Shabbos Ha-Gadol Derasha - Seeing the Glass as Half Full (2020)

brother ring you go ahead Sheila told words I don't normally begin the Shabbos like of of Russia yet living in very illusioned the awkward times I'm so grateful they leave with me tonight virtually we can create a community of learners and be together it's difficult than as painful as it is as I'm looking out and a virtually empty sanctuary normally filled with coming together grateful to my children who are here so the lineup human beings I'm actually happy to have a different comic roles that happening at the technology dis even it this is so one of the services is empty shul she was so used to hearing the sounds of his feet oh the sounds of community the sounds of custody it sounds above the seven colors the street from here are belonging sanctuary to normalize the showers a troubled Russia as much as possible you before we begin roaming the gosset leads us in the singing we sit together our beautiful minute show us yeah God we come together as one tonight many years wanted security confidence a time of congregation of collecting of being together of camaraderie was significantly a time of community I want to thank our sponsors for this evening shadows a gold rush' the freemen and current family to sponsor memory of two people who were so incredibly special to me role models and mentors of mine we simply frequency from LaRocca and Helen grand last Shalom the way Friedman was an amazing advocate for the Jewish people he thought and he demonstrated and he proved us but and he led and he led by example he lost over our dua Shem the simcha not because it had his name but because it was the motto of his life he had a perpetual smile he was the embodiment of optimism but not a foolish optimism optimism optimism was the realism and an optimism that inspired an initiative we miss him tonight we miss him every day we dedicate our words to his memory it is my potato salad car in another incredibly special person was a model so many of us who too far for the Jewish people and every breast yeah she was a model power that is positive thinking and optimism of faith and even as she wanted the suffering and the burn illness even when that animus robbed her of the ability to speak the last piece off of her life she nevertheless continued to not words for the soul was shown how about you shall agony knowing her condition and knowing that was likely our last Pesach digging that I'm losing hope the next trip's repeating you shall I we trust friend from the two of them you dedicate our words in their minimum my friends these are very very challenging and dangerous and threatening they're incredibly scary time times of uncertainty and push them off and we wants to think about them a show should give them a speedier to Finglas in a full recovery as quickly as the stillness condition to be restored she could have been others are yet believing boss of people ever dreamt with me sick or gone as quickly there is real and incredible and acute pain in this world if you look at the source sheets and they're available to watching and whatever platform they should be in the comment section with a chat section maker should follow we will not get lost the top of page three is a picture Nautilus from Thursday this does undoubtedly continued to this coronavirus database telling us about how much effect blow there's not a human being alive who is not affected by this terrific pandemic the image the picture below it shook me to my core there have been certain pictures certain means certain images that it really caused me to stop and really evoke the motion in this one of the entire globe not any weariness math the idol aglow today therefore not incredibly scary we've introduced new words to our vocabulary then we are children that were her social distancing work but also scaring those who've been here but yeah I came back don't know how people want you they can continue to send their kids to school or what job will be left we're scared by the prospect of a Semitism they treat you and they blame the Jews and tragically there are a minority of prey then we get off sending our kitty show show and you rush em that's happening but make no mistake it's all mine then the message is alternate between things that make you act on things that make you cry because it's the only can't survive right now we need an emoji for something what makes us laugh and it's followed immediately by new news or information about someone by his mystic or a forecast that literally makes a stop and cried laughing and crying it's our new reality it's for an article that came out from the nurse speaking Marcus you described but she has a dammit on her phone he doing she's not she's not a chaplain she has no place ain't me doing it yet they're the front line the first lion or incredible medical personnel for me darling no she had to have a three-way conversation Pacific six people patientís undermine my position looks like he doing she writes my giving advice and prescribe me out of it accounting the nerves in the movie thing sorry folks you need to be none of invited to attend the funerals in addition to the masks and gloves that she's providing this is a new reality it's unfamiliar than any of us we don't have a playbook of how to navigate he's I'm sure bird and stormy mortals although I believe my friends we do we have a playbook hold our total repetition we have a play book called our timeless that's all they saw we have a playbook and we have a coach Leo what number who can be guiding us into sport us tickers by the arm and help us preserve my optimism and hope our belief in a brighter future we first need to think what we are going to amazing right everyone my my baby my little bit for sharing it with me they talked about the fact that so many of us are going through something [Music] in the beginning of managing it the beginning of managing ourselves to give them name and it's great give it the name greet it describes something I know it has been a deeply for me and I hope it does but the truth is what so many of us are going to feeling of a sense of loss even if we're so blessed we've lost the ability to celebrate and the women want I need oh hi in the resume so yesterday she shows off his baby at night what awesome have to say study to you big milestone events and small of us happy birthday dear auntie Alice's birthday 36 birthday tonight they're all wrapped not fully completed not the way that we walk and we feel essentially a grief over what we lost innocence