ChabadNewOrleans Blog

An Italian comedian did a bit about the contrast in talents of different cultural populations. Imagine going to the emergency room and Dr. Pallazzo comes out to see you, you call out, “you got any Leibowitzes back there?” On the other hand, the Jews should get the Italians to cater the Seder, because after breakfast Jewish cuisine has got nothing to offer…

The cliché of the Jewish doctor! That being said…

This week I underwent a medical procedure. We checked in and I got into the gown and into bed. For a half hour or so, various nurses, techs, and other hospital staff approached to go through the preparatory steps required for the procedure. They were all very nice. As a certain point the doctor entered. He gave me a big smile and said Shalom. We chatted for a minute, and he was very up front about his Jewish identity (not that he could have hidden it from me…). This made me quite comfortable about a procedure that was less than thrilling.

While they were wheeling me to the procedure, the doctor looked in on Malkie in the waiting room and chatted with her. During their conversation, he pulled out his Mezuzah necklace and asked if it meant anything to her. To which she replied with a big smile, “it means Am Yisrael Chai” and then promptly invited him for Shabbos dinner.

During the procedure there were several people in the room. They were all wonderful and professional. They kept everything moving like a well-oiled machine. I could not be more laudatory about my experience and that is credit to each of them and the role they played. For some reason, I felt a deeper connection with the doctor. At the time, with the sedation kicking in, I was unable to give it much thought. But as I recovered and reflected more on that, I realized that this was a feeling of brotherhood.

There are many good doctors. Contrary to the comedian’s assertion, they can be of any ethnicity. This was not only about the quality of the medical experience. This was about a soul connection. We are both Jewish and we have a shared history, destiny, and soul. As I drifted off into oblivion, enjoying what they called “the best sleep you will ever have,” the comforting feeling of brotherhood escorted me into la la land.

Y’all, the connection is real. We would do well to embrace it!

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

Last night, Chabad of Louisiana successfully completed a campaign to raise $120,000. Over 200 friends of Chabad of Louisiana participated. We are extremely grateful for and humbled by the outpouring of support. We are honored by the trust you have placed in us for the last 50 years of service to the community. This campaign jumpstarts our vision for the next 50 years and beyond. Together, with you as our partners, we look forward to impacting the lives of many in the community in a meaningful way.

If you did not have a chance to participate and would like to do, please visit www.chabadneworleans.com/giving. 

In this week’s Parsha we spend time with Noach, the famous ark builder, who survived the great flood. Noach seems to have an identity crisis. On one hand, the Torah describes him as a Tzadik – a righteous man. On the other hand, the Torah adds a qualifier to the superlative, “in his generation.” Rashi comments that this qualifier is the subject of controversy amongst the sages. Some see it as enhancing the compliment, Noach managed to stay righteous even while operating in a highly corrupt society. While others see the qualifier as a criticism; he was righteous only relative to his counterparts, but had he lived in the time of Avraham, for example, he would not be as highly regarded. Avraham managed to influence tens of thousands to embrace a monotheistic moral life, whereas Noach could not convince even one neighbor to repent and reject the corruption and immorality of the time.

In practical application, both approaches are instructive to us, the readers of this narrative 4,500 years later. On one hand, it encourages us to resist negative societal trends, like Noach who was righteous even in a corrupt society. On the other hand, he is criticized for his lack of devotion to others, so that we learn from this to emulate Avraham and his manner of influencing his environment.  

We find a similar conflict over a phrase in the Haftara, where G-d proclaims to Isaiah, “I swore that the waters of Noah shall never again pass over the earth.” Why are the flood waters called the waters of Noach? After all, he was the one guy who was good enough to survive.

The Rebbe offers conflicting interpretations. On one hand, success and failure are blamed on the “quarterback” of the society. True Noach was not corrupt, but his inability to have a positive influence resulted in the destructive floodwaters being named for him.

