Could we just all get along?

What kind of person are you? Intellectual? Emotional? Are you a giving person? A disciplined person? Do you bond well with others?

Do you dominate in relationships or do you allow others to take the lead? Could we all just get along?

Blessedly, the answer is yes! In this weeks Torah portion Aaron the High Priest is introduced to his obligation to facilitate the lighting of the Menorah. The Menorah which consisted of seven branches represent seven emotional characteristics, or seven types of people.

Although, we may be different we are all part of one Menorah. In fact, the Menorah was formed out of one block of gold. This further represents that we all stem from the same source although we may express ourselves differently. Kind of like a diamond, the light that shines through may be of many colors but it all is reflecting the same diamond.

In reality though this is easier said than done. It sounds much better as an ideal then something that one can actually practice. I mean just think of that disorganized artist that is your friend, can you two really get along? Or that super disciplined calculated friend of yours, I just don’t have the patience for them to figure it all out, i mean there is a life to be lived!

Jewish mysticism teaches that the people we encounter in our lives, and particularly the ones that give us the most challenge, are put there by Gd to help us correct something within ourselves. Perhaps it is more emotion we need to express, more love. Or perhaps we have to learn patience for those that don’t seem to be on the ball like we are. Either way, the reason you are the way you are and they are the way they are is by Divine construct.

This too is alluded to in the construction of the Menorah. The Menorah was one block of gold. The Midrash tells us that the block was thrown into a fire and it formed itself into the various branches.

Accordingly, the reason that one branch ended up on the right and the other on the left as by Divine construct. The message is powerful if we look for it. The next time you find a friendship, an acquaintance or a passing interaction to be challenging, stop and look inside yourself to see how you can actualize a particular aspect of your character that needs tending to.