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Author:Rabbi Schusterman

Jul 22 2015

Come Out of Your Hiding Place

Tammuz, Three Weeks
by Rabbi Schusterman

A full three weeks of our year-the three weeks "between the strictures" of Tammuz 17 (July 4) and Av 9 (July 26)- are designated as a time of mourning over the destruction of the Holy Temple and the resultant galut-physical exile and spiritual displacement-in which we still find ourselves. Read more at Chabad.org.   We all yearn and pine for our parents approval, their love and validation. Ask anybody who was born and they’ll tell you about some issue they have with their mother or father. “My mother didn’t express her love...

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Jul 16 2015

What is the destination?

Moshiach, Three Weeks
by Rabbi Schusterman

We leave Egypt so that we can enter Israel but we get "stuck" in the desert for 40 years and travel 42 journey's during that time (can you imagine needing to move homes that many times in that many years?!).   It is the story of our lives. We leave the Egypt (narrow and limiting places) of the mother's womb to enter into the big world with the destination being Israel - a place of purpose and communion with the Almighty. Along the way we end up with many journey's, not all...

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Jul 08 2015

Sweetening the Bitterness

Tammuz
by Rabbi Schusterman

Next Friday is the first day of the 9 days, the period in which the Bais Hamikdash, the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, itself was breached and the fighting intensified and destruction was imminent.   The following Shabbos is the 9th of Av, the day we commemorate the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash.   All in all this is the time of the year known as the three weeks, the saddest period on the Jewish Calendar.   In a regular year the first day of this three week period (the 17th of Tammuz) and the last day...

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Jul 01 2015

The New Norm

Uncategorized
by Rabbi Schusterman

Dennis Prager says that happiness comes from having reasonable expectations in life. If you have unreasonable expectations you are likely to be disappointed.   There is an original Chabad adage which says that the world faces challenge at best head on, but in reality we need to jump over challenge. In other words, there are standards, realities and expectations assumed by the world around us. These standards etc. are assumed to be the boxes in which we need to live and conduct ourselves according to.   The Chabad saying asks a rhetorical question, “really?...

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Jun 24 2015

Labels Are For T-Shirts

Israel
by Rabbi Schusterman

It is likely that when our children return from their sleep away camps they will be missing a varying amounts of pants, shirts, underwear and socks. If you labeled their clothing, it is more likely that more of those items will return with them. (Quick camping tip; I remember my grandmother sewing each label into our pants and shirts, I believe they have iron ons now.)   And that is where the labels belong, not on people.   In this weeks Torah portion we read of Moses hitting the rock. An epic event that...

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Jun 18 2015

A Rebellion by Another Name

Uncategorized
by Rabbi Schusterman

In our politically correct world, words are very potent. The word rebellion connotes negative and unpleasant events. In fact in this weeks Torah portion we read of the negative Rebellion of Korach that ended in disaster.   But are all rebellions bad?   The great Prophet Isaiah says “this opposite that G-d has made”. Our Sages explain this to mean that everything that exists in the positive has its counter in the negative. This is in order to make our free choice take place on a fair playing ground. If there were things that...

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Jun 10 2015

Having a rough day?

3 Tammuz
by Rabbi Schusterman

In discussing relationships recently with a friend he made the following observation. “When I am in a good place spiritually my relationship with my wife is great. When we hit a bump in the road it is almost always because I am out of alignment with my spiritual values.”   The Tzemach Tzedek (3rd Chabad Rebbe) as a child, was once playing with his friends. A ladder posted against a tree seemed like a fair challenge for the boys, so each one attempted to climb this ladder, giving up after a few...

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Jun 03 2015

Could we just all get along?

Uncategorized
by Rabbi Schusterman

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...

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Paradigm Shift

Recovery
by Rabbi Schusterman

Reality?   Is the world a garden or a jungle?   Do you have a great life or are things pretty miserable for you?   Is this real or is life an illusion?   And if I’m miserable now, does it really make a difference which is true?!   Lasik/PRK   My little brother (brother #6) did it first. Then my older brother (brother #1) did it. Not to be outdone, I took the leap and had my eyes done. I couldn’t do the Lasik because of an astigmatism, so I opted for the alternative PRK (p). Not fun! Although the drugs...

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