A Rabbi's Thoughts

Well, it is finally here. The snow, that is.

After waiting so long, all the necessary ingredients were in place. The temperature, the precipitation, the clouds, even the pressure level. And then it all fell.

And when it falls – besides the commute to work and having the kids go to school 2 hours late – it is such a beautiful thing!

If you were up early enough, before the traffic started, and you looked outside your window, all you saw is one big sheet of white. It started at the end of the block and then when up a drop at the curb, a lot more where the car was last night and then totally engulfed your house.

It is the most pristine sight you will find in Commack in February.

Snow just falls from the sky and doesn’t discriminate where it will fall. The high places, the low places, the houses or the cars.

The Kaballah says that the Torah is compared to water. Why is that?

One reason is that just like the water (rain) comes from higher grounds and goes lower without changing, so to the Torah comes from the highest of all places (G-d’s intelligence) and comes all the way down here to earth.

But more then that. The Torah doesn’t make a difference where it falls. It falls in all places equally. And it is able to become a unifying factor bringing all the different things in the world together and showing how they are truly one.

The Torah allows us to look beyond our differences and see what we all have in common. We connect to our soul and when we do that, and fully connect to G-d, we reach a place that there we don’t notice any outward details that might separate us.

It shows us how we all can access the Torah if we would only try.

And when we do…it is the most beautiful and serene sight you will ever see.

I am currently at home with 66% of my children sleeping in bed after I worked for the last three hours to feed, bathe, change, bottle, and bed them. It was an experience, since this was the first time that I did this all by my self.

My wife is currently in Brooklyn at the annual conference for Chabad Shulchos (women representatives). And I offered to watch the kids for the weekend.

I had no idea what I was getting myself into!

Well, it is like this. The men have their convention in November when we all come together for inspiration, share ideas and attend a host of classes and workshops to fine tune our skills. While we are in Brooklyn, the ladies take over the fort. Now it is their turn and we try to do our part.

Wow! If only I realized how hard my wife works.

So today I would like to pay tribute to my wife (and of course the thousands of other Chabad women) who really is the driving force behind our organization (and the success we have had).

Some people me her how she does it all. Runs a Hebrew School, cook three great meals (and I mean great) a day, Give classes, plans the community programs, laundry and to always be there for anyone that needs her.

I generally just smile and say  - nothing! Since I don’t know how she does it!

But I know that her caring for the community and family pushes her beyond the limits to do everything that she does so well.

And then once a year she gets time off.

She joins 1500 other women who do the same thing (almost as good as she does). Whether it is in Russia, Texas, Africa or Alaska they are there, caring for a whole (large) family and a whole (large) community.

They trade stories and ideas and plan the agenda for the coming year.

It takes place about this time of year in conjunction to the Yartzeit of the Rebbe’s wife Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson.

The inspiration that her legacy gives them is the hours of devotion that she gave to the Chabad community. To every student in the Yeshiva and every family that was part of the organization. Every new idea that her husband, the Rebbe, came up with, she enthusiastically helped, in whatever way she can, to implement it.

And that is an inspiration to us all.

We in turn go out to the world and care for every family and every Jew with whom we come  in contact with.

Brocha, enjoy your weekend. Learn a lot. Talk with all your friends.

And don’t worry, the kids are sleeping quietly.