On the other hand, the phrase “waters of Noach” indicates that the purpose of the water was not merely destruction. (G-d could have found much easier ways to destroy the world. He could have just thrown it into perpetual election cycles…) Rather the waters of Noach served a positive purpose. They cleansed the universe from all the corruption like a Mikvah cleanses impurity. This is the significance of the 40 days of rain, a parallel to the 40 “Seah” (a liquid measurement) of water required to make a Mikvah valid. The post-flood world was more refined and receptive to the idea of Teshuvah.

Practically, these two, seemingly conflicting interpretations are not mutually exclusive. The first teaches us something about personal responsibility. If you are the “quarterback” take responsibility for the loss. Don’t blame the receivers or the blockers. Better yet, make sure you don’t lose to begin with. The second tells us about finding goodness and positivity in every situation.

We are all faced with similar conflicts in life. We read the Torah and learn the lessons, becoming more informed and better equipped to translate those lessons into successful living.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

This week we read about creation. When it comes to the creation of humans, the Torah says, “And G-d blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and the human became a living being.” The human was preceded by other living beings - vegetation, animals - so what makes the human unique? 

Onkelos renders the phrase “living being” into Aramaic as “an articulate soul.” Rashi echoes this and refers to the uniqueness of the human as related to “intelligence and verbal articulation.” So we see that speech and intelligent verbal communication are core to the unique human identity.

While many beings communicate and “speak,” there is something special and different about human speech. We have the ability to speak of abstract matters relating to all kinds of intellectual disciplines. We have the ability to convey deep emotions, love, compliments, and our hopes and dreams. We have the ability to speak of practical things, instructions and guidance to others. Unfortunately, we also have the capacity to speak destructively and, G-d forbid, tear another person down.

As we think about the “power” of speech (pun intended), I would encourage us to use the following metric when we set out to speak. Clean. Positive. Kind.

1. Are the words we choose to use clean? The same mouth that we use to praise Hashem and study Torah must be kept clean of any inappropriate language. 

2. Are we speaking of positive things or are we using our speech to drag ourselves and our environment down into negativity? Positive speech has the ability to change our surroundings and make them pleasant and energizing. 

3. Are we using our communication in a kind manner? Are we being constantly critical or are we complimentary? Are we speaking slanderously or being gossipy or are we careful to protect the dignity of others in our manner of speech?

An “articulate soul” is a powerful soul. Words have a major impact, sometimes even greater than sticks or stones. Let us harness our power as a force for good. Through clean, positive, and kind words we can make a real difference in our world, making it a cleaner, more positive, and kinder place, one mouth at a time. 

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

Praise the L-rd, all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples. For His kindness was mighty over us, and the truth of the L-rd is everlasting. Praise the L-rd! (Psalms 117)

King David is telling us that when Hashem’s kindness is mighty over us, this elicits the praise of Hashem from the nations of the world.

This week’s in-flight miracle, despite their best attempts to distort the reporting, has elicited positive reactions even from those media outlets that are far from the love of Jews. When there is simply no other way to explain it, one has to concede that this is a miracle from Hashem.

What about us? How are we reacting? Are we engaging in proper gratitude to Hashem for the miracle? We must gather as a people to properly thank and praise Hashem for the miracles He has shown us and our people. Sukkot and Simchat Torah are the time to do this. It is a time for gratitude. We thank Hashem for all of His blessings. We thank Hashem for the Torah and Jewish peoplehood. This year we must thank Hashem for these open miracles that we have experienced.

Make your way to a Synagogue for Simchat Torah on Saturday night. You are more than welcome to join Chabad in New Orleans or Metairie. We must dance and celebrate together that Am Yisrael Chai because Od Avinu Chai, the Jewish people lives on because our Father is alive.

Don’t just be a Jew who responds to antisemitism. Be a Jew who celebrates the miracles that Hashem continues to perform for us each and every day. The miracle of Jewish survival. The miracle of Judaism and the inspirational message it carries for humanity. The miracles of each breath that we take. The miracles that wake us up, such as the one we experienced this week.

