WONDROUS IDEA: Nurture the things you love (and do it now!)

One of the customs I have when I come to study at the Hartman Institute in Jerusalem is to buy a mint plant at the local nursery and put it out on my balcony. 

I water it, it grows, and I occasionally have a sprig of fresh mint to put into a cup of tea.

When my father passed away two year ago, I had to leave Israel in a hurry to get back to California for the funeral. I changed my plane reservation, packed up my stuff, and said goodbye to my friends at Hartman. Just before leaving for the airport I realized I was about to abandon my little mint plant. Who would water it once I left? 

I quickly brought it to one of the many gardens at the Hartman Institute and planted it next to a drip irrigation hose where I hoped it would get a little water and manage to stay alive.

The following summer when I returned again to Hartman, I found that my little mint plant had miraculously survived. It was about half the size, but there it was!

Another year has now come and gone since then and again I am back at Hartman. (FYI, this is my final 10-day session.) Time to check on my mint plant! This time it took a little bit of searching, but I eventually found it. It was very small.

Looking at my now tiny mint plant reminded me of what happens to the things that we love that we fail to nurture. They shrink. Of course, I’m not around to water and fertilize my little plant. She’s on her own here in Jerusalem. But what about those things in our lives that we have the power to nurture, yet neglect?

Friendships. Family. Finding time to do the things we love. Learning new things. Cultivating our interests. Do we give then the care and attention they need to both survive and thrive?

There is a saying in the Talmud - don't ask me where exactly - that states “if you abandon me for one day, I will abandon you for two.”  While it is speaking about the Torah, I think it is also comes to remind us that there is a cost we pay if and when we neglect the things that are truly important in our lives. 

So don't.

WONDROUS THING: All the world is a very narrow bridge (so don't be a jackass)

There is a new piece of exercise equipment at my gym. It's a step climber with a big screen that allows me to go on a virtual hike through some of our nation’s beautiful National Parks at the same time that I am working out.  I step and step and step, while on my screen I see a hiker’s view of the trail ahead. 

So far I’ve "hiked" trails in the Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, and Zion National Park.

However, it was the hike up to Angels Landing in Zion that caught my particular attention. It ran along a very narrow ridge with ridiculously steep drops on either side. Even from the safety of the gym the view was dizzying and a bit frightening. Check it out for yourself by clicking here. 

At first, I was going to quote Rabbi Nachman’s famous statement "All the world is a very narrow bridge and the main thing is to not be afraid."  I considered waxing poetically on how our lives are surrounded by metaphorical drops and chasms on all sides and yet still we must always push fearlessly onwards.

Then I read that over the past 15 years, eight hikers have tragically fallen to their deaths while hiking Angels Landing. That's a lot. So, instead, allow me to wax poetically on this: "All the world is a very narrow bridge and the main thing is to not be stupid."

Life can be perilous enough without our bad choices making things worse. 

So hike up to Angels Landing if you have an excellent sense of balance and don't mind walking on a 2 foot wide ledge with a 1,200 foot high cliff next to you. 

Text all you want, but for God’s sake – and for the sake of everyone else – don’t do it while driving. 

Eat junky, unhealthy foods, but do so in moderation lest your heart’s content eventually turns to discontent.

But may we always, ALWAYS, listen for that little voice of reason inside of us that whispers words of caution and conscience – sometimes far too softly – before we decide to do something tremendously and stupendously dumb. 

Happy trails!

Rabbi Michael

WONDROUS THING: Be Nice (yup, I'm speaking to you)

Once upon a time, a very nice hotel in Palm Beach did something very nice for me – and for the other clergy on the island – they gave us all a complimentary membership to the hotel’s beach club and brand new fitness center. (I’ll admit it is a nice perk. :-)

Being a creature of habit, I typically work out late in the afternoon. Upon finishing my workout, I empty a packet of recovery drink into a plastic bottle and fill it up with ice water. Since the beach bar is usually closed by this time and the large reservoir of ice water on the counter put away, I'm forced to either add warm water to the bottle (yuck!) or ask one of the bar attendants cleaning up to put some ice and water in my bottle. Warm water is out of the question so I always ask, and they always say yes.

The other day, however, this routine was broken.  After asking one of the women behind the bar if she could fill up my bottle, she said to the other attendant working with her “He is the only one I don’t mind doing this for.” The other woman then replied, “I agree.”

I didn’t understand, so I asked them to clarify. “You are the only person who asks us nicely,” she said. “Everyone else tells us to give them water; you ask us."  It seemed impossible to me but they swore it was true.

I’m not sharing this to toot my own horn. (Trust me, I have my grumpy moments.)  Yet, it was distressing to hear that common courtesy is - seemingly - in such short supply.

Everyday kindness might seem like a trifle, but it is not. There is a famous saying in the Mishnah that states: “Al shlosha d’varim ha’olam omed: al ha-Torah, v’al ha-avodah, v’al g’milut chassadim - The world depends on three things: Torah, Prayer, and Acts of Kindness." (Pirkei Avot 3:21).

Note that the rabbis place Acts of Kindness equal to the Torah. 

And so should we.

Most of the moments of holiness in our lives happen on the street, not in the synagogue.  Being kind and courteous are sacred acts; little moments of prayerful action that we bring to the world everyday by means of our countless interactions with others.

When you think about it, it is really quite elegant and beautiful.
I suppose all we have to do now is live our lives accordingly.

B'Shalom,

Rabbi Michael Resnick

WONDROUS THING: Find the Light (and don't stop till you do)

A woman I know was recently diagnosed with cancer. 

As you could imagine, it hit her hard. She was young and healthy. She was married, had a happy home and a beautiful daughter soon to become Bat Mitzvah.  Becoming ill was the last thing she expected.

Her cancer required months of treatment. Fear and radiation were constant companions.  With some of her lymph nodes removed, daily swelling and discomfort are now her new normal.

Yet, she surprised me when she said that despite all of the uncertainty surrounding her illness, she is happier now than at any other time in her life.

She always knew that she was married to a good man, but her husband’s love and endless devotion during her darkest moments has lifted their relationship to an entirely new level.

She now has a more profound appreciation for the true friends in her life as a result of the kindness and caring certain people shared with her and her family during her illness. 

But most of all, her bout with cancer has blessed her with the ability to distinguish which things are truly important in her life from those that are not.  The quality of each one of her days has been enriched immeasurably as a result.

Now we understand what the Mishnah (Berachot 9:5) means when it states “A person is required to bless God for the bad, just as one blesses God for the good...”

Who would have expected that out of such adversity could come such joy?  

Of course, it would be great to avoid misfortune in the first place, but if it should strike, may we always find a way to rise above the darkness so as to discover a little bit of light.  

#

What challenges have you faced that facilitated a more keen appreciation of a blessing in your life? 

WONDROUS THING: Easy Does It (Usually)

Here is something I bet most of us have never experienced… staying in an ice hotel. (That's ICE.)

Click on this link for a peek at some of the most famous ice hotels in the world. My favorite of the bunch is the Arctic Resort Kakslauttanen in Finland. What makes it special is that you can stay in an igloo – a warm one with a glass roof – and watch the Northern Lights from your bed!

Unfortunately, there is an increasing possibility that ice hotels might become a thing of the past. According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA - 2015 was the Earth's warmest.

It’s not an anomaly. Since record-keeping began 136 years ago, 15 of the top 16 warmest years have occurred since 2000. And all evidence suggests that the trend will continue unless we drastically reduce our greenhouse emissions.

The problem of climate change is global in scale and neither you nor I are going to completely solve the problem on our own. But that said, we can and should and must do something – even a little something.

The Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 4b) reminds us that “little somethings” are often the way big things get done. Tafasta meruba, lo tafasta – try to grab too much and you grab nothing at all. Tafasta meu'ta, tafasta – grab a little and you will succeed.

So do something little for the sake of the planet: make sure your next car is a car that doesn’t guzzle quite so much gas; change a few bulbs in your home to energy-efficient LED’s; and turn your AC up one degree this summer.

Easy little things.

Do if for winter. Do it for all the people – near and far – that live close to sea level. And if these aren't reason enough, do it for the sake of your grandchildren.

In a warming world, they will look at you like you are cool indeed.

WONDROUS THING: Be thankful (you did win the lottery - even a really small one)

We’ve all dreamed about winning the lottery. You know, the really big one that suddenly puts gazillions of dollars in our bank account!  Imagine the good you could do with that much money. Imagine how many people you could help.

But what would you do if you won a really small lottery… say, just a couple hundred dollars? How much good can you do with that?

Quite a lot, as it turns out.

Take Sofia Andrade, who recently won $200 playing one of those scratch-off lottery cards. She was driving in her car on a frigid winter’s day in Boston when she saw a homeless man panhandling on a street corner without a coat. 

With her newfound lottery winnings still warm in her pocket, she bought him a cup of hot coffee, and - after learning that all of the area shelters were full - paid for a motel room to get him out of the cold. She then - via Facebook and a website called GoFundMe - enlisted others to help. Together, they changed his life. (It's a touching story. You can read more about it by clicking here.)

In Pirkei Avot 2:21 it states: “Lo alecha hamlacha ligmor, v’lo atah ben chorin l’hivatel mimena” – “You are not expected to complete the task, but neither are you free to desist from trying.”

We don’t need to win millions of dollars in order to change the world. As you can see, a couple of hundred dollars - coupled with a willing heart - do just fine, in a pinch.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Michael

WONDROUS THING: Be thankful (you didn't win the lottery)

Winning the lottery just might be the worst thing that ever happened to you.

In an article in The Atlantic, we read about many individuals who discover the downside of actually gaining instant riches. 

Take, for instance, the sad tale of the “Lotto Lout” who used his millions to be with “thousands of prostitutes” (his words) and ended up in jail (no surprise).  Or, how about the man that - after winning the lottery - was so endlessly bombarded by requests for money from friends, family and his congregation that he had a complete mental breakdown. (Check out the article by clicking here. It is an interesting read, to say the least!)

In a way, the Israelites also won the lottery when they left Egypt: free food in the desert in the form of delicious Manna from heaven!

But according to some rabbis, this was a mixed blessing. 

The Hizkuni (Rabbi Hezekiah ben Manoah) said that since collecting and preparing Manna took virtually no time or effort, the people had an overabundance of free time on their hands!  

How would they use this time... aimlessly, or with purpose?

We often believe that we are “being tested” when something bad happens to us. But what about the test that presents itself when something good occurs?

Manna was just such a test. Not because it caused suffering, but because it made life easy.  

And us? How are we using our "Manna" - our "winnings" - of health and resources and free time that we are so fortunate to possess?

WONDROUS THING: Embrace your ethical dilemmas (but don't be a doofus)

Life is filled with dilemmas:

• Should you, or should you not, take your child's hoverboard for a spin? (Click here to see boxer Mike Tyson answering this question for us.)
• Should you, or should you not, begin flirting online with a person who happens not to be the same person you are married to?
• Should you, or should you not, take the risk of doing something you know to be illegal, saying to yourself that you're too smart to possibly get caught?

In these instances - and in countless others throughout our lives - there exists a magical moment that precedes them all. A moment just before we climb up on the hoverboard. Just before we text that intriguing new person. Just before we break the law. A golden moment - right before we do something incredibly stupid - when we have the ability to choose otherwise.

The classic story in the Torah on this issue occurs just before Cain decides to bump off his brother, Abel, in a fit of jealousy.  God kindly reminds Cain that "Sin (or 'stupidity' if you prefer) couches at the door; Its urge is towards you, yet you can be its master." (Genesis 4:7)

Of course, Cain ignores this advice.  The question is - the next time stupidity inevitably couches at our door - will we?

#

So, are you the master at such moments, or do such moments master you? 

WONDROUS THING: Live in the moment (while you have the moment)

I’m sure you have heard of Spiderman. But have you heard of Spider-Mable? Mable is an adorable six-year old girl that has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. She had one wish, and that wish was to be a superhero for a day. The Children's Wish Foundation in Canada made her wish come true.  When the captain of the Edmonton Oilers was “kidnapped” by the evil Mysterio, Spider-Mable sprang into action. Encouraged by thousands of people in Edmonton – and with the help of Spiderman himself – she eventually saved the day!  Click here to read about Spider-Mable and her action-packed time as a super hero. (Better have a box of tissues with you.) This story got me wondering... Little kids with life-threatening illnesses need the Children’s Wish Foundation to make their dreams into reality. But you and I can make our dreams come true anytime. Is this not so? So, what’s your dream?  You know what I'm talking about... a dream or a wish that you have the power to make happen. Do you have such a dream? If no, then why not? If yes, then when are you going to make it come true? Time marches on. Two thousand years ago, Hillel asked his famous question – “Im lo achshav, eimatai – If not now, when?” I'm sure Spider-Mable that would help us come up with the right answer.