Life goes on...

b"H

So, it turns out that a week has gone by and I haven't taken the time to let anyone (except the parentals and other family) know how I have been. Especially given the current situation in Israel, I really should be posting as well. I apologize to all those who have been interested in reading more, and who have, given my lack of total dedication, been left disappointed.

Since my last entry, I have actually started in Yeshiva! It has been just over a week, actually, and what a week it has been. I am really enjoying this whole "learning for 14 hours a day" thing. I think that is partly due to the small nature of the yeshiva, and thus a very close community atmosphere.

It has not only been learning though. Last week, one of the Kollel (ie. Rabbinical) students celebrated his son's brit milah (ritual circumcision) at the yeshiva. He had a lot of family here and there was a very big and delicious breakfast. The best part about it was the coffee. In Israel, you can get a "nescafe" which is simply any kind of instant coffee (they actually charge the equivalent of $2 - $3 for a cup of this in some coffee shops) or you can get a 'cafe hafuch' which is pretty much a latte/cappuccino or you can get a 'cafe shachor' which is a turkish coffee. At this meal, they had "real" percolated north American style coffee. It was fantastic.

Also, one day we played soccer in the evening! It was muchos fun! It turns out I'm a terrible soccer player, but then again, there were some native Britonians there who have been playing their whole lives, and I haven't played soccer in a few years...Oh, also, i think that I am scared of the ball was a bit of an issue.

This past Shabbat was an "in-Shabbat" which means that it is spent at the yeshva. It was really nice. A lot of the married guys came with their families and there are tons of little kids running around the whole time. I was asked last week to prepare some Torah reading, which I did with pleasure, and Shabbat morning, I was asked if I can "daven" (lead part of the service), so I lead Shacharit, and b"H, people seemed to enjoy it. Someone came up to me and said that it was nice to hear a solid traditional davening as opposed to the particular style that seems to have permeated the entire of the Jewish world. This was not meant as anything against that style (for he and I both agreed about its value) but more to say that there is a lot of merit in the traditional way as well. Moving into the future with a strong connection to your heritage and traditions - sounds like a pretty nice way to summarized Jewish practice, to me. I find myself saying "It's all about balance" an awful lot! But, that is because it is! :)

One of the divrei Torah on Shabbat was an insight into the uniqueness of yeshiva lifestyle and how there are things we have the opportunity to do here, that once we return to the "real world" stop being an option, namely, the ability to learn Torah constantly. This total immersion in a learning/praying/learning-some-more life is definitely not the norm and everyone here is very aware of that. It is actually a really great thing! We are totally disconnected from the real world, but are all very aware of that, and are planning on using our experiences in this particular lifestyle to enhance our lives as we embark on whatever paths we take in life. There is really a great balance here between everything. I couldn't be happier with the yeshiva! It is exactly what I was looking for.

Meanwhile, I can't ignore what is going on in another place in Israel. Another interesting thing that took place over Shabbat was the attendance by a group of random soldiers! They were supposed to go to Gaza on Friday, but something changed in the plan and they were here over Shabbat. It was nice to have them here. They joined us for davening and the meals and although they kept mostly to themselves, they were definitely a welcome group and it brought this whole conflict very close to home. On Sunday, one by one, they got picked up by army trucks and taken to their stations. Right now, they are probably all involved in what is going on in Gaza. May HaShem guard them, protect them, fight for them, and bring them home safely! Amen!

Today was a fast day - the 10th of Tevet - which commemorates the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem which lead to the destruction of the first temple! Ultimately the commemoration is to remind us of what we, the Jewish people, did wrong as a collective group that led to our downfall. The message of the day should be to reflect on our past so we don't make the same mistakes in the present, which would, G-d forbid, lead to further destruction in the future. Those who don't learn from the past are the only ones surprised when it repeats itself! The message of the TaNaKh, and the prophets of those days was to return in a complete Teshuva - repentance, to HaShem! If you are not sure what that means, look up to Heaven and cry out "HaShem, I know I am not perfect! I know I have flaws! I know I need to correct myself, both in my physical actions and my spiritual ones. HaShem, I don't know what I have to do to correct myself! I don't know what to do to do what needs to be done! HaShem, help me make teshuva!" Something along these lines anyway. Or, better yet, there is always "HaShem? Are you there? A little help, please?"

