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Orchard of Delights
Elsewhere the word “keri” means intentionally wasting one’s seed,
an act representing unbridled passion and capriciousness. When the
Hebrew letters of the word “keri” are permuted they spell the Hebrew
word “yakar” (precious). Thus, we can envision counting the forty-
nine days as part of a process of spiritual transformation wherein we
go from being slaves to our petty desires and limited consciousnesses
to free people who value the precious gift of Torah and the closeness
to God one attains by walking in its decrees.
£The Enigma of Jewish HistoryThe Enigma of Jewish HistoryThe Enigma of Jewish History the world would come and wait in line for hours on end in order to
££
As discussed at the beginning of Bechukotai, the word “chok” denotes
a decree that defies normative logic. Significantly, in the very portion
that presents the Jewish people with the choices they have to make
regarding their future history, the word “chok” is employed. Jewish
history truly transcends all precedent and highlights the ability of
a people to survive persistent oppression of the worst kind all over
the world, and to finally return to their homeland after nearly two
thousand years in exile. Although the Jews make up an extremely
small percentage of the world’s population (approximately 0.2 %),
they have consistently made the most significant contribution to
virtually every aspect of human progress. The dynamic of Jewish
history is indeed a great mystery, a “chok,” in the truest and most
mysterious sense of the word.
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of greetings. Rabbi Carlebach would have each individual greet
the entire group, and in return everyone would respond in unison.
Sometimes this process would take a considerable amount of time,
yet everyone would have a chance to shine and the group provided
the energy to make everyone feel important and loved. Somehow
time stood still in light of the greater goal.
Another lesson in the importance of the individual in relation to the
collective was conveyed by the last Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem
Mendel Schneerson, who for years would remain standing every
Sunday for eight to ten hours in order to personally hand out dollar
bills to thousands of his followers. Thousands of people from all over
be in the Rebbe’s immediate presence for a few seconds. Why did
the Rebbe do this? He felt it to be of the utmost importance that he
personally make contact with each of these people for even a moment,
teaching each one the importance of giving charity and offering each
one his personal blessings. Despite the lengthy wait people came
willingly and waited without complaint. In truth, throughout the
ages there have been countless examples of Jewish spiritual leaders
who acted in similar ways.
This portion contains the secret of emotional and spiritual balance,
of finding one’s inner equilibrium – in the context of relating to one’s
family, society, and the very planet as a whole. When we learn to
function within all these contexts, we will discover our place in the
world and how to relate to our Creator; for, ultimately, He placed us
here to make the world a better place.
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