B”H Chabad.org Shavuot 5765 June 12, 2005 Comment: Life as a Mountain By Yaakov Paley The cause is the mountain itself: it simply and stubbornly gets in the way. The Daily Thought wind hits it with force, and must force its way around or over. As it does so, it carries little pieces of the mountain with it Escape Voices: Free Trial Period By Sara Esther Crispe Man, on his own, cannot It was the commercial that first attracted me. Then there were the bonus gifts, reach higher than his own and by the time my free-trial period was up I'd forgotten that my credit card was being billed monthly... ego. He cannot break out of his own skin, he cannot lift Question: How and When was the Torah Written? By Tzvi Freeman himself up by pulling at his To explain that, I would need a long conversation with you about what is G-d own hair. All of his and how G-d talks to people and why.... achievements are tied to his Essay: Nitzevet, Mother of David By Chana Weisberg own ego. All that he may He was Israel's mightiest warrior, revered by friend and foe; yet for the first 28 comprehend is defined by years of his life he was a lowly outcast, an object of contempt and derision his own subjective even by his own family... The secret story behind mysterious circumstances of King David's birth perception. He is a prisoner by virtue of existence. Essay: Small Town Jewry By Israel Rubin Rabbi Yosi ben Kisma was offered a dream budget--enough money to build a So G-d threw Man a rope. school, a yeshiva, a kollel and an entire Torah community to his liking. So why would he turn down the opportunity? He gave him tasks to fulfill that are beyond his Seasons of the Soul: From Barley to Wheat By Shlomo Yaffe comprehension, thoughts to Is there such a thing as bad art? amoral logic? The 20th century has settled the fathom that take him outside question once and for all, driving home the truth embodied by the "Wheat Harvest Offering" of biblical times the hollow of his subjective universe. All that is needed Seasons of the Soul: Shavuot is his willingness to leave The story of Shavuot... A holiday guide... Essays and studies... "Moiuntain himself. Tops" --short insights into the soul of Shavuot... Recipes and games... Seasons of the Soul: The Torah: an Anthology Compiled by Yanki Tauber We are all prisoners. But we 40 essays, stories, meditations and readings, each offering a glimpse into sit on the keys. something the Torah says about itself and its place in our lives Parshah: Behaalotecha Lamps and lamplighters, journeys and encampments, petitioners (who are rewarded) and complainers (who are punished), seventy new prophets and one loyal disciple, an elusive father-in-law and a critical sister A person does not sin unless a spirit of insanity enters into him --Talmud, Sotah 3a Chabad.org Magazine | Shavuot 5765 | 1 B”H Chabad.org Life as a Mountain Why does the wind attack But that very haughtiness is what By Yaakov Paley mountains, yet largely ignores flat invites the forces that will temper it lands? The cause is the mountain and remold it. When a person Why a mountain? itself. It simply and stubbornly gets realizes he has allowed himself to in the way. The wind hits it with hold his head and heart high over Why, when after two-and-a- force, and must force its way around others, he is filled with a spirit of half-thousand years of or over. As it does so, it carries little humility and resolve to improve. gardens and floods, towers pieces of the mountain with it. This feeling is a wind that lowers the Comment and exiles, rivers that ran arrogant peaks we have grown. with blood and seas that split, G-d Minuscule mountains that Since such a change is positive, the finally decided to reveal Himself to accompany the clouds. Onwards mountain is not shrinking; rather it is mankind--why did He gather His they travel until the wind reaches growing smaller and progressively nation around a mountain? another upright rocky formation, diminishing. The reduction of a ideally poised to collect negative trait is G-d gathered us at Sinai to teach, to the particles. Thus does always a step impart wisdom and knowledge, to the "strong and powerful forwards and guide. The location He chose was wind that erodes upwards. certainly not random; rather it must mountains" also fortify likewise present lessons of its own. others. Whilst some On the other side of mounts shrink, others the hill, our height There are many messages to man grow. may allow us to in a mount. attain greater One mountain's loss is heights. We can use Four are the kingdoms that another mountain's gain. our importance, our comprise our world: the inanimate, respected position, the vegetative, the animal and the power or fame to human. Our Sages have referred to create changes for the betterment of the towering mountains as the "All that the Holy One created in His others. Our mountain of influence "vegetative within the inanimate world," say the Sages. "He also can be utilized to guide others in a kingdom." Earth that grows tall. created in man." positive direction. We do notice, however, that Our mountain represents our feeling Our mountain may be impressive mountains also shrink. Buffeted by of self; of position and importance. enough to gain entry to the hearts of winds, rinsed by rainfalls, carved by We could opt for a negative those who would ignore the same rivers. Organizations exist to protect mountain of arrogance and pride. Or message from a mere mound. Our certain mountains, to prevent we could have a holy mount, used importance and "altitude" then landslides and erosion. The prophet for positive advancement. becomes a holy mountain, a place Elijah referred to a "strong and where G-d can reveal Himself. powerful wind, that erodes We can raise ourselves as a mountain of haughtiness--a chunk of mountains." earth that rises in affront to decency, to society, to our Creator. Chabad.org Magazine | Shavuot 5765 | 2 B”H Chabad.org Free Trial Period Yup, I'm convinced that G-d knows a social life, but at least it paid the By Sara Esther Crispe marketing better than the best of us. bills. He knows how to sell His product I've come to the conclusion well--He's a real pro. Otherwise, So I wasn't exactly in a position that G-d offers free no-risk- why would any sane, successful and where I was spiritually searching. I no-obligation trial periods. intelligent human being choose to was simply surviving. And even Voices There are various packages give up a comfortably "free" secular though I was brought up in a available: some are 90-day life for one seemingly dictated only traditional household that was promotions, others even longer, by rules, regulations and customs? kosher and grew up going to shul on some may be shorter. And the Shabbat, I was, if anything, less welcoming gifts are unbelievable. You see, I had no intention of ever connected to Judaism once I came Are you following me? You see, I leading a religious life. I actually had to Israel. I actually was paid double figured out that this is how people no intentions whatsoever. I just regular rate for working on Shabbat, who are not raised in observant figured that I would live day-by-day so of course, I was always the first homes or environments become and make decisions as they come. I to volunteer. actively observant. liked the idea of being open-minded and open to any possibility, and And then I saw the commercial. I This revelation came to me recently, feared constriction on any level. met these spiritually enlightened, when I was teaching a group of Then again, I was in college, so intellectually challenged and seminary girls, all of whom were what better time for such an emotionally fulfilled people. I was raised in religious homes. They attitude? jealous. I had many questions, but wanted to know how it was that I no real answers. These people, first became interested in living an Yet G-d had other plans for me meanwhile, were all connected to observant life. As I began to (doesn't He always?) and my this Torah thing and seemed to describe the transformation that content, little life suddenly became have intimate and personal took place in my life more than ten quite difficult and confusing. It didn't relationships with the big and only years earlier, I realized that it was help that I was spending my junior G-d. the commercial that must have year in Israel, far away from friends initially attracted me. Then there and family, and in the midst of a Up to that time, I'd figured that He were the bonus gifts, and by the falling-out with my immediate family was hardly aware that I existed. I time my free-trial was up, I forgot to the extent that we were not never made much of an effort to get that my credit card was being billed speaking. Along with my vow of to know Him, and when we did monthly. Originally I had thought I silence came a closed wallet, which communicate, our relationship was would stick around long enough for meant that I was also on my own for always very one-sided.