently what have you introduced how are you living differently what are you observing how are you connected your T your life your your your relationships your patience your love your loyalty that's what it's about and that's what the non-jewish Nations what the Romans and the Persians me when they came to God and they said yes we've started and launched all these wars but you know why we did them for your children trying to wake him up so they wake up and he said we said we give us a reward Iran are saying to God look we got them to Google to Hill him so give us a reward right the The Crazies in Iran are saying no give us a reward because we got them to Google to hel Hashem says you think you did that that's me not you you don't have that power that power is all that power is all mine that power is all mine so that's what this is all about what we're going through that's what this time and that's how we have to measure it that's what it's all about again we'll speak about this more in chabas shabas speaking all about living in this world of lies lies that Israel is performing a gen it's what we're living in an lies being produced and spread in a record Pace being believed widely how do you navigate a world of Lies only by clinging to the truth lies are gous that's Exile truth is the path to Gula to Redemption so how do we the ambassadors the SCH of truth how do we hold the world accountable to truth how do we represent truth how do we navigate truth what's that all about that is a little Shameless plug for shabas AG the shabas afternoon today and tomorrow the market for to 10 p.m I personally and I are donating significantly you talk about meaningful use of your money I'm telling you it goes directly to put food and matah in people's mouths people who can't make PES without come volunteer later don't come come first of all benefit if you could use it it's not just for the most impoverished in the community it's for those who need relief those who need relief because it's oppressive foring PES and everything else Jewish jewishly so come if it could help you come if you can volunteer and you'll see BR comes she helps how many people come how grateful are they when they leave because they wouldn't know how they could so if you're able to help got a lot of fundraising still to do today so could use your help and please God by the time we meet next time for the Amun here please God the war will be over the hostages will be home we wish that y should bring everybody those who need it Comfort a lot of comfort a lot of strength a lot of comfort a lot of strength y can be difficult for people who suffered a loss particularly PES all the memories so y should bring people a lot of comfort and a lot of strength and a lot of gula by the time we resume we should have a lot of gula all right have a meaningful day