Stop The Hate

When a loved one passes away, the Torah does not tell the family to simply move on. Rather, it tells the family to pause. They sit on a low chair. They don't shave or get haircuts. They avoid music and celebrations for a period of time. Their [music] life is totally different. And the question is why? Why go through all these difficulties at a time of morning? The answer is the morning period is not just [music] about honoring the dead. It's about waking up those who are still alive these days. force us [music] to ask difficult questions. Am I treating my friends and family the way they deserve? Am I giving enough attention to my children? Am I growing closer to Hashem? Am I becoming the person I was created to be? The morning period over the beta mikdash [music] is meant to do the very same thing. During different periods of a 3we span, Jewish communities around the world refrain from music, from taking haircuts, from eating meat, and then at we don't eat or drink at all. But these customs were never intended to become anti- rituals. They are meant to wake us up as a nation. Baseless hatred was our downfall. Jews judge one another because of background, [music] appearance, level of observance, or old grudges. Instead of lifting each other up, we look to take other people down. If that was a disease that brought our downfall, then no question about it, love, unity, and caring for one another will bring us back up. So, please don't go through this morning period [music] on autopilot. Make sure that these customs change your heart, make you into a better person. Let's all stop the baseless hatred that has caused us suffering for nearly 2,000 years.