As we emerge out of this week’s mega-snow event, I would like to share a few tips on “staying warm.”
A chassid once witnessed a Russian soldier being flogged. He inquired as to the reason and was told that the unfortunate fellow had frozen in place one cold night while on sentry duty. The chassid inquired further, “how was the soldier to have avoided that in sub-freezing temperatures?” The reply, “the oath of allegiance to Czar should have been sufficient to keep him warm in the coldest of situations.”
The chassid, recalling the Baal Shem Tov’s instruction to learn a lesson from every encounter, mused that we too have taken an oath of allegiance to our King of Kings. At Mt. Sinai we declared, “Naaseh V’nishma – we will obey and understand.” This should be sufficient to “keep us warm” even when we are feeling spiritually frigid.
Hayom Yom shares this Chassidic axiom. “Coldness and heresy are separated by so slender a barrier! It is said, "For the Eternal your G‑d is a consuming fire." G‑dliness is a flame of fire. Learning Torah and prayer must be with a blazing heart, that "all my bones may utter" the words of G‑d in Torah and prayer.”
This concept is illustrated via a deeper insight into the first of the ten plagues, about which we read in this week’s Torah portion. The plagues were not only meant to punish the Egyptians, but also to rehabilitate the people of Israel. The first plague was the water being transformed into blood. Step one in spiritual rehabilitation is taking the coldness (represented by water), the apathy to that which is holy and G-dly; and infusing it with warmth (represented by blood), a passion for Hashem and His Torah.
This week our community mourns the passing of Raquel Hakim. She was an elegant woman who was the epitome of humble kindness. She always sought to see where she could be helpful, in an understated way. She constantly tried to distance herself from controversy and dissent. She was a pursuer of peace and a good friend to many.
I met Raquel, and her husband Saul, in 1992 as a Rabbinic intern traveling through Monroe, Louisiana. We remained connected and over the years they attended the Chanukah @ Riverwalk event. After Hurricane Katrina, our community celebrated Rosh Hashanah “in exile” at the Atrium Hotel in Monroe, hosted by the greater Hakim family. Following that, Saul and Raquel began coming to New Orleans more frequently, for holidays and other occasions. Our families became very close. Eventually they moved to New Orleans and lived across the street from Chabad in Metairie. Living close to the Synagogue gave Raquel the ability to whole-heartedly embrace her Jewish observance and become a part of the community.
She loved the children of the community. She volunteered for several years to ride the Chanukah Parade Party Bus as a chaperone, and supplied the snacks so the kids could enjoy themselves. When our son Shneur was born, three years ago, Saul and Raquel, carried him into the bris ceremony.
The pure soul of Rachel Feiga bas Avraham returned to its Maker just short of her 76th birthday, peacefully at home, following an illness of a few months. She will be dearly missed by her husband Saul, her family, her friends, and her community. Shiva will be held at their home. Please reach out for location and visitation times.
May Hashem comfort those mourning her passing among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin