Torah’s Opportunity and Challenge

Never before have we had this much information at our fingertips.  In fact we have so much information that it is hard to focus.  I can jump from one meaningful article to the next on a news site, or on a platform for learning.  Granted, the inverse is also true, I can get lost in an Instagram, Facebook or other nonsense vortex and wake up an hour later and realize how distracted I’ve been. 

I’d like to say centuries ago, but even decades ago, the challenge was to get the information.  Even when we access the information via libraries or other resources, we still needed to unpack the information, to digest it, to apply it.

I’m specifically referring to the profound teachings of Judaism but it is true in every area of life.

The depth of Jewish teachings have never been more accessible, not only technologically but in terms of pedagogy, language and ability to comprehend.  It’s so available to us that it is oftentimes overlooked.  It’s literally gold on the street waiting to be picked up.

The challenge today or better put the opportunity today revolves around taking the time to apply it and incorporate it into our lives.  This requires taking the knowledge and digesting it in a manner that makes it relevant in our lives.

This jumped out at me when discussing an idea from this week’s Torah portion with a friend of mine.  He was awed by the Torah’s teaching.  I was struck by the easy access to the teaching but the difficulty in putting it into application.

This is the opportunity and the challenge of our time.

I invite you to do the following; at the opening of this week’s Torah portion, we read about the kindling of the Menorah and the seven branches of the Menorah.  I invite you to spend 15 minutes exploring the basics as well as the depths of this teaching on various Torah websites including Chabad.org.

Then take another 15 minutes and see how you can apply it in your life.  

If you care to, please share with me or others (even on social media) how this experience was for you.

Have a great Shabbos!

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