Wishing You a Happy Shavuot, May 16-18 Non Profit Org
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Wishing You A Happy Shavuot, May 16-18 Non Profit Org. U.S. postage PAID Rochester, NY Permit No. 4237 CHABAD LUBAVITCH ROCHESTER NY THE CHABAD TIMES A Publication of Chabad Lubavitch of Rochester VOLUME 38 NUMBER 4 SIVAN 5781 V”C May 2021 Kessler Family Chabad Center Chabad Of Pittsford Chabad Young Professionals Rohr Chabad House @ U of R Chabad House @ R.I.T. 1037 Winton Rd. S. 21 Lincoln Ave. 18 Buckingham St. 955 Genesee St. 91 York Bay Trail Rochester NY 14618 Pittsford, NY 14534 Rochester, NY 14607 Rochester, NY 14611 West Henrietta NY 14586 585-271-0330 585-340-7545 585-350-6634 585-503-9224 347-546-3860 ww.chabadrochester.com www.jewishpittsford.com www.yjparkave.com www.urchabad.org www.chabadrit.com On Shavuot we celebrate the Giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai exactly 3,333 years ago. Your ancestors stood at the foot of the mountain. You, too, stood at the foot of the mountain together with your parents and grandparents - for the souls of all Jews from all generations came to hear the Ten Commandments from G-d Himself. This year, attend the Reading of “The Ten Commandments” in synagogue on Shavuot and reaffirm our Covenant with G-d and His Torah. Shavuot Services @ Chabad Monday, May 17, 9:30 a.m. followed by Deluxe Dairy Pizza Kiddush page 2 The Chabad Times - Rochester NY - Sivan 5781 Free Trial Period by Sara Esther Crispe I've come to the conclusion me (doesn't He always?) and that G-d offers free no-risk- my content, little life sudden- no-obligation trial periods. ly became quite difficult and There are various packages confusing. It didn't help that I available: some are 90-day was spending my junior year promotions, others even in Israel, far away from longer, some may be shorter. friends and family, and in the And the welcoming gifts are midst of a falling-out with unbelievable. Are you follow- my immediate family to the ing me? You see, I figured out extent that we were not that this is how people who speaking. Along with my vow are not raised in observant of silence came a closed wal- homes or environments let, which meant that I was become actively observant. also on my own for all my This revelation came to me financial needs. recently, when I was teaching I found a job as a waitress a group of seminary girls, all in a hotel. I was the only Jew of whom were raised in reli- and only woman working gious homes. They wanted to alongside fifty Arab men. I know how it was that I first worked 45 hours a week and became interested in living an was enrolled in five classes. observant life. As I began to My schedule didn't leave describe the transformation much time for a social life, that took place in my life but at least it paid the bills. more than ten years earlier, I So I wasn't exactly in a realized that it was the com- position where I was spiritu- mercial that must have ini- ally searching. I was simply tially attracted me. Then there surviving. And even though I were the bonus gifts, and by was brought up in a tradi- the time my free-trial was up, tional household that was I forgot that my credit card kosher and grew up going to was being billed monthly. shul on Shabbat, I was, if Originally I had thought I anything, less connected to would stick around long Judaism once I came to Israel. enough for the freebies and I actually was paid double remember to cancel in time, regular rate for working on but I was so hooked that I Shabbat, so of course, I was never even realized the trial always the first to volunteer. was over. Before I knew it, I was a full-paying member, And then I “saw the com- paying my dues and enjoying mercial”. I met these spiritual- benefits far beyond my great- ly enlightened, intellectually est expectations. developed and emotionally fulfilled people. I was jealous. Yup, I'm convinced that G-d knows marketing better than the best Yup, I'm convinced that I had many questions, but no G-d knows marketing better of us. He knows how to sell His product well - He's a real pro. real answers. These people, Otherwise, why would any sane and intelligent human being choose than the best of us. He knows meanwhile, were all connect- how to sell His product well - ed to this Torah thing and to give up a comfortably "free" secular life? He's a real pro. Otherwise, seemed to have intimate and why would any sane, success- personal relationships with always kept His side of the And this is where that local families (very popular ful and intelligent human the big and only G-d. being choose to give up a bargain. I tried not to make “free-trial” started. After the thing for university students comfortably "free" secular life Up to that time, I'd figured too many of these promises, “commercial”, there was no in Jerusalem to do), and went for one seemingly dictated that He was hardly aware that but when I did, I held to them. immediate commitment that to the local yeshiva in the only by rules, regulations and I existed. I never made much I remember one incident in needed to be made, no con- morning for some learning. customs? of an effort to get to know particular, when I was strand- tracts to sign, just a request Not bad. Him, and when we did com- ed all alone late at night in a for a bit of interest. And I had You see, I had no intention It started getting scary. I'd municate, our relationship dark alleyway in a really bad the interest. So, I called the made a request, either verbal- of ever leading a religious was always very one-sided. neighborhood in downtown toll-free number, introduced life. I actually had no inten- ly or even just in thought, When I needed something, LA in a stalled car. I remem- myself, mentioned that we and give or take 24 hours, I tions whatsoever. I just fig- badly, I called to Him, and ber feeling utterly helpless. had been in touch a few times ured that I would live day-by- saw a result. For a while I promised to change certain Suddenly, I began to murmur before, and said I would like thought it was quite cute. I day and make decisions as things that were wrong with the Shema, something I had- to find out more about this they come. I liked the idea of liked being the recipient of my life. In return, I expected n't done since I was a child Creator. The problem was that daily miracles. It felt empow- being open-minded and open to be saved from my predica- having nightmares. And then my life was really busy, and I to any possibility, and feared ering to have an open line to ment. I made one of those unbreak- didn't know how I'd squeeze the One Above. But then I constriction on any level. able promises. I promised that Him in. Between my work Then again, I was in college, The interesting thing is realized that this was no if He saved me from this situ- hours and school, there didn't longer a purely one-sided so what better time for such that I always took these ation, that I would never ride seem to be a moment to an attitude? "deals" quite seriously. If I relationship. Granted, I was in that car again. And I did- spare. being given my space, but I made a promise to G-d, I n't. My friends thought I was Yet G-d had other plans for never broke it, and He, too, And that is when those was expected to give some- crazy, but I never got back “free gifts” started pouring in. thing back. into that car. I made a request and BOOM, At this point the academic But then, once those there was the answer. It was year was about to end, and I moments of need had passed, like the genie in the bottle. I had some serious choices to I would more or less forget was working too much? make. I knew I was at a cross- about Him. And, since I Hated my job? No problem. roads in my life; I just wasn't thought that I was the one The next day a friend took me sure which road I was going who always initiated our out to lunch, the place need- to take. occasional engagements, I ed a waitress, and before I assumed that He forgot about knew it I was working half I had definitely fallen in me, too. the hours for double the pay love with Judaism. I had never felt more alive or more Anyway, to get back to of my previous job. Only one catch - I couldn't work on in-tune with my life and the that commercial, it really got world around me. Yet I was to me to be watching all these Shabbat. They were actually closed on Shabbat. far from ready to make the people who seemed to be on transition from a life of no such buddy-buddy terms with The bonus gifts just kept rules or boundaries to one of Him.