Rabbi Yossi's Blog

Nice video!

What are your plans for Thanksgiving?

Every holiday comes with its own traditions and Thanksgiving is no different. Beyond the turkey, it’s almost become an American custom to volunteer in soup kitchens or to assist those less fortunate than us in some other positive way.

The attitude is; because we recognize the gifts in our life, we are aware of those less fortunate. Which leads us to say, “I am blessed, what can I do to help you?”

Of all the American holidays, Thanksgiving is the one that is most in line with Judaism. But Jewish teachings take the concept of giving thanks one step further - more than expressing thankfulness to G-d for the blessings in our life, we have to connect it with an action.

We see this idea expressed with the mitzvah of bikurim - the obligation (in the times of the Temple in Jerusalem) to bring the first fruit to the Cohen in Jerusalem. A farmer harvesting his crop was obligated not only to thank G-d for the blessing in his life but to demonstrate that feeling by his actions; bringing the first of his fruit to the Cohen.

We thank G-d all the time; we make a blessing before we eat, we make a blessing after we eat; there are blessings said when appreciating nature and even blessings said upon waking up in the morning. But more important than expressing gratitude is the commitment, we must express this gratitude in deed.

Whatever your plans, my blessing to you this Thanksgiving is that you be able to stop and appreciate what is right about your life. And use that gratitude as a stepping stone for positive change.

You may not follow NCAA Football (like me), but you most likely heard the horrifying story that broke this week of the former assistant coach at Penn State who was a serial child molester.
The scariest part of the story is the revelation that so many people at the school knew about the allegations and did little or nothing at all to stop it.

To me, the most instructional part of this terrible story was the reaction of a graduate student who caught this despicable assistant coach in the act and didn’t call the police! He first discussed it with his father, then the head coach, but never went to the police! His inexplicable decision enabled this monster of an individual to continue with his behavior for many more years, in which time he doubtlessly damaged many more lives.

This story serves to highlight the seriousness with which we must approach our obligation of educating our children. In a time when there is so much moral ambiguity, we must teach our children that there is right and there is wrong. Good and absolute evil. Not “good and not so good” or “good and possibly bad.” Good and bad. There must be clear red lines - this we do and this we do not.

How does this connect to making moral decisions? When children are raised with an acute sense of what’s right and what’s wrong, they are immeasurably better equipped to make the right decision when called to the task.

Today is Veteran’s Day, and we can learn an important lesson from the military training of every soldier. They endure rigorous ongoing training - for what purpose? To be able to march properly? No, it is to enable them to think clearly and make the right decision when under fire.

We have the moral obligation (in addition to the Torah obligation) to educate our children correctly. When we educate our children with the limitations (yes, healthy limitations) imposed by the Torah; this you can eat, this you can’t; today you can work, other days you can’t; this arms them for life.

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Here’s a great article by radio talk-show host Michael Medved on this idea: http://www.jewishfolsom.org/42901

The Occupy Wall Street protest and its solidarity protests nationwide have recently been featured prominently in the news. I’m not here to comment on the politics of the matter (although I have many comments…) and my purpose is not to take sides. My purpose is to learn a lesson in our service of G-d, from all that’s going on around us.

A slogan that has been adopted by these protests is that it’s the 99% against the 1%. In other words, they’re decrying the fact that approximately 40% of the wealth is controlled by the top 1% of earners.

I think they have a point; it is 1% vs. 99% with regards to wealth. And I consider myself to be part of the 1%.

You see, I define wealth by the measuring stick referred to by the sages (Pirkei Avot 4:1) “Who is rich? One who is satisfied with his lot.”

Too often we look at other’s circumstances to gauge our level of success and happiness.  It’s true, in America today it is the 1% vs. the 99% - too few people live with the notion of being satisfied with their lot and I agree, it’s time that we change this. We can’t afford to continue with the status quo.

I’m part of the 1%, I hope you will become part of it too.