Happy Simchat Torah!
Shabbat Shalom!
Am Yisrael Chai!
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

“Let all who are hungry come and eat.” Wait, why are we quoting the Passover Haggadah? Isn’t the next holiday Sukkot? In fact, our sages tell us that “All Israel is worthy to sit in one Sukkah. The Sukkah is the Divine Embrace; and there is nothing better for Hashem than embracing us all together. So really, Sukkot is a time when we should be thinking about those that may not have a Sukkah and make sure that they are included.

In Crown Heights (the Chabad neighborhood in Brooklyn) there are families that have a sign on their Sukkah entrance that declares this to a be a “Sukkah Kol Dichfin,” paraphrasing that quote from the Haggadah, a Sukkah where anyone is welcome to come and eat. There is one famous Sukkah that stretches longer than a football field. It takes up half a block and there is a steady stream of people that come and eat.

Years ago, I heard a great story about this phenomenon. Rabbi M. was a teacher at a Jewish high school in Flatbush. Before Sukkot, he told his students to come to Crown Heights one night of Chol Hamoed (the intermediate days of the holiday) and join him for some refreshments and a shmooze in his Sukkah. A group of guys traveled to Crown Heights to take him up on his offer. They rang the bell and a woman answered the door. She showed them out to the Sukkah and brought some refreshments for them to enjoy. They sat and ate, waiting for Rabbi M. to come out and join them. After about 20 minutes they asked the hostess if everything was ok with Rabbi M. because they were waiting for him. She laughed and said, “Oh, Rabbi M’s family lives next door, you must have gotten the address confused.” They were floored at her instant hospitality without even knowing who they were. She didn’t bat an eyelash or ask them why they had come until they brought it up.

As we prepare to celebrate this holiday of Jewish unity, let each of us make an effort to include someone that may not otherwise be included. Imagine how much joy we can spread to ourselves and others by taking this initiative. Not to mention how happy Hashem is when we are all together. Chag Sameach and enjoy the hug from Hashem.

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Sukkot
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

Last week, during a prison chaplaincy visit, I got into a discussion on Teshuvah with a group of inmates. One of them had a paperback English translation of Shaarei Teshuvah, a treatise on Teshuvah by 13^th century sage, Rabbi Yonah of Girondi. There he cites a Talmudic discussion between Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov and the Sages regarding the following question. If one confessed a sin on Yom Kippur and did not repeat the sin during the following year, may that sin be mentioned the following Yom Kippur. While the sages prohibit one from bringing the sin back up, Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov recommends it.

What drives these two opinions? How do we apply this wisdom in our daily lives?

The sages are concerned that repeated focus on past sins can drag a person down and paralyze them, preventing further growth. Rabbi Eliezer believes that keeping an eye on past indiscretions can help prevent arrogance, the root of all sin.

Practically, the Rambam and other Halachic authorities encourage it but do not require it. Clearly the solution lies in finding a balance. The Rebbe framed this in terms of compartmentalization. We should designate certain times (such as reciting Shema before bedtime) for introspection on our imperfections. Knowing what I am capable of will keep me vigilant and humble. However, we should free ourselves from these thoughts during all other times to avoid paralysis and melancholy. While I am busy with the rest of my day, serving Hashem must be with joy and alacrity.

Chassidus offers one additional insight to solving this dilemma.

They once asked a drunkard why he kept drinking, knowing that it was going to not end well. He explained that each time he takes a drink he becomes a new man; that man also deserves a drink…

Ideally, as we progress through life, we grow and develop spiritually. The new me finds deeper ways to return to Hashem that I was incapable of previously. So, rather than keeping me down, the new Teshuvah is the symptom of a higher striving. This is rather more liberating than paralyzing.