a connection community agree when you describe this story but there is a storm come something bad out there it will impact us in some way and we don't know what it is it's that it's that uncertainty it's that fear factor we are grieving you all lost with lost confidence and she leave horse for me to take you for granted we've lost we look forward to every morning that we wake up and we're sure this day will come on had an anticipatory grief is really anxiety and it's the feeling we're talking about he writes our mind begins to show us limit is the goals to find balance with leezar thinking if you feel the worst image taking shape make yourself people the best village not everyone I love dies maybe no one does because we're all taking the right steps anticipatory because the mind going to the future and you're naturally the worst to calm yourself you have to come to the residents don't overcome that sense of grief but with giving it a name we've all lost something we washed in bathtub big sauce for our family we're having those guests we lost something we were looking forward to which got the later pushed off or canceled all together there are those who are grieving the worst reason for them to dive in from the bottom of our hearts but we are all believing some type of boss how do we feel optimistic and hope I we feel faith when we're suffering from that belief that's what we'll talk about one of the most exciting parts of the cedar and by the way the first step that we take to overcome please to come to the present and to find a sense of strength and hope is dispensed over so we've been doing for thousands of meters the studying cover us with cabinets through an imposition that Crusades even the Holocaust it carried us through compulsion to the gums and plates it carried us to illnesses it carried us around until today and study - we're going to eat tonight what does Alaska and that's what we do tonight because it was one of the most anticipated moments of the night doesn't love it it's like a stretch everybody needs to stretch their legs a little bit someone to go to open the door it's our version of that character who comes to every home the Jewish people simultaneously every continent on the globe every home in every time zone a yellow I'm not e-commerce doesn't come from the chimney he doesn't punch in the window he doesn't the more cool boss he got to get up and open the door for him which is peculiar and we'll come back to but that moment when we sing out the other eye now me look at that cop it counts family spirit when again you're trying to track kids while they still living argue to the children of Leo I'm not be himself 2% there are certain universal customs and we want to anticipate with some wording here's the strangest thing you know that the cup emilio doesn't have a fear of initial it's not Amara Blackwater by the diamonds nonchalant well when you're fatigued so excited when we look forward to such anticipation and excitement isn't even really part of our chicken doesn't really show do relatively what I want to spend their time is when was it introduced wine was introduced and what can be drawn from the into the symbol from the living legend we are not me who will be in every one of our big night I see is every me the singer my Dinah Shore source number three issues mistakes or errors he quotes the many usually sinners he says the government for the bias by having a large cup in the middle of the table everyone has equal access and is a display of freedom come on when I was in the ICU room Ashkenazi brethren this customer pulling the cornea and he says you know what it comes from an interesting hollow we know that it's gonna make you have done all over a cup of wine someone else comes along they wanna brush that same cop if it's good use the Force what's going on problem it has already been used it's invalid it's ineligible it's a coupon yeah I don't want to it back it but to use warning that previously abroad was Lisa began would be a coast public that makes it ineligible says you know the origin of this Ashkenazi customer you know what I was for but I want to keep you eye back when I'm in here says me behind them Vince me you know where the origin of the couple of the other is because he used to poured out for leftovers so that they come and then wouldn't invalidate for touch Somalia from the beginning we finished the first cup of the second cup of the third cup and by continuing to pour it out you're not double dipping you won't have a problem with it be a ghost we're not slide by the said we're not satisfied we're very good reason Oh named after whom can we honor with the garbage Bowl no table let's call it the garbage that doesn't make sense so where does it come from you go back to drunk the next reference we have in the Seaport good recipe number logo with the beast in Poland yeah Basin never the secret portal series of too much from my kids emotion again in the 17th century and he explained that their sentiments one two - and he says no there's another cup that's called oh don't confuse them and it's in this generation my friends note the date because we're gonna come back to it history box - I'm listening well of course music what was happening in the Jewish world at this time the gosh 17:32 1770 he was the custom it's in that generation it's at that time we begin to see the proliferation the spread of this custom of having a cop for real we've been fighting against Ashkenazi Custer and his work mode little honey right Baskin uh yeah I was gonna say they're the matters people across from the old ugly Ashkenazi brothers in the beginning at the signal and then they leave it from the balla bias who the next day put some of those bandages at the next day since what do you drink it during the Seder so get to that generation but we don't like this reason so back to the [Music] everyone that's all no four cups of but it's not so steep in the entire opening quotes the government don't have my focus the golden comma after the pivot of the Amarone before the $30.00 shovel and there's a debate the governor himself sensitive to geographic locations the government of Surat and the government of my poop indecent surah is in the southern part of ancient Babylonia west of the Euphrates River and Issa is a little eccentric and today he's gonna wake scholars are these two centers at these two academies had a big debate what is the right piece which is the proposition do we have four cups of the Seder or do we have five why would we say four do you show me if something gives us lots of reasons we're all familiar with the most famous among them that are foreign languages of Google look for statements of invention we got housekeeping like I've been corresponding with each of the stages of graph corresponding the leaders involved in chapters of our Redemption is another version of the language and that's why we have four cups of calamity but the usually gives us more reasons than just that your Sharlee your shamisen ski negga alfre google oops maybe bombs with the four stages of reduction or maybe out of a coastal Shapero the four cups that kind of drink can they get out of my mouth knows maybe it corresponds with four exiles that we have happened there are so many reasons suggested that correspond with enough for the doxy kickoff for spoilers india Garth opinion and they said now they have a tradition of war with his alysom target five and what's the reason don't argue of this cup 6 cup are their only foreign language isn't more don't forget is it for was five what do we follow us the right map to a rush with a bit of phenomena they all follow the go to the surah and the angle Cisco the rasa and totes foes family going on the leaders of Cooper DISA and they only have a fourth cup so we have a debate when we found look at the Showbox verse 22 he doesn't mention the fifth cup he only sends four cups and it's astounding right through the night concussion it is like rubbish Rimmer the vase Yeltsin who makes a living and moving all the opinions doesn't even acknowledge doesn't even quote the opinion of the government that say five cups doesn't make a reference I woke up and he has a long essay trying to uncover why that means the remark comes along and there are more emotions to his dogs mention of Ithaca he said mr. Serrano who's very sensitive someone who's very thirsty and wants to continue to drink out the saber she can drink a fifth cup the owner of our governor and recite upon it the hollow hog of your arm on the bush mention the Sitka [Music] it says nevertheless is a little mineral quartz why am I talking about this [Music] aggressive debate we look down we have a tradition that says for we have a tradition that says fine we're living in a state of doubt we don't know what to do my confidence has been shaken to its core what should we do you know gives us answers we have that you know as the solution when we are I'm sure oh I know the governor has a crush and doesn't have an answer and then it's word it says tangu teach me guitar it's cushions my bias le roi to see Eliyahu and resilience because four or five we got my prize walk up on the table and will fulfill both opinions why because Elio is the one we rely on to help us resolve our death my friends would come to the first message the first symbol the first lesson to draw from the company are the grief that we feel the pain too cute is the notion of doubt in my life I don't remember hearing of such uncertainty from whom will we get the next phone call or bad news what will be the next out point what will be the next repetition what will be the next executive order whoa one minute mr. Wednesday night you gonna get up and we're gonna go in door and you're gonna walk Emilio because as I totally do we know then we are not subjects of randomness or chance that nothing happens by accident everything is for a reason and by design it's all the hand of God that has ushered our history until now and that will direct and choreograph our deaths from now and when we open that door when we welcome elio inside us that faith that hope that comforts the knowledge that we don't have to have down there are so many things we don't know you know what helps us feel better even about all that we don't know is the one thing we know for sure that there's an English dirty brother Shalom is almighty he brought this woman in charge he presents a problem the easy solution and therefore we take every precaution well in every initiative while we do everything we have to do anymore we're never crippled he never fall apart right down because of the one certainty in the world of so many valuables there's one absolute devotion the shoulders in the time when he redeemed us and it shows today the voting rights the reason the governor makes a promise if you're so many Google Aquila and you say the words God he's thrown right before you say you're sure when actually you eat up the crumbs to come your promise such wonderful reward what's the big deal let the sitter in order you said God is from and yeah meet that so much big deal you follow the words of the suit what's the big deal since I've um you know I gotta strong means it means either I like to my guests present I remember that I live it's my story that the Jewish people were in Egypt than God took a sound we have trials and tribulations in the desert and got rescued us we've been through Wars and persecutions oppression we still my place and extermination attempts God is wrong he wouldíve me in the yes now I'm ready to say now I need the present he took me out it transformed my reality you redeemed me in the past gives me the confidence but knowledge that a person of death can't diamond but certainty can mean a share when we say God is strong I was there I remember every year I relive that experience when I hope was lost and you came to rescue Austin you will again and therefore I don't have to be crippled I don't have to pull apart my dad I can't go currently certainty you know there's a phrase many things because Alex not any sim cooked out curse or something there is no joy like resolving down to the stomach this way doesn't have you down resolved tonight no we will open that door he's the harbinger of certainty of confidence about knowledge then we will get back that we will recover that we won't yell harmony come and get a job that our eyes will return hatred and the challenges life throws at us we will move on it's what we don't be crippled by down we are so many questions why are so many sufferings don't become crippled by the questions grandma tell me all or nothing and grab onto his confidence it's message of hope his message of certainty is message of think it's message of optimism then not only will we sir and we will thrive we will learn through the grow then we will look back and talk about ourselves we never knew this yeah what happened [Music] terror with Dennis Lee but in fact it's in that background against that backdrop because who rises up in that time a fourth you sire he's name is shotgun c4 in 1626 it dies 1676 that's against [Music] we will come back we open that door the image of the message' Nellie are nothing no no then one day we will return maybe it won't be the exact same again but we will to their life that we need twenty-nine nice to know I owe nothing against to make an appearance at this time because we're getting close to the gula right specifically in these later generations when the time for the final intentions are sponsoring the patch they want you please come and go stronger that time the custom of pouring the cookie dough has become widespread we're feeling tasting the gula we're all there in the context of old history and what we have survived and therefore were desperate in welcoming in the others to coming out he has arrived the sugars here it's time and in this period of the end of the guro when we feel the most baffling this customer has begun intruders my friends the second half of the Seder is all about not just the past Redemption that's the first half of the Seder the prolonged market section is all about accounting retelling reliving the story but the second half that we come back the meal is not about the redemption of the past Pesach is an exercise in faith in a hope it's all about our long anticipating the redemption that is yet to come we just set it this morning I throw that we eat read privately yeah nobody shall laugh whatever silly or nothing the play brownie on my show I go by Noah El Rio brings the message of mushiya le young comes and says lift your chin but smile on your face open your eyes if I shake the Simca be happy because Michelle is almost here no matter what what is going through what we do with faith what we do with confidence that's not random we do the countdown so it's the final redemption we find the capacity to do it with joy Laura Casas descenders ooyama yeah the issue come on so about leadership on a Sunday - yeah Kiko Tobias Onyango Eliyahu blood ain't a minute Mohammed or custom touch O'Connor the coroner Sarkozy Lyon it's at this point of the stator every year not just the coronavirus here not just the pandemic here every year at this point of the Seder we get up and open that door and we looked at me welcome and he longed to welcome and invite mushiya and his one who will announce his arrival early oh nothing when we open that door so with confidence he do so with the belief and knowledge that he is going to karma if there's another message of eliyahu i want to share with you because the story of Elio in my life no I'm kidding Leo are not beasts and that's the Ricky Leo's faith in the Jewish people and I show sense that Leo you know you doubt the Jewish resiliency you doubt their capacity for faith in hard times you doubt their sing le are nothing you will never die you're coming back to every bliss visit every arm on Pesach and the Jewish people will open that door and the Jewish people will welcome your arrival and the Jewish people will show you I will exhibit to you prove to you that they are sticking with the plan that they are with it when we open that door this Wednesday night don't just imagine it turned to mozzie Leo guitars family and if you're having a saner alone you can say a loudest and you can say it most authentically Elio never doubt the Jewish people no matter what is happening no matter what's going on around us no matter how much fear and doubt we're sitting like royalty Majesty sitting at our Seder table of the night of faith declaring our confidence in our sham living with a faith in his Dominion and Providence over us Hashem is always in our lives Elio I want you to come and see give a kid take a look here we are with what everything going on around us we haven't hesitated we haven't paused we still clean for Pesach and we're still making us later and we're still declaring not only our freedom but that I Shem is the one who brought it her faith in Him and Leo never doubt the Jewish people that is your mission that is our charge this year to open that door and exhibit and show elio are nothing that were still with the plan that here we are nothing has changed that we look forward not only to his arrival but we look forward he's announcing the arrival of the Mela Hamish AIA to bring a Redemption that is filled with healing and health of safety and security of prosperity and a simcha and that's why we open that door we got the Schliemann of consciousness we open the door to make sure before we declare so Hamas fella go ahead you want to make sure that no got him in the bushes you want to make sure there's no non Jew right outside your home he says it's a practical thing we opened the door but according to this explanation though we open that door not because that leo can't come through the chimney we open the door because we're waiting for his message we open the door because we want him to see look what's going on behind me look at with it we still are look how much we believe look how our faith can never be right or shaken here we are and here we will be knowing the symbol rise and a better day will come and everything is orchestrated from above with complete and absolute faith in Hashem in the worlds that will doubt we have the ultimate certainty that resolves all there now well it's become the universal custom to welcome elio for intellectual honesty a point those who are opposed there are those who are opposed on a logic grounds the American says the laws of Toman apply there are those who are applied who are opposed on hush gothic grounds who say there's a problem of da ki mori it's a form of an idolatry or superstition to think le oh i know it comes to our homes the asha the shame is shamone based on a camera and sun adren but despite those voices of opposition reversal customers spread and we observe it so beautifully we affirm our faith we welcome his message we tap into his home thus I'm so free used to make the cup Evelio the tourist on his table and the most glorious the note of a hundred his calendar used to ask or DeLeo down the steps after the Seder and the customer when bells are Hassidim was to walk Elio and not be from your house to the shul don't tried to see her socially distancing the Deseret madam chair felt Leo and avi just like at a bris we have the Keisei belly oh those are never had a seder the whole night tell you it doesn't just pop in he is there his message of redemption hope optimism faith we are proving ourselves Tim the whole night what do you do with the wine at the end some say pour back in the bow it's not pogrom no one made a bra huh according to the best I'm moving you drink