Catch Our Spirit

Throughout the months of June and parts of July, Jews throughout the world
will be reading Torah chapters from the Book of Numbers. The Hebrew
word for the book of Numbers is “Bamidbar”. While it is true that the early
content of the book of Numbers deals with census taking and counting the
“numbers” of our people after the redemption from Egypt, most scholars
translate Bamidbar to mean “wilderness”, as the book describes events that
took place in the desert after the redemption from Egypt and our subsequent
entry, some forty years later, into the Promised Land, to the west of the
Jordan River.

It’s fitting, at least here in seasonal South Florida, that we read about the
wilderness during these weeks. For us, the pace of life slows down
considerably, opening us up to a wilderness, if you will, of leisure time
options. So much freedom! The routines lighten up. For many of us, there
may be opportunities for self enrichment during these weeks that rarely are
available during the height of the winter/school season.

We can clean out that messy closet, try on those old clothes to see if they’re
ready for the rummage, paint that extra bedroom, try out those new recipes,
or get on that neglected treadmill/stationary bike and try to recapture some
of our earlier fitness.

For me, the slower pace of these weeks affords me precious time to read
things for pleasure, rather than for my work. I’m currently having a great
time reading “The Book of Jewish Values”, by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin.
Rabbi Telushkin takes the 52 weeks of the year, breaks them down into days
of the week, and gives us a one page lesson that we can apply each day to
live an ethical life of Jewish values. He takes common every day
occurrences and shows us how they can be used to make us better human
beings.

One thought for one day involved the common annoyance of hearing a
blaring siren. To most of us, it is an annoyance. Rabbi Telushkin quotes
another rabbi who suggests that whenever we hear the sound of a passing
ambulance, we offer a prayer for that ambulance to arrive on time. Similarly,
whenever our sense of calm is interrupted by fire trucks, we should pray to
God that the trucks arrive in time to save the endangered people and home.

We should also pray that no fire fighter be injured. And when we hear police
sirens, we should implore God that the police respond in time to the
emergency. Imagine how encouraging it would be for those being rushed to
a hospital to know that hundreds of people who hear the ambulance sirens
are praying for their recovery.

Loving one’s neighbor is usually carried out through tangible acts, by giving
money or food to those in need, by stepping in and offering assistance to a
neighbor who is ill, or by bringing guests into one’s home. But sometimes
loving is expressed through a prayer that connects us to our neighbor, even
when we have no way of knowing just who our neighbor is. I’ll never react
to the sound of a siren the same way again. From one page in this book, my
life has changed for the better.

The above are the kinds of pearls you’ll find as you leaf easily through the
pages of Rabbi Telushkin’s book. It’s a real “feel good” experience that I
highly recommend and while you’re feeling good, you’ll be connecting to
the Jewish soul inside you.

Another great contemporary book of Jewish interest that I’d recommend for
summer reading is “Cool Jew”, by Lisa Alcalay Klug. This book describes
being Jewish through the eyes of a single woman, late 20’s, growing up as a
secular Jew. In very humorous ways, she pokes fun at the “Heebster” within
her, Jewish stereotypes, her Shul experiences, and her general discovery of
how cool it is for her to be joyful about her Jewish heritage rather than adopt
the negativity that she finds toward Judaism by so many of her Jewish peers.
It’s funny and very refreshing and very encouraging to all of us who care
about the continuity of Jewish life.

For those without the “zitsfleish” to deal with a book, let me guide you to a
wonderful Jewish TV station called Jewish Broadcasting System (JBSTV).
You will find up to date reporting on the War in Gaza from ILTV in Israel.
The station offers wonderful interviews with people who impact Jewish life
on many fronts. There is programing for Jewish kids available as well as
Shabbat Services from both Reform and Orthodox venues. I recently
watched a 45 minute talk by former diplomat to Israel, Martin Indyk, in
which he took the viewer through a basic history of the entire
Israel/Palestine conflict. Further, it was from watching JBS-TV that I saw an
interview with Lisa Klug, the author of the book I mentioned above. That
interview obviously captured my attention.

Look what’s available to us in the comforts of our own homes! If you have a
computer, log on to “MyJewishlearning.com. You’ll be exposed to writings
and opinions on a myriad of subjects by commentators across the entire
spectrum of opinions and backgrounds. You pick what you’re interested in
reading about and from whom, among many diverse choices.

In every wilderness or desert, there is an oasis. This summer, come in from
the heat and get nourished by the wonderful people you can encounter
through Jewish learning. Drink to your heart’s content!