As we approach Yom Kippur, I wish us all to have a meaningful day, filled with connection and at-one-ment.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

I was getting ready to write something profound and preachy. After all, tonight is Rosh Hashanah. But then something happened and I decided to go whimsical and heartwarming.

Yesterday I got a phone call that seemed like a little gift from heaven. Let me give you some background. Many of you remember Saul Hakim, who passed away last winter. One of his many hobbies was beekeeping. Each Rosh Hashanah he would lovingly provide honey to the community. Within the year before his passing, he moved to New Jersey to live with his son and family. Before he left, he gave his hives to a beekeeper, and he told him that his gift was conditioned on the beekeeper giving honey to the community before Rosh Hashanah. He put the beekeeper in touch with Rabbi Mendy Schechter to ensure that the process would be Kosher.

Yesterday I got the call from Rabbi Schechter that Saul’s hives had produced honey, and it is being made available to the community. Dozens of families will enjoy this gift from heaven and know that even from the next world Saul Hakim loves his people and his community.

As we prepare for Rosh Hashanah tonight, a time that we stand in judgement before Hashem, we would be well served to take a page from Saul’s playbook and demonstrate a love and caring for our brothers and sisters – our fellow Jews. There is no greater pleasure for Hashem our Father, than seeing His children caring for one another.

I hope that everyone has a meaningful Rosh Hashanah. Please make sure to participate in a Shofar blowing service on Sunday. Chabad offerings will be listed below.

Wishing you all a Shana Tova, a good and sweet year, a year of health, prosperity, nachas, and meaningful spiritual growth. A year of peace and tranquility in Israel and around the world. Most of all, may this be the year that we finally merit the complete and final redemption through the coming of Mashiach!

Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

This morning I had my annual bloodwork done. While I was driving to the appointment, I was thinking about how amazing it is that so much about our body and our health can be determined by analyzing our blood.

Then I started to contemplate that while this is the case regarding our physical selves, we have a parallel regarding our spiritual selves. Our soul can tell us a lot about who we are and what our deeper nature is. Our soul can tell us what type of emotions we are drawn to experience. Our soul can tell us which aspect of Torah we are most enthused by. Our soul can tell us which Mitzvot will excite us most and which will present the greatest challenge. Our soul can tell us which music we will appreciate and what kind of person we will marry. Our soul can give us the secret of who we were and what we were like in a previous lifetime.

The major difference between the two is that you cannot draw a soul specimen and analyze it in a laboratory. So instead, the process works in reverse until we get a big enough sample size from which we can project about future matters. We start to experience certain sensations upon encountering particular phenomena. Knowing that how we experience these phenomena can be traced back to the nature of our soul, allows us some insight into that very nature. These begin indicating to us what our soul is like and from there we can apply beyond those experiences.

(An additional option is to go to a soul doctor, a Tzaddik who is an expert in souls. The Tzaddik can tell you what your soul’s nature is and therefore what you should pursue in your life.)

Are you intrigued? Would you like to explore more of this subject? Do you want more details on how to start noticing things and how to connect the dots? Are you curious to find out that you are way more spiritual than you assumed? If you answered yes to any of those questions, I have a suggestion for you. Consider taking our upcoming course: Kabbalah and the Hidden Architecture of You, beginning in late October.

Just as our bloodwork enables us to make healthier lifestyle choices for our physical well-being, learning about your soul enables us to make healthier lifestyle choices for our spiritual well-being.

Learn more about the course at www.chabadneworleans.com/jli. We are launching the course on Wednesday, October 28 at 7 pm. Feel free to sample the first class with no commitment. This course will also be offered on Tuesdays in Metairie by Rabbi Mendel Ceitlin, info at www.jewishlouisiana.com/jli.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

A few days before Rosh Hashanah 1950, a person wrote to the Rebbe and with a request for guidance on how to live as a Jew. The Rebbe replied by quoting a verse from Isaiah. He then cited a Rabbinic interpretation on that passage. The Rebbe added some commentary of his own and, in conclusion, stated that this one verse sums up the guidance for the entire lifetime of a Jew.