If you are thinking that you are perfect just the way you are, I hate to burst your bubble. If you think that you don't have anything the requires changing - wake up call - you are arrogant and wrong! Life is a process of perpetual growth. This means constant self introspection and constant self improvement. One doesn't need a "self help book" or some sort of motivational CD series to grow. One simply needs to take some time out every day to reflect on the days events, and what was done right, and what was done wrong - not just for your own benefit, but how did your actions affect others - and from this analysis make the efforts to grow and change. And don't necessarily do this because it will give you a better life. It may, but it may not. Do it because it is the right thing to do! A tzadik, a totally righteous person, is someone who has spend his or her life doing what is tzodek - the right thing! Jewish law is halacha, from the root "lalechet" which means "to walk". Halacha is the way to go! It is very simple. Halacha isn't there to make anyone a good Jew. It is there to make you the best PERSON you can be! The greatest contributions you can make to the human race will be through the observance of halacha! If you meet someone who espouses to live an halachic life and yet they are a generally rotten person, they are falling far short of the requirements of an halachic lifestyle.

Israel is now in another war. This time it is not against the Babylonians, and it seems like we have the upper hand, but ultimately, we are still under siege. Lebanon to the North, Syria to the North East, Egypt to the South, and Iran lingering just beyond all of them, quietly funneling resources into all of them, building up for the destruction of Israel. No, the Babylonians are nowhere to be found, but their siege is still holding strong! The Babylonians destroyed the temple and exiled the people because the people refused to return to the path of Torah and HaShem. The current situation sees us without a temple and leaving exile. The current enemy doesn't have a temple to destroy, nor does it care to exile the people. The current enemy wants to destroy the people! With HaShem and Torah in our hearts, they have no chance!

Take a moment, look up, thank HaShem for everything good that you have in your life! Then ask for some help in fulfilling His Will!

I have been blessed with a HUGE bracha, that I am currently in a place where I get to spend my days fully immersed in Torah and thoughts of HaShem! Thank G-d I have merited to be here! However, one does not need to be in this kind of environment to live a life committed to HaShem and Torah. It is often MUCH better to do a very little bit with totally proper intentions than to do a lot with no intention at all. Parents, get your kids to say the "Shma" before bed! As I said before, look up to HaShem and thank Him for everything good you have! Take some time to introspect and better yourself! Read one line from the TaNaKh, and reflect on it for the course of the day. Learn one halacha every day. These are very small simple things that can have a HUGE effect on the state of the Collective Soul of the Jewish People, and on the state of the world as a whole! These small actions can protect our brave and Holy soldiers who are risking their lives for the benefit of our lives! Look up to HaShem and ask Him to protect our soldiers as they protect us!

Everyday I look up as I hear the jets flying in the distance and see their smoke trails overhead. Every day I open my ears for a moment during the quiet of the day and sense a siren going off in the distance. Everyday I look up and hear the propeller of surveillances helicopters overhead ensuring my safety! Thank G-d that we have all these things in place to protect us! May it be HaShem's Will that our protective measures should be successful, that the miracles He has shown us in this current battle should continue, that all of our soldiers should be safe, and that there should be minimal, if any at all, casualties on both sides. May it be His will that all this should come to a final conclusion soon, where we can all live our lives in a world of Shalom, Peace! As it is written, U'fros aleinu sukat Shelomeicha! Amen!

Tomorrow there is another brit milah, this time of the son of one of Rabbanim here! We are going to Me'arat Hamachpelah in Hevron, where Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rivkah, and Leah are buried. We are going in an armoured bus! May it be HaShem's Will that we go in peace and come back in peace!

I titled this post "life goes on". I was originally alluding to the fact that I haven't written anything in over a week, but now I see a whole new meaning to it.

We have an option. Life can go on, and we go along for the ride doing the best we can to not lose our grip, or we can truly get on life, and use it for the purpose it was given, the return to HaShem! And no matter what else is happening, to serve HaShem takes precedence. Even with everything going on, life also goes on. New life is brought into the world, and the most physical action of the brit-milah, is the essential connection to the ultimate spirituality and a connection with HaShem!

May we all merit to get on life! Etz Chaim Hi, Lamachazikim bah! She (Torah) is a tree of Life to everyone who holds on tight!

Keep smiling! Life is SO good!