Run to the hills!

I suspect many a young lovers couple dreamed the same dream, fantasized the same fantasy – to run to the hills and live in nature, away from the distractions of the world, lost in drunk love.

Alas, for most of us, neither finances nor practicality would allow that for any extended period of time, so we have to suffice with a honeymoon or honeymoon period.

When the world gets crazy like it did Sunday in Orlando, when the world seems to be declining and all semblance of normalcy seems to be disappearing without hope for return, the desire to run to the hills comes back up. And although the practicality of that option still remains out of reach, strategic thoughts of living a minimalistic life so as to achieve the nomadic fantasy percolate.

In this weeks Torah portion we are introduced to the Nazir, a seemingly noble endeavor. The Nazir, separates himself from wine, does not cut his hair and stays pure taking caution not to come in contact with the dead.

Upon the conclusion of his term of dedicated days to this seemingly nomadic and holy life, he is required to bring a “sin-offering”.

One of the reasons our Sages understand for the sin-offering is that the Nazir needs to atone for having separated himself by choice from the material world around him.

The Torah is teaching us, that our purpose on this earth is to engage in the physical world, to interact with things that have the potential for danger and baseness like wine. Our role is to be of this world and in this world not to separate ourselves from it.

So dear friends, time to give the fantasy up. Quite contrary, we must respond to the craziness of the world by further investing ourselves in the world and society around us to bring meaning, connection, G-dliness and goodliness to it. It is only through this approach can we hope to make change and transformation.

As long as we don’t lose focus of our role on this earth, as long as we don’t run from the craziness, then all hope is not lost.

Let’s stand up and be counted and do our part to bring healing to a wounded world.