The verse is Isaiah 58:7: “Share your bread with the hungry, and the wretched poor you shall bring home; when you see a naked one, you shall clothe him, and from your flesh you shall not hide.”

Simply put it means to feed the hungry, give shelter to the homeless, and clothe the naked. And, by the way, don’t forget about your own family while you are busy helping others.

While this is spot on guidance for life, and we should all be devoted to these causes, what is uniquely Jewish about this? Shouldn’t people who are not Jewish also be moved to “feed the hungry, give shelter to the homeless, and clothe the naked?”

To this dish of wholesome living the Rabbis added some spices. Poverty can be understood on many levels. You might think that hunger is for food alone. Teach the Rabbis, that one can be hungry and for the word of G-d. Find a Jew who has not had the benefit of extensive Torah learning and feed them Torah.

You might think that nakedness is merely the absence of physical clothing. Teach the Rabbis, that one can be naked of the soul’s garments, stripped of Mitzvot. Find a Jew that does not lay Tefillin and wrap them on him. Find a Jew that does not wear a Tallit and cover him. Find a Jew that does not have a Mezuzah and put one up with them. Find a Jew that does not light Shabbat candles and help her light them.

You might think that homelessness is solely the lack of shelter. Teach the Rabbis, that one can be homeless of a Synagogue, a community to call home. Find a Jew that does not regularly participate in a community and bring them into your home, your Synagogue to pray and be part of the community.

To this delectable dish of wholesome living the Rebbe added one more flavor. Is poverty limited to one who is aware of one’s lack? Using the above applications of hungry, naked, and homeless, what if one is not aware that they are hungry for the word of G-d? What if one does not know that they are naked of Mitzvot? What if one does not feel the homelessness of being without a Synagogue and a community? Then, the Rebbe emphasized, the poverty is even greater. The compassion one must have for that person is even more expanded. Therefore, the effort to feed, clothe, and shelter such a person must be done with even greater intensity so that they can connect with their true identity.

This is what life is all about.

Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

This week our family experienced the loss of Malkie’s mother, Shifra bas R’ Eliyahu, known to all as Rebbetzin Shifra Stone.

She was a person who “wore many hats.” For us she was a mother and a Bubby. She always referred to me as her favorite son-in-law (I had no competition…). She was a devoted daughter to her parents. She loved spending time with her family, especially at Simchas. Three weeks ago, we celebrated the wedding of our daughter Chana, and my mother-in-law reveled in every moment of the Simcha.

She served alongside her husband, R’ Avraham Stone, may he live and be well, for decades in his capacity as a Rabbi in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn. She was a gifted teacher; she taught a weekly class for women in her neighborhood that was well attended. She was involved in many communal organizations and causes. Her primary public role was as principal of Yeshiva Ohel Moshe that she ran along with her brother, R’ Dov Machlis, may he live and be well, following the passing of their parents who served at the helm of the school and community in their lifetime.

In the spirit of the verse in Ecclesiastes 7:2, “And the living shall take to heart,” I would like to highlight four areas of her life from which we can draw inspiration for our own lives.

1.      Honoring parents: Her devotion to her parents during their lifetime was legendary. She continued to honor them long after their passing as well.

2.      Jewish Education: She was dedicated to the education of Jewish children. Yeshiva Ohel Moshe was a school that was known to accommodate any child seeking a Jewish education. She spent weeks every summer calling parents of Jewish public-school children to convince them to enroll their children in school so that can get a Jewish education. Thousands of children passed through that school and are living Jewish lives today. When noticing some issues in the home lives of these children, she would make sure the kids were fed and clothed and taken care of to the best of her ability.  

3.      Family Purity: She was a pioneer in the effort to get Jewish women to observe the Mikvah tradition. She personally taught and developed a curriculum for brides about the traditions of family purity. The Rebbe acknowledged her role in this effort on several occasions.

4.      Open Home: Their home was always open. There were always guests at the table, especially people that didn’t always feel welcome elsewhere. Even this past Pesach, when she was not in good health, she got a call on the afternoon before the Seder asking to host a fellow who needed a place to go that would be accepting.

May we, the living, take to heart and be inspired by those examples. May Hashem comfort Malkie and her family among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May we speedily merit the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 25:8, “Death will be concealed forever, and the L-rd G-d shall wipe the tears off every face.”

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

The Talmud offers the following analogy to explain the better of two choices in dealing with that which is abhorrent. The world needs tanners (people that work hide into leather) and perfume makers. Fortunate is the one who is a perfume maker.

When dealing with darkness or things that are foul and evil, we can either try to tackle the darkness and beat the foul hides into something useful, or we can spread light and perfume our environment. We are purveyors of light. We don’t beat the darkness with a stick; we light a candle.

Our NOLA Jewish community is currently confronting a situation where an individual who has been responsible for fomenting antisemitic sentiment is coming to perform in the Superdome on Friday, August 28. Though he claims remorse for his past statements and actions, the movement he spawned is one that is malodorous, and even dangerous.

I am proud that our Jewish community is taking the approach of purveying light. Rather than protest and fight the darkness, we are spreading the light. I credit the Jewish Federation and ADL for meeting with the organizers of the event to explain the issues, choosing to educate and see what good can come from this connection. Furthermore, the decision has been made to present the “joy of Judaism” rather than the darkness of antisemitism.

In the effort to purvey light and be perfume makers, the Jewish community will be highlighting three light-filled opportunities that weekend.

The first is to encourage folks to attend Shabbat services that Friday night. Several congregations, including Chabad of Louisiana, will be offering Shabbat dinner following services that week. (See www.chabadneworleans.com/tgis for more details.)

The second is that entry to the MSJE (Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience) will be free that entire weekend. This gives people an opportunity to explore their own community’s story if they are Jewish, or to learn more about the Jewish experience for those who are not.

The third is to come and hear Holocaust Survivor Tova Friedman, known as the “Daughter of Auschwitz,” tell her story on Sunday evening, August 30 at the Jefferson Performing Arts Center. Tova has been a purveyor of light, telling her story of faith and courage and inspiring audiences around the world. For registration and more info, www.jewishlouisiana.com/tova.

Be a purveyor of light! Participate in one or more of these opportunities so that the pleasant fragrance of decency and goodness will permeate our city.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

Malkie and I are very grateful for the outpouring of good wishes we received on the occasion of Chana and Lippy’s wedding last week. We look forward to reciprocating on your special occasions.

Generally speaking, the weekly Haftara is meant to directly reflect the themes of the weekly Parsha. The last ten weeks of the year are an exception to this rule. Those Haftaras are more connected to the calendar than to the Parsha. There are three that are read leading up to Tisha B’av, regarding the destruction and exile. Then there are seven that are read after Tisha B’av until Rosh Hashanah that are prophecies of comfort.

The medieval sage Rabbi David Avudraham wrote a commentary on our liturgical language and customs. He offers a fascinating insight into the sequence of the seven Haftaras of comfort, suggesting that the opening phrase of each one serves as a continuing dialogue between G-d and the Jewish people. Understanding the sequence, gives us a peak into the broader Jewish story that continues until this day.

It begins in the first Haftara with G-d dispatching the prophet to “comfort, you shall comfort My people.” The Jewish people, seeing that G-d is sending them comfort via a messenger rather than in person, reply with the second Haftara, “Zion said, ‘G‑d has forsaken me, my L‑rd has forgotten me.” The prophet then goes to report to back to G-d in the third Haftara that, “the afflicted, storm-tossed one, refuses to be consoled.” G-d’s rejoinder in the fourth Haftara is, “I, indeed I, am He who comforts you.” The next three Haftaras go on to expand on the loving messages that G-d has for His people, concluding with the seventh Haftara, “I will rejoice intensely with G‑d.”

This is our story. We experience challenges. Often, following those challenges we are offered a consolation prize. Do we accept that and move on, or do we insist that we want the real deal? At the risk of being “slightly” provocative, I want to apply this to our times. 85 years ago, our people experienced one of the most difficult challenges in our history, the Holocaust. Six million murdered. Countless others were scarred physically and emotionally. Generational trauma ensued. Following the Holocaust, G-d offered us two consolation prizes, a Jewish state in our ancestral homeland, and unprecedented tranquility and success in places like the USA.

Why do I call them consolation prizes? The State of Israel does not fulfill the prophecies of old. Israel is not fully sovereign and independent. She must constantly worry about what others think and say. She is under ongoing threat of attack. Israel is not a country that is conducted according to the way of the Torah. Most importantly, we do not have a Temple in Jerusalem, the full ingathering of the exiles, or peace from the attack of the nations of the world.

Regarding the tranquil and successful presence in the diaspora, we see developing before our own eyes how fragile and temporal that tranquility can be.

We need to insist, just as the storm-tossed afflicted one in the Haftara, that we will settle for nothing less than the complete and final redemption, the comfort that comes from Hashem Himself.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

Reading the story and the liturgy of Tisha B’Av, a word that kept popping up is “Hope.” There is the passage in Jeremiah with the voice of Rachel crying for her children going in to exile and G-d says to her “Refrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears… there is hope for your future and your children will return to their borders.” This word is evoked repeatedly in our liturgy and our teachings.

Is hope an illusion? Are the promises of a return and the rebuilding of our people and our land just there to help us get through challenges? Were the prophets just stringing us along so that we can stand up again after being knocked down by yet another persecutorial enemy? Are the sages of the Talmud in on the conspiracy when they speak of a future Redemption? Did the Rambam, Rashi, the Arizal, the Baal Shemtov and all the others who speak of hope for the future, just come along for the ride in hoodwinking our people into believing in a Mashiach who will never come?

Years ago, I met an older man in Shreveport along with two friends and he told us about his encounter with the Rebbe. He shared how much he admired the Rebbe for what he did for the Jewish people. Then he concluded, “I just don’t understand why he insists on the ridiculous notion of Mashiach’s coming. Even the Rambam and the sages just used Mashiach as a way of offering hope to Jewish people during challenging times.” 19-year-old me was bursting with incredulity. How could an intelligent man accuse the Rambam of being a charlatan?

53-year-old me still insists that hope is not an illusion. I believe with complete certainty that words of the Rebbe and all those who preceded him, all the way back to the prophets and Moses, are an articulation of the promise of Hashem, which is the absolute truth.

Can we prove it? I believe that we can. The greatest proof that hope is real and that our future is G-d’s promise of Redemption, is the fact of Jewish survival. Today we mourned the destruction of our Temples by the Babylonians and the Romans, two mighty empires who dominated the world scene in their day. Where are they now? Where is Pharoah’s Egypt? Where is the Greek empire of Antiochus? Where is the Persian empire of Achashverosh? Where are the mighty crusaders? Where is the caliphate? Where is the Spanish kingdom of Ferdinand and Isabella? Where is the third Reich? Where is the Soviet Union?

But we, the Jewish people are alive and thriving. Am Yisrael Chai. We are a sliver of the world’s population. We always have been. And yet, here we are. In fact, humanity is quite obsessed with us, despite our diminutive proportions. We have survived every effort to eradicate us. We have survived one attempted genocide after the next. We believe with complete faith in the coming of Mashiach. Though he has tarried, nevertheless, we wait every day for him to come and fulfill the hope of Hashem’s promise. May this take place speedily. Amen

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin