ChabadNewOrleans Blog

In the late 1940s a committee overseen by members of Congress selected 23 figures to be depicted high on the walls of the House of Representatives as part of a portrait series featuring historical Lawgivers from ancient times through the 18^th century. Central to the display is Moses, the ultimate lawgiver, conveyor of the Law of G-d to humanity. Among that select group is another Moses, known as Maimonides. He was selected due to his groundbreaking work of codifying Torah and Talmudic law in a systemized fashion. Since much of Western law can be traced back to Talmud/Jewish law, his inclusion was apropos.

While we don’t need confirmation of Maimonides’ place on the “Mount Rushmore” of lawgivers, it is nice to see him recognized for those monumental achievements.

As for how he is viewed in the Jewish tradition, the epitaph on his tombstone says it all, “From Moses to Moses there arose none like Moses.” The Rambam’s role in articulating Torah law, Jewish philosophy, and ethics, places him in the highest echelons of Jewish scholarship. Hardly a discussion of Torah can take place without referencing the teachings of the Rambam. He is reverently referred to as the “Great Eagle” leaning into the metaphor of a mighty eagle who carries its young on its wings. Through his scholarship and leadership, Maimonides has been our eagle for nearly a millennium.

Did you know that there is a monthly class in our community featuring the writings of Maimonides? Taught by my father, Rabbi Zelig Rivkin, the longest serving Rabbi in New Orleans, Breakfast with Maimonides focuses on a different section of the Rambam’s halachic writings on the first Sunday of each month. Join us at Chabad Uptown this Sunday at 9 am over bagels and lox as we mine the wisdom of one of the greatest “lawgivers” in human history. I look forward to seeing you there.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

My great-grandfather, R’ Yochanan Gordon, had brothers in the USA in the early 1930s. They sought to bring him from Eastern Europe to give him the chance to raise his family in greater safety. He was terrified of the spiritual ramifications of that decision on his children’s future. After receiving assurances from his Rebbe that his children would merit to be chassidim who study in Chabad Yeshivas in America, he took the plunge. At first, he came alone, and then after working for several years, he was able to bring the rest of his family. Ultimately the Rebbe’s blessing materialized and my grandfather and his siblings were among the early students of the Chabad Yeshiva that opened in 1940.

Why was he so scared? Why was America considered a “treife Medinah” – a “non-Kosher” land? Why were the waters of the New York Harbor (allegedly) filled with pairs of Tefillin that were tossed overboard when the Jews arriving felt that they would not be needed in America?

To some extent the freedoms afforded in the USA created an environment in which highest priority was given to material accomplishment. People worked very hard to achieve some measure of financial stability, and ultimately, success. Shabbos and daily prayers were often the first casualties in the effort to keep a job. Jewish education was relegated to after-school Talmud Torahs so that kids could become real Americans in Public School. Furthermore, when there is no state-sponsored antisemitism, the urgency to cling to traditions didn’t seem as acute.

Contrast this approach with that of the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, who upon his arrival in 1940 declared, “America is no different.” Judaism could thrive here as much as in Europe. In fact, the freedoms in America could enable Judaism to thrive even more. He was so enamored with the freedoms and values of the USA, that he wore Shabbos clothes and his fur hat (spodik) on the day that he took the oath of US citizenship.

What did he see in America that was so encouraging? What were the values that had so much potential for religious flourishing, which he embraced?

I have been thinking about this question in preparation for the upcoming course that starts next week, Sinai and Civics – The Jewish Ethics That Shaped America’s Founding. As I thought about it more, I have concluded that the values upon which the United States was founded most closely reflect the values of the Torah. This is true about the US more than any other country in modern times, including the State of Israel.

This does not assume that the values were implemented to the extent necessary right away. Certainly, there was, and there still is, much room for improvement in reaching the ideals and values espoused by the founders, even as they themselves didn’t live up to them in a complete manner.

Were you aware that both Franklin and Jefferson argued for Exodus imagery on the US national seal? The Torah and the Jewish story were ever present in the minds and articulated ideas of the founders and those the preceded them to the New World.

Is America perfect? Of course not. No human-made society can be perfect. It’s not even the best America it can be. Our society is a work in progress. But the relationship between Judaism and the founding values of this country are fascinating. This should make us prouder to be Jewish and to live Jewishly.

I hope you will join us at one of the two options for taking this 4-part course starting next week. Tuesdays at noon at Egenberg Trial Lawyers. Wednesdays at 7 pm at Chabad Uptown. For more info and to register, www.chabadneworleans.com/jli.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

A favorite Jewish t-shirt slogan reads “Born to Kvetch.” A book was written in 2005 by the same title. Is kvetching really a Jewish value? Like with most things, it depends on context. I would like to use an incident from this week’s Parsha to demonstrate that kvetching about someone else getting more than you is most certainly (to be read “soy-ten-ly”) not a Jewish value.

In the first chapter of Bamidbar (Numbers), G-d instructs Moses to appoint a tribal leader (Nassi) for each of the twelve tribes, to assist with the census and the administration of their tribe. They are then identified by name. The Nassi of the tribe of Gad is Eliasaf ben De’uel.

In chapter two the Torah describes the layout of the Israelite encampment as they traveled through the Sinai Desert. The twelve tribes were divided into four camps of three tribes. Each of the four camps was led by one of the tribes. Here again the names of the twelve tribal leaders are mentioned. However, here the name of the Nassi of Gad is presented as Eliasaf ben Re’uel.

Several commentators address this discrepancy. The 18^th century sage, Chida (Rabbi Chaim Y.D. Azulai) bases his explanation on a teaching in another work, Noam Megadim, addressing the question of why the tribe of Gad merited to have Moses interred in their portion of Eretz Yisrael on the East Bank of the Jordan River.

He explains that when Moshe divided the camps of Israel into four groups of three tribes, he placed the tribe of Gad under the “Flag of Leadership” of the tribe of Dan. Now the tribe of Gad could have had a legitimate cause to kvetch about that placement. Just as Dan was a firstborn to his mother, Bilhah, Gad was a firstborn to his mother, Zilpah. So why should Gad have to play second fiddle to Dan? Yet, the tribe of Gad, under the leadership of their Nassi, Eliasaf, opted to accept their placement without complaint, thereby saving Moshe the trouble of having to defend the decision. For this they merited to have Moshe buried in their portion.

Chida explains, the word Re’uel means beloved of G-d, a reference to Moshe. This is why the name of Eliasaf’s father is changed to Re’uel when describing the encampment. For that was the context in which Gad was acquiescent to Moshe’s leadership. The decision not to kvetch gave them the privilege of proximity to Moshe, the beloved of G-d.

So, the next time your kid kvetches that his sister got a larger slice of cake… tell ‘em that kvetching is not a Jewish value. While we may have been “born to kvetch,” at some point you have to grow up.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

Earlier this week, my son Eliyahu experienced a biking mishap resulting in a broken wrist. It is tough to see your child in pain and wait with them in the emergency room for some relief. He is not my first kid to get fit with a cast. What made this unique is that he is three weeks away from his Bar Mitzvah. After ascertaining that he was going to be ok, my first thought was, “poor kid, his first opportunity to fulfill the Mitzvah of tefillin will be compromised by the cast on his left arm, which prevents him from properly winding the straps directly on his arm.”

Thinking about it a little more I recalled a story that changed my mindset. Two of the early Chassidic masters, the brothers, Reb Zushe and Reb Elimelech, spent time traveling incognito for a particular mission. During their travels, the “socially conscious” Russian police arrested them in middle of the night for “loitering.” They were thrown into a large cell that held many inmates, mostly drunk Russian peasants. In middle of the room was a chamber pot for the inmates’ use.

In the morning, Reb Zushe began to cry in despair. The presence of the filthy chamber pot in the room precluded them from being allowed to pray. He lamented the fact that it would be the first time in his adult life that he was unable to lay tefillin and pray. Reb Elimelech consoled him saying, “brother, the same G-d that commanded you to lay tefillin and pray each day, commanded you not to pray in the presence of filth. As a servant of G-d you simply have a different mission today.”

Reb Zushe was very inspired by his brother’s words, and he began to dance with joy at his newly discovered opportunity to serve Hashem. As the brothers danced, they were joined by the peasants who welcomed the distraction. Hearing noise emanating from the cell, the guard inquired as to what sparked the celebration. One of the peasants informed him that he wasn’t sure, but it had something to do with that bucket in middle of the room… crazy Jews… Hearing this, the guard tossed the chamber pot out of the room. Upon seeing what the guard did, Reb Elimelech chuckled to his brother and said, “nu brother, let’s go daven.”

Applying this to Eliyahu’s situation, we assumed that Hashem wanted to be served by Eliyahu wearing his tefillin in the “proper” way. It seems that Hashem wanted otherwise. Now, he will have the chance to serve Hashem in an unconventional manner, by winding the straps over his cast. Or maybe, Hashem has a trick up “His sleeve” and when we go for the follow up appointment before the Bar Mitzvah, the cast will be replaced by something removable or will no longer be needed altogether. Either way, Eliyahu will “report for duty” that morning, and whatever orders the Commander-In-Chief has for him that day will be carried out joyfully.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

A man of Polish extraction calls his lawyer and says, “I think my wife is planning to kill me.” The lawyer replies, “What gave you that idea.” The man explains, “I caught a glimpse of her shopping list and one of the items was Polish Remover.”

The English language can be quite complicated because of all the homographs (Polish vs. polish), homonyms (rose vs. rose), and homophones (cell vs. sell). This due in large part to the fact that English evolved from multiple languages. Abbot and Costello had a field day with this.

Hebrew (more specifically – the Holy Tongue), on the other hand, has another issue, in which words can have multiple layers of meaning. This can be traced to the concept of root letters. Take for example the word Sefirah. There are many connotations to the word. It is a Kabbalistic concept – one of the Sefirahs (Sefirot) – Divine and human attributes, specifically related to character. It is a period on the Jewish calendar (Sefirat Haomer). It means a numeric count (related to the verb of counting numbers). When we drill down to the root letters (Samech, Fei, and Reish) we can find a relation to Sipur, to relate or recount a story. Finally, we can also draw a connection to Sapir, a luminous shining gem, Saphire.

According to Chassidus, when there are multiple applications of meaning to a word or concept in Torah, there must also be a connection between them. So, let’s explore this further.

We are now in the time of counting the omer (Sefirah). This 49-day period began on the second night of Passover and ends on the day before Shavuot. During these 49 days we count each day in anticipation of receiving the Torah on day 50. Each of these days is also associated with a particular Sefirah (attribute of character) that we are meant to refine in preparation for receiving the Torah. Human character is comprised of seven dimensions. Each of the seven has seven shades, by way of integration with the others, so, 7 x 7 equals 49. As we go through the process of refinement of our 49 shades of character (Sefirah), we count each day and make each day count (Sefirah); we thereby rewrite our own life’s story and recount it anew (Sipur), and our life and character become as shiny and luminous as a Saphire (Sapir).

May we all experience a successful journey of counting, recounting, and making each day count with shining luminescence.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

One afternoon this week I was doing homework with my son, Levik, who is in first grade. They recently celebrated their Siddur party and have just begun learning Chumash. For more on that - www.chabadneworleans.com/templates/blog/post.asp?aid=1203266&PostID=142079&p=1.

Levik was reading the passage that describes the second day of creation. Each verse was prefaced by the chapter and verse number, “Bereishit, Chapter 1 verse 6.” First, he read it in Hebrew and then he translated it into English. “And G-d said, "Let there be an expanse (sky) in the midst of the water, and let it be a separation between water and water." Then he tells me that his teacher, Morah Nechama Kaufmann, (who taught nearly all my siblings and children and is now starting with my grandchildren) explained that they can use the word “sky” instead of “expanse” so that they understand it better. I watched him diligently read each verse with intense devotion.

As I was listening to him read, I realized that this is the 12^th time that I am doing this homework with one of my children. It got me reflecting on how they start off with Genesis, Chapter 1 and, when they stick with the program, they develop into knowledgeable Jews who can hold their own in a discussion about Jewish law, history, Talmud, mysticism, and philosophy. I thought about my other children at their various stages and their growth in Jewish scholarship. This filled me with much joy and gratitude to Hashem for the blessings He bestowed on Malkie and me and the “nachas” we derive from our family.

The first words of Torah we teach our children is “The Torah that Moshe commanded us, is the heritage of the congregation of Yaakov.” This means that the Torah that Levik and the other children are learning belongs to each and every member of the Jewish people. It is no more mine than it is yours. Your children have as much right to it as mine do. We and our children are in possession of the greatest treasure. Don’t let it stay locked in the vault of unawareness. Access your treasure. Give your children access. We have open-source wealth of the greatest magnitude. You don’t need a password. You don’t need to pay membership fees. You just need to be aware of your heritage as one of Yaakov’s descendants; one of Moshe’s disciples.

Tap into it. Make sure your children benefit from this treasure. Better yet, explore it together with them. It will be the most powerful shared experience you and your child will have together. Start from the “beginning” and work your way through. Don’t let your inheritance go to waste.

Join us for a new course series starting this coming week entitled “For All Humankind” - Your Judaism holds a message the world wants to hear. It’s time to unlock it. For more information: www.chabadneworleans.com/jli.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

Many years ago, I was invited to give a presentation to a church group in New Orleans about Chanukah. After the presentation, I was asked by the pastor if I would be comfortable taking some questions from the group, which, of course, I was. During the Q& A session, the discussion came up about what Jews believe about “heaven” and the “world-to-come.” The audience was shocked when I told them that Judaism did NOT require one to be Jewish to have a place in what they would refer to as, “the Kingdom of Heaven.” I assume that this was different than what they were taught about their own faith and access to “heaven.”

What are the mechanics of this Jewish tenet? How indeed does a non-Jew gain potential entry to the “Jewish world-to-come?”

The Rambam teaches (based on the Sages of the Talmud) that there are seven universal principles called “the Mitzvot of Bnei Noach” (Noahide Commandments). He concludes that “Any person who accepts upon himself the fulfillment of these seven mitzvot and is precise in their observance is considered one of “the pious among the gentiles” and will merit a share in the world to come.”

What are these principles and how can they be implemented in contemporary 21^st century living? What role must a Jew play in facilitating the fulfillment of these Mitzvot by the rest of humanity? The answer to these questions will be the focus of the upcoming course “For All Humankind” that is being offered by Chabad beginning at the end of April. We will talk about how Abraham introduced monotheism and a set of universal beliefs to humanity and how those principles shape the way we live in modern times. We learn about the importance of importing values to our children. We learn about the kind of world we can build if all of humanity lives by this formula for divine living.

As lagniappe, this course comes with CLE credits for attorneys. The course will be offered at lunchtime downtown at the offices of Egenberg Trial Lawyers (starting Tuesday, April 28) and in the evenings at Chabad uptown (Wednesday, April 29). For more info: www.chabadneworleans.com/JLI.

Chabad Metairie will also be offering the course – www.jewishlouisiana.com/JLI.

This course will be of great value and interest to all, regardless of religious background or knowledge level. All you need is an open mind and a willingness to learn.

I look forward to seeing many of you there!

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

When you’re in love, all kinds of things can happen. One of them is the capacity to minimize the faults of your beloved, even to an extreme. We see evidence of this in our Parsha.

The Torah addresses various types of sin offerings. One is the offering of the High Priest who inadvertently transgressed. The Torah goes into detail to describe the mechanics of the offering. The next scenario is when the nation sins, an inadvertent transgression due to an erroneous ruling by the Sanhedrin. Potentially, this could even be a transgression related to idolatry. When addressing the mechanics of the offering, the Torah declines to offer as many details as in the previous scenario.

Rashi explains, “And why are they not stated here explicitly? It was taught in the School of Rabbi Yishmael: About this may be given a parable of a king who was angry with his favorite subject but spoke only briefly of his offense because of the affection he had for him.”

When it comes to the Jewish people, Hashem’s love for them is so powerful that He actively reduces the discussion of their flaws to protect their dignity.

What does this tell is about how we should live? Humans are often critical of one another. Sometimes, those closest to us are the greatest targets of our criticism. Hashem demonstrates to us that love is meant to diminish our negative perspectives of each other.

We are one people, all beneficiaries of Hashem’s powerful love. As we interact with one another, let us remember that if the Hashem is willing to reduce the discussion of the flaws of the Jewish nation, even when they inadvertently offended Him in the worst way, how much more so should we value and love each other.

A united and loving Jewish nation is unassailable. Together we are strong. Last Shabbat our family had the honor and pleasure of hosting Assaf and Ido, two IDF officers who are traveling after completing five years of grueling service in defense of Jewish life. One of the things that moved them, almost to tears, was hearing how much the children (and adults) in our community prayed for them and lovingly supported them as they defended us.

They are on a healing trip around the world to help them recover from the emotional toll that their time in Gaza took on them. Feeling the love while sitting at our Shabbat table and visiting the children at Slater Torah Academy a few days later, really jumpstarted their healing process.

“Hinei ma tov u’ma na’im shevet achim gam yachad. – How good and pleasant it is for brothers to sit together.”

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

PS The sale of chametz can be done in person at Shul over the next few days, or online at www.chabadneworleans.com/chametz.

Another week has gone by. Another attack against a Jewish institution, this time a Synagogue/school in Michigan. Another water-main break in New Orleans, (you think we should be under a default permanent boil water advisory?). There were also some nice things in the community, a bris, a Bar Mitzvah, Limmud-NOLA.

One of my highlights this week was attending a Siddur party for my first grader. Following much time invested in learning how to read Hebrew, the first graders of Slater Torah Academy are ready to start praying from their own Siddurs. A beautiful ceremony included the parents inscribing a message to their child and decorating the cover of each Siddur. The children, wearing crowns that proclaimed “my prayer” in Hebrew, sang several songs from the prayers. Then each of them was presented with their own Siddur. Refreshments, including a “siddur cake” were then served.

It was very special to see ten children from diverse family backgrounds so enthusiastic about prayer. Each child feels the culmination of their years’ long quest for Hebrew reading achievement and a love for connecting to Hashem through prayer. This is a foundation for Jewish life that will make a big difference going forward for those children, wherever life takes them. I was speaking to one of the other fathers and he shared with me how proud he is of his child, who, on his own, says Modeh Ani and washes his hands (Netilat Yadaim) every day.

I am grateful to all the staff and administration of Slater Torah Academy for enabling our children to thrive Jewishly. Everyone who is involved in establishing and supporting this important institution in our community should be proud of the work they have done. Our greater New Orleans Jewish community needs to become more aware of the valuable and critical role Slater Torah Academy serves in ensuring a Jewish future for our community.

May we as a community derive much “nachas” from these children. If “it takes a village to raise a child,” then everyone in the “village” can rejoice in the accomplishments of the children. The most powerful weapon against antisemitism is raising proud and thriving Jews.

Over the next two weeks, Chabad of Louisiana will be distributing 1,100 boxes of Shmura Matzah in New Orleans and the Northshore. Together with our colleagues in Metairie and Baton Rouge, close to 2,000 boxes of Shmura Matzah will be distributed throughout the state of Louisiana. If you would like to volunteer and help deliver, please let us know. Even an hour or two of volunteer time would be greatly appreciated. Thank you to our sponsors, Vivian and Richard Cahn, Steve Rittvo (in memory of Lee Rittvo), and Bradley Egenberg.  

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

This has been a sensational week. Purim was amazing. Over 1,000 Jews in the New Orleans metro area participated in a Chabad Megillah reading. Hundreds attended the various Purim events that were held throughout the holiday. We were able to reach not only the masses, but also the individuals who sometimes fall between the cracks. Jews who are hospitalized. Jews living in senior homes. Folks who cannot make it to Shul for whatever reason.

In a parallel universe, the attacks against the Iranian regime and their counter attacks occurred in fascinating juxtaposition to Purim. Israelis are again in and out of shelters, as the Iranian regime attempts a last gasp at survival.

(In an alternative universe, the antisemitic conspiracy theorists are outdoing themselves in what has become a theater of the absurd. IYKYK.)

The Purim story also has two parallel plots running through it.

There is the story that starts off about the Jewish struggle with their own identity and ends with the ultimate embrace of their true selves.

Then there is the story of the Jew-haters (Haman and his ilk) and their failed attempt to destroy the Jews, which boomeranged back at them. In the words of Haman’s wife Zeresh, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely fall before him!”

Mordechai and Esther were bouncing back and forth between the two parallels, but their main focus was the first story. They recognized that the parallel plot was simply a subplot to drive the main story. First the Jews humiliated themselves with their excitement at finally being “accepted” by a society that sought their disgrace. Then, with the encouragement of Mordechai and Esther, they reconnected with their core identity and relationship with Hashem.

Along the way, at first, Haman was allowed the illusion of free reign against the Jews, only to be tripped up by his own machinations once the Jews reconnected with Hashem. He was hung on the very gallows that he prepared for Mordechai. The crazy detail in the story is, that despite witnessing what happened to their leader Haman, 75,800 dolts remained committed to his plot to destroy the Jews and lost their lives in the process. (Imagine the modern headlines of this story, “Disproportionate response as the Jews kill 75,800 innocent civilians (who attacked them…).”)

The similarity to today is uncanny. Jews are reconnecting with their identity. Antisemites are barking and threatening. Crazy conspiracy theorists are spinning increasingly disturbing tales. In the end “Haman and his ten sons are swinging on the gallows,” and the Jews, supported by their allies, will be victorious, with the help of Hashem.

As we say after the Megillah reading, “The rose of Jacob thrilled with joy and exulted... You have always been their salvation, their hope in every generation, to make known that all who place hope in You shall not be put to shame, nor shall all those who trust in You be disgraced forever.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

What is the most serious holiday on the Jewish calendar? Most would assume that the answer is Yom Kippur. After all, it is the day of atonement. Yet, our sages point out that the day’s biblical name, Yom HaKippurim, can be read as K’ Purim. In Hebrew the prefix “Kaf” is used to mean “like.” So, Yom HaK’Purim means a day that is like Purim but not quite on the level. How can Purim possibly be more significant than Yom Kippur?

To understand this, we must appreciate what the real story of Purim is. The Jewish people were exiled from Israel. Assimilation was becoming a serious issue. The strong desire to be accepted by the gentile society (Babylonian and then Persian) was quite compelling, overtaking even a basic sense of self-dignity. (See https://www.chabadneworleans.com/templates/blog/post.asp?aid=1203266&PostID=52861&p=1 for more on this idea.) Their Jewish identity was slipping beyond their grasp due to their ill-advised choices from within and the societal pressures from without.

Haman’s decree was a wake-up call. It simply reminded them that no matter how many country-clubs they belonged to or how many political donations they made, they were still viewed as different. This recognition awakened within the Jewish people a visceral association with their Jewish identity, shaping their response to the looming threat of genocide against them.

Of course they activated their lobbying machines. Certainly they engaged in dialogue and sought allyship. But only after they took care of the underlying issue, the disconnect from their core identity as Jews. Esther instructed Mordechai, “go and gather all of the Jews” so that they would fast and pray and reconnect to Hashem. He also gathered thousands of children and taught them what it means to be a Jew who is proud and connected to Hashem.

The result was a salvation that spawned the joyous holiday of Purim. But don’t let the merriment fool you. Purim is the most serious holiday on the Jewish calendar. In a post-October 7 world, the message of Purim resonates even greater with us.

This Purim let us celebrate in joyous seriousness. Let us embrace our core identity as Jews, not allowing external distractions to pull us away from who we are.

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Purim
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

One of the greatest misconceptions about Torah and Jewish law is that it is old-fashioned, applying only to the time in which it was given, or at least only up until the era of enlightenment.

The bearers of these misconceptions look at Torah through the prism of their limited perspectives, often restricted by ignorance of the richness and depth of Torah wisdom. They see Halacha as relevant in the ancient land of Israel, or maybe even the Shtetl. But what does a system like this do for us in the 21^st century? How can Halacha, which was formed before the industrial revolution, inform life that is permeated by the changes that machines have brought to our lives? How can a body of law that was codified before the development of modern medicine and information technology have anything to say about a life that is defined by those advancements?

Yet the Torah is called Torat Chaim, a living Torah. A Torah of life, or a living Torah is one that informs and shapes life under any and all circumstances. Last I checked, there is no expiration date stamped on the side of a Torah scroll, a Talmud, or the code of Jewish law. In fact, by mining the depths of Halacha and the method of applying Halachic principles throughout the ages, we can find amazing insight into 21^st century issues.

This coming Wednesday evening at 7 pm, I will be leading a discussion on Futuristic Halacha. Questions like how time bound Halacha can be observed during space travel. How does mitochondrial DNA replacement affect the status of a fetus? Is lab-grown meat Kosher? Can AI replace Rabbis to answer Halachic questions? Learn more and register at www.chabadneworleans.com/future.

Why should we want to be governed by an old-fashioned system even if we can find some relevant applications to our modern lives? Why can’t we just move on and embrace current systems?

Remaining faithful to Torah and Halacha anchors us to something greater than anything that a human being can come up with on their own. It connects us to Hashem. It connects us to Absolute Truth. It connects us to the Source of Life. True, this connection requires humility, a willingness to submit to a greater power. But that submission, that humility, is more empowering and liberating than anything that a human being can offer.

How can we feel connected to something that was given to us over 3300 years ago? Remember the words of the Shema, “And these words which I command you today shall be upon your heart.” On this our sages comment, “’Today,’ teaches us that each day the words of Torah shall be for you as brand new.” Each day the Torah is fresh and relevant. Each day the Torah has an insight for us that is needed just for that day and time.

Embrace the timeless connection that is both ancient and current all at once.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

The Jewish world is engaged in a healthy conversation about dealing with antisemitism. This discussion got particularly animated this week surrounding the Robert Kraft sponsored Superbowl ad targeting antisemitism. On one side you have the American Jewish establishment (ADL, JFNA, and others) and those that argue that antisemitism must be identified, tracked, confronted, and mitigated through legislation, information, and communication.

On the other side you have those that are calling for an internal strengthening of Jewish identity as a way of inoculating ourselves against antisemitism and demonstrating to others that we are strong and proud in our Jewishness. NY Times columnist, Bret Stephens gave a highly publicized talk touting this approach recently at the “92 St. Y” in NY.

Much of the debate surrounds the question of who we are trying to influence; non-Jewish friends or foes, or Jews who may be cowering due to antisemitism. Of course, both target audiences are important and both goals are necessary. It is a question of emphasis.

This past Shabbat, Chabad at Tulane hosted Shabbat 1000. Its brand is ironically outdated because this year there were nearly 2,000 participants. That constitutes more than 50% of the total Jewish population at Tulane University. 2,000 college students declaring the Shema. 2,000 college students singing Oseh Shalom, Am Yisrael Chai, and Shalom Aleichem. Hundreds of boys laying Tefillin and hundreds of girls lighting candles before Shabbat. 2,000 Tulane students celebrating Shabbat together, leaving with their Jewish identity strengthened and empowered.

Malkie told me that she heard from a mother of a student that her daughter and friends came to their residence after the event and could not stop talking about how empowered and uplifted they were.

What is a Jewish identity? What is a Jew? What message do we convey to empower our youth and our elders to feel proud of their Jewishness?

Let us look at the name of our people, “Yisrael.” Our sages tell us that Yisrael is a scrambling of the letters that spell “Li Rosh.” “Li Rosh,” spoken in the voice of Hashem, means that the people of Israel are “for me like a head.” Hashem values the Jewish people as one would value their own head.

Now one might think that to be deserving of that valuation, one must conduct oneself in a particular manner, following the Torah and the ways of Hashem. Yet, the Talmud declares in no uncertain terms, “Yisrael (a Jew), though he may sin, he is still Yisrael.” This means that by our very existence as Jews, we are regarded by Hashem to be as valuable as one’s head.

When a Jew, young or old, lives with the awareness of how special he or she is to Hashem, and projects that awareness onto their very identity, that is a proud Jew. A proud Jew is less likely to be cowered by antisemitism. And let me tell you a secret, in the long run, a proud Jew is less likely to experience antisemitism. (I know that antisemites are not a “one size fits all.” But in many instances, this is so.)

So, “Just Jew It,” proudly and joyfully. Know what your identity is. Know how much Hashem values you for being you. Now take that joy and shine it upon the world by living Jewishly.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin