Senate devotional
Senate Devotional
Rabbi Tobie Weisman
April 27, 2023
I wanted to share a beautiful teaching I learned this week from Rabbi Leibush Hundert, Director of the Simchat Shlomo Yeshiva in Jerusalem.
Today is Thursday, April 27, 2023. It’s 1 o’clock in the afternoon.
As human beings, we’re always counting, putting a number on the day, our age, another person’s age, the amount of money we have, another person has, how many friends we have, how many Facebook friends, how many degrees we have, how much we have accomplished, etc.
In the Jewish tradition, we are always counting too. Yet, we are taught to count in a very different way than we often count in the secular world.
A few weeks ago, Jews celebrated Passover. But contrary to popular belief, Passover is not yet over! Passover is intrinsically connected to Shavuot, the Jewish holiday of receiving the Torah on Mount Sinai, which is celebrated 7 weeks after Passover. For 49 days, Jews count each day leading up to Shavuot. Today is the 21st day between Passover and Shavuot.
Why are we counting these days and what is the significance of this counting?
Each day, of the seven weeks between Passover and Shavuot we are dedicated to examining and refining an emotional aspect of ourselves. For example, today we are examining our Dignity within our Compassion. We are asking ourselves to reflect on the following question. Is my compassion expressed in a dignified manner? Does it elicit dignity in others?
The most important lesson we can learn and teach each other from this counting is that our own days, our lives, and our journeys count! Every little bit of good deeds we do each day counts! Every way we can be a little bit kinder to one another, be more compassionate, be more thoughtful of others, will bring more healing to our lives and the lives of those around us.
Rebbe Nachman of Bratzlav z’l (Likutei Maharan 17:6) teaches us that when do acts of righteousness, like giving our time, our money and doing good deeds, the very air around us becomes purified! The air actually becomes sweet! Instead of dividing us, the air brings people together!
We need to ask ourselves each day, and throughout the many moments in our day, “Is what I’m about to do going to lift people up and help them feel like they really count”?
Today, through our good deeds and thoughtful actions, let’s make the air around us sweeter, connecting us to one another instead of creating more division.