it during the meal we don't follow that opinion Sam so fur would leave the cook overnight and he would make kiddush the next day lunch he'd make kiddush on the cup of Elio from the night before and so what we've seen until now a custom we take for granted that we imagine has existed forever is in fact relatively recent what is it about perhaps it helps us resolve a logic dilemma what to do about coast poem maybe a free Gras it helps us resolve what to do with the fifth cup but for all of us it helps us rediscover that knowledge that belief that this world is not a fluke it's not random that we've come through worse and times were yet again be better where is this Elio enough how is he able to beat all of our hone simultaneously are we really supposed to teach our children feel for ourselves he's there to give a show him I like him are you allowed to hug him did he wash his hands is he wearing gloves does he come with a mask does he have to distance himself from us we're and who is this healthy or nothing and I want to suggest to you tonight that when you open that door and you're looking for the oh I know thee he's not on the other side of it but rather perhaps one of it is each and every one of us a hospital once went to about shem tov in this booth and he said rabbi i want to see le arundathi every year i pour his cup at the seder and every year i sing a song and every year I went and I'm disappointed I'm desperate to meet him I'm desperate to welcome him I want to see him or it it's about Shem Tov said it's very simple I'll tell you what to do get two boxes one filled with food and the other filled with children's clothing and before Pesach I want you to go to Minsk on the outskirts of the town right before the forest begins there's a dilapidated house find that house and knock on the door immediately stand there and listen and shortly before came the lighting at sunset knock on the door and ask for hospitality the hustling was so desperate for aliawan avi so he agreed he filled the box of food and the other box was clothing and he made his way to Minsk and he's found on dilapidated home on the outskirts of the forest and he waited me listened and at the right moment he knocked on the door but before in the earth the children sang mommy we're hungry it's Yom Tov we have no clothing to wear we have nothing to eat what's gonna be and he heard the mothers say children I don't know what we're going to do I don't know where it's going to come from but we have to trust in Hashem it's going to be okay and the hostage knew at that moment that was the time to knock on the door well no one opened that he said I'm looking for us but Almaty totals youngters I need somewhere to stay and she said I'm so sorry my holy brother I'd love to welcome you we don't even have food for ourselves my children don't even have clothing Russell said food and clothing no problem I happened to have with me a box of food in a box of clothing and the woman said please you're welcome to join us and she came in so he went back he spent yontiff he waited there two days he made it through to stardom - finally I wanna be like the Baal Shem Tov in promised him but the two days ended there was no no a Leo and avi mins way back - measurements and he said to his river the Baal Shem Tov he said master I waited I did what you said I packed the boxes I listened I knocked on the door I waited and I didn't meet them Alya one of him Sebastian so says are you sure you didn't see him he said no Rebbe I didn't see him are you sure yeah I was there two days they entered then you need to go back to the second things go back with a box pack of food say max and again I want you to arrive right before sunset and don't knock immediately just listen and when the time is right knock right before your teeth he was disappointed he hadn't seen Elio and he thought it was a fool's errand but the mouse Shem Tov tells you something you listened so he made his way back to Minsk the dilapidated house on the outskirts of the town and before he knocked on the door he gave a listen and he heard the children say mommy we're hungry we haven't eaten the whole day children said the mother do you remember when you were crying before the Seder and you said you were hungry there was nothing to eat no food no clothing I told you just trust in my Shem and lo and behold there was a knock on the door and out of nowhere a man brought us food and he brought us closer he came with everything we needed my children Kindle ah I want you to know I think that man must have been a Leo another and now you're crying again because you're so hungry I promise you elio our Navi will come again and at that moment the huset understood what his master the Baal Shem Tov had said and he knocked on the door my friends this place I don't look friendly I want me to come from the outside be that Elio our Navi knock on other people's doors make sure that people who can't afford mats or wine or meat take care of them if you have a few extra dollars people who are alone or shut-in who feel isolated and abandoned call them send our Tsar or FaceTime connect with them we have a responsibility not to sit back and wait tre Leo a nubby to redeem us get up and go and be someone else's Elio anafi knock on their door be their redemption lady it's like a prediction of the conditions Flavie explains that it's eliyahu remains a Jewish hero Moshe died he went to the next world and we haven't heard from him since we learned his Torah every day but he passed on from this world and Leo the Nabi tells us ascended to the heaven in a whirlwind Elio I now he never died he remains in touch with us - today he goes to every bris and we give him a special chair he attends every Abdullah and we sing in the air on avi he comes to every Seder he answers our questions when we down he reminds us to have confidence when he doubts we proved him we step into the program and have faith we show him we are his mirror we don't just wait for his Redemption but we get up and we are willing to be the Elio an avi for others many of us are predisposed towards a sense of pessimism we try to convince ourselves its realism say rabbi nice talk we should be more optimistic and hopeful we should believe but have you seen the numbers have you heard the news do you know the reality we think that things will only get worse they'll never work out what will be that is not a Jewish voice that is not a Torah message that is not the best of who we are about Ryan writes in his commentary and I got the source 41 there are six songs at the end of the Haggadah though the concluded he writes on a joyous note with a feeling of triumph and satisfaction these poems assured us that eventually right will prevail they'll be better times for his from all humankind the message of serene confidence and unmitigated hope that dominates these poetic words gain them permanent entrance in the immortal aha Gaza six poems we don't really understand we don't even know who wrote them you know why they're there scissor my wine because a Jew ends the Seder night not negative or pessimistic not realistic a Jew ends the Seder night optimistic hopeful joyous confident about the future hey Sally Ride embodies optimism it teaches us that even the most vile circumstances slavery and they were having a paganism all can be overcome by human faith and effort and with the help of a Shem and that is really the theme of Aadhaar who and every other poem and my friends science has only now caught up to what the Jewish people always knew I want to end by giving you practical advice this is the point I usually get the email later that says rabbi why didn't you just cut right to the last few minutes what was the whole beginning so we're at that point for those following at home save yourselves the emails I want to give practical tips and advice for all of us myself my family you and your family how it can be more optimistic and now we can embrace the message and image of Elia wannabe and now we can get up and open that door and see before our very eyes a promise of a brighter future that will put a smile on our face suggestion number one is that munna the first strategy in the ultimate message that Elio leaves us with is that moon up shooter the simplicity that God is always by our side when we're struggling when he struggles with us when we suffer he suffers for us that we are never alone even those who in this unusual year are forced to have the base saw Seder unimaginably alone you're never alone several years ago I was at a bris you know what a breast to sit at a table on his first you getting to get a seat and then incrementally everyone has to go to work or drive carpool or nest somewhere to go and one by one they get out from the table so I was at a table at a bris and I feel terrible but I have a meeting I gotta go I'm so sorry to leave you alone I feel terrible please forgive me and he looked at me with a smile I sincerely and genuinely as anyone has ever said anything to me he looked at me and he said holy rabbit I'm never alone don't feel bad I'm always flushing and he meant it sitting on a table alone by himself if a Shem is in your life you're never alone you're singing the Haggadah for him you're asking the man astana to him you're saying it's our Torah and you're giving him the greatest Naha syrie he is in the room he's present he's there whether you're alone or whether you're more alone than you usually are or whether you just feel alone during this difficult time Hashem is with us and here's the amazing thing like Eliyahu Hanavi declared Hashem who I awoke in I don't care what the corona dashboard tells me I don't care what the experts tell me I don't care what threatens me I'll take my precautions shown live responsibly carefully and then I come my trust I shed my elokim it's all up to him and not only does that help you religiously and I'd only does that help you with your righteousness did you know that will actually help you with your health is a book I love quoted it before several years old it's called the survivors Club by Ben Shirley and the book goes through and researches science psychology to understand why are some predisposed to survive more than others why is it some survived the plane crash some survived cancer some survived the attack some survived the Holocaust he is a chapter on each one of these things why do some survive and others now there's no perfect answer but what is science and what does research tell us he's a Jewish guy I've been sure wouldn't he writes in the beginning of the book that he does not believe in God he's an agnostic at best he's not sure but he admits later in the book and look up page 20 source 42 he says when I started writing this book I was somewhat skeptical at the role of faith and survivor as I admitted I've always offered a few prayers during their planes takeoff and landing but I was doubtful of their impact but as I began to interview survivors around the world I noticed a remarkable pattern overwhelmingly they shared a belief that God and faith had sustained them through their trials as many as 75 or 80 percent cited a higher power as an important reason for their survival 75 to 80 percent of people said it was my faith it was my hope it was my knowledge it was my submission to God that enabled me and empowered me that energized me and strengthened me to get through so that's anecdotal nice that's rabbinic anecdotal homiletic oh listen to what he writes in the next page page 21 dr. Harold Koenig of Duke University Medical Center Duke University it's a real place one of the pioneers in the field of faith and health founder and director of the center of the study of religion and health he's written more than 35 books and 300 articles and now people's religious beliefs influence their mental and physical well-being the fancy name for the field destruct me when I saw it this week the fancy name for this field get ready is psychoneuroimmunology PN a psycho neuro immunology it's the science of how your mind influences your health and our social and psychological factors like religion affect your immune and nervous system this disease coronavirus who are the people most vulnerable who are we most worried about people who are immunosuppressed people with a low immune system do you know what raises your immune system belief and faith in God turning to him talking to him confiding in him protesting and objecting to him thanking him inviting him to be part of your daily life faith builds your immune system not only does turning to a muna during these difficult times give you the strength to get through them it helps you it helps you medically it helps you scientifically psychoneuroimmunology faith in God bolsters the immune system take the vitamin C and wash your hands and quarantine and wear a mask and say to hilum and Doc and most importantly talked him from your heart in between the words of the center the most authentic type of Dominic there is tellin what's going on in your life what you're scared about what you're worried about what you need is help for why you disagree with him and you protest that he's doing thank him for the incredible gifts that you have number two in our hearts and our Tilos and we love but if you haven't lost a loved one if you have someone who's dangerously ill deathly ill weird Avenue from the bottom of our hearts our words of turin tonight and always should be in their greatest and we should celebrate their full recovery but listen and listen carefully if you are not challenged your health or anyone around you if you and your family are healthy whatever problem you're going through right now is a first-world problem rabbi my ovens not soft clean I have to scrub it I can't believe it was me what will be my first piece I've ever I'm home can you believe it what a tragedy my friends that's not a tragedy thinking like that is a tragedy if your biggest problem is making days off you are the most blessed person on the planet and don't forget it for a moment we have to have a sense of context to what we're going through a sense of appreciation for the blessings that continue to surround us if we're healthy and financially have a roof over our head and food on our table even if perhaps we've taken a dip and understand that we were worried about what will come next but don't neglect being thankful for what you have by focusing too much on what you're worried you'll be missing context the Black Plague lasted 70 years it wiped out millions of people that's not to suggest this is nothing not to minimize its impact it's to give a sense of context and I want to show that to you inside for a moment this absolutely startled me luminacai sure was a great run with 1895 to 1983 he's the author of the monumental work Taurus lemma on Hunnish and in the introduction to his seifish most its source 43 page 22 he writes he published his seifish Moses commentary right after the Holocaust after the war and he writes that nothing they went through in this book in the book of shows the suffering in Egypt pales in comparison to what we've just endure to what we've just experienced to the blood that was just spilled and he says woe unto us shava Derek Mason it sound to me my beloved um in my European little uncle Oh Lee Allah made Musha Musha he says want to ask what we've lost almost destroyed utterly what we've endured is the same maybe worse than what's in safer schmoes the reality he describes in the zoomed in lens on that moment is so horrific fast forward just a couple of years later and his eye gar - Laima he rides a source 44 he writes in his essay on the fifth Cup he says you know the fifth language they may see listener what he writes now in our time when we've been privileged to behold the mercies of all we name his salvation we established from the State of Israel the beginning of the redemption and salvation in the Exile of a dome it is fitting and proper we observe the pious act the drinking of the fifth Cup as a form of Thanksgiving he went to the chief room individual he went to the canola his contemporaries and peers and he said we who have survived and whose merited to live with the founding of the State of Israel it's time to drink the fifth cop it's time to drink the cup of the hey see we have arrived he's brought us in it is the beginning of the redemption now of course wasn't accepted and none of us do it it didn't take root but I share that contrast to give you context in one moment all hope seemed lost and the next II rights were living in the era of redemption we have to have a sense of context to the time in which were living you know it was a simcha this week and I got an email from our members who had a grandson and listened to the email they wrote with their permission as a Sheridan source 45d rabbi Goldberg good news is something we can all use wonderful news about a new grandson baby a mother are doing well gosh I'm good and healthy Grayson I will not be there for the Brits in fact I believe only Donnie's County in the mall I do not think our elder son marker or somewhere on any of their sons will be there we will join via zoom times are indeed very different he writes but at the same time just this morning Grace and I were imagining what it was like for her parents in March 1944 hiding in the abandoned warehouse in northern Italy's mountains where she was born no heat no food hiding from the Nazis delivered by her grandmother of Shula lady Buster's mother and a very happy very happy a girl and not a boy I too have been eternally happy yep things are different but much worse back then the Sun rose this morning the Sun will rise tomorrow the Sun will rise forever the world is not ending on this too shall pass I have the email and I began to cry and I wrote him can I quote this email listen to what he writes back sure we should all know this is nothing as we sit in our air-conditioned houses with plenty of food internet Nye phones 75 years ago we had nothing except by Tohono and faith of course he's not talking about somebody in the hospital weird Avenue for a loved one who's ill but for the rest of us this is relatively speaking compared to what our people have endured we are blessed and we can't lose that context when we have a sense of hope and a sense of optimism we are that elio another to help others I was moved by the story on page 24 how those who've recovered a New Rochelle are not hiding under their bed they're not saying what was me they're donating their plasma to help the next person who's diagnosed with the virus that's how we respond not by turning inward but out by being the Elio our Navi to others by getting up in creating Redemption why do we have to open the Oh Kenny Leo and IV come down the chimney walks through the wall come in the window the answer is if you want Redemption get up off the couch and make your way to the door and let the redemption in we are Leo Leo Hanavi we are making that difference whether the person who anonymously sent ten thousand dollars and said how families who need or I came and found in my mailbox $500 worth of supermarket gift cards and I look for the note so I can say thank you dropped off anonymously these are at Leo I know these trying to make other people's lives better now looking inward waiting for oh I love you to knock on our door but knocking figuratively on other people's doors to make a difference in their life two more things the language we use the language we use is so important if we want to be optimistic if we want to be resilient if we want to come through this with a smile and a joy and not having lost our health just from worry we need to be more judicious and careful more vigilant with the words and the language that we're using so an article on source 47 that talks about a positive tone and optimistic language real language but especially when our children around not scaring them understanding the threatened danger laying out what we need to do but using a positive upbeat optimistic language to point out not only the crisis but within this crisis to also point out the opportunity that we're living through it's a great cartoon on the bottom of page 26 for the camera scar to no one sees only the bars the other sees the Magnificent scenery behind it which one are you looking out at this world what do you see are you seeing the bars that are imprisoning us in our homes or do you see the scenery that has been created as a result I saw me also part of our vocabulary wouldn't that so recently which one will your child be in seventy five years from now oh I remember the corona virus outbreak in 2020 it was horrible we're stuck in our homes forever we couldn't go anywhere go do anything we were climbing the walls world will they say oh I remember coronavirus 2020 we had so much fun staying home from school for a month we played Monopoly for hours on end will they say it was a nightmare my mother was terrified we were washing our hands every 30 seconds my father was screaming or will they say there was no school for a month we got to stay out and we made a thousand piece puzzle together we are hanging it had a hanging in our room for years after what will the message what is the energy in our homes we owned that energy we are the ones who are putting it out what is the language we use what is the atmosphere we are creating the one who was an expert on us that he taught the Jewish world was their happiness that sound Zaremba had a positivity bias the Rebbe had believed he invoked the research of neuroscientists Andrew Newberg and professor Mark Grammer Waldman that words change our brain in their book words can change your brain they write a single word as the power to influence the expression of genes that regulate physical and emotional stress MRI scans demonstrate a single negative word can increase the activity and the in India Magdala the fear center of the brain if we use negative and scary words the fear parts of the brain light up they compromised our immune and our health they compromised our well-being positivity bias positivity language research shows the longer you concentrate on positive words they literally shape and mold they affect the brain the rabbit was incredibly careful in fact the rhetoric used to use the third deadline why connotes death instead he called it not a deadline a due date because it has a connotation of birth a due date the rabbi wouldn't call a spiritual getaway or retreat retreat connotes regression and surrender never said only onward and upward the rabbit was asked to endorse a hospital in Israel he said on one condition if it's called a big column a house for sick people I wanted or sit because if your friend there and the house were sick deeply gonna feel sick so instead the Rebbe insisted be called baked ritsuo a house for healing so the people there will know that they're coming to heal their habit didn't call it outreach as if key room you're far away and I'm bringing you close to me the rabbit had incredible attention to the detail of how we use language you know he said it there's a lord the same word it's not coincidental in the Hebrew the same word devar means word and it also means to speak or speech it also means thing why because the relationship between words and things is very close words manifest real things devar and a bear we create reality by the words that we use be vigilant be careful be mindful be intentional with the words with the energy with the attitude with the atmosphere it'll help and preserve our well-being and it will impact the people around us and lastly learn the ability that we can learn to be optimistic we don't have to analyst ik don't be sitting and waiting for the other shoe to drop don't assume it's gonna strike your own don't think the worst is gonna happen that's not who we are that's not what we believe it's not how we live our lives we shape our reality now with a negativity bias or filter forever with a positivity - with a learned sense of optimism Martin Seligman wrote a book learned optimism he said optimists don't avoid life storms but they rather than better and emerge from them better off and he suggests commit to optimism every day we do it we davon and it's filled with optimism it's an invitation to be optimistic every morning before he even get out of bed mode on he writes be optimistic we do we say mode Omni double down on gratitude seek out the good always look for that which to be grateful for and trust in your capacity for life so my friends thank you for joining me tonight thank you even more those who did for sticking with me in summary which is us then we can attain freedom from our task ministers we don't have to be in shackles we don't have to be imprisoned imprisoned by a virus that restricts us to our home imprisoned by a reality that makes us fear the worst we can embrace the message of eliyahu the atari pushes vampires that elio will come and give us back our confidence that the one answer told out is the certainty that it's a little from above that faith builds resiliency it raises our immune system that the words we use create the reality around us think good and it will be good describe good use good language positive biased positive positive language and it will create a positive reality so I invite you to join me this Wednesday night when we all collectively within our own homes distance from one another will open our doors don't just open your door open your hearts this year open your door and don't wait to be rescued be the rescue be the elio who helps other people be the person of faith who relies and turns to a shadow be the person who knows that we will have a brighter future when we do it together erupts on the converse photo who should give a photo for laymen to those who are ill you should blame your Redemption terrified as quickly as our world has been turned upside down maybe set right side up and we come together room soon we'll be filled again with the sounds of brothers and sisters of homely Jews coming together to turn to our father and have him and to thank him for all that he has done and will continue to do for us Akasha is Samara and the good yontiff healthy happened [Applause] you