We’ve known for ages that my nephew’s Bar Mitzvah would be held in Israel. We even discussed why we couldn’t go; too expensive, who would watch the kids, and a host of other challenges. Suddenly last week we realized that perhaps we could actually pull it off. That led to some very last minute changes to schedules and some hiccups due to travel regulations but within a few days Goldie and I were in the Holy Land. Surreal and exciting are understatements. Nothing can truly describe the feeling of walking in the Old City and nothing can replace the experience of visiting the very first part of the Land to be owned by a Jew, the Cave of Machpelah in Hebron. Having not visited Israel for so long, one thing took me by surprise. The feeling of anger that I felt approaching the Western Wall. I experienced something similar when we were barred from visiting the tombs of Yitzchak and Rivkah, our patriarch and matriarch buried in Hebron. This is our land, the holiest places on earth and we’re being treated as though we do not have a right to the land. We’re praying on a plaza that faces a fraction of the supporting wall of the Temple Mount - not even a remnant of the Temple itself. Why? To appease people whose entire goal is to wipe out every vestige of our connection to the Land. While I was overjoyed at being there I was simultaneously upset by the injustice of the current reality. It took some intention and focus to redirect the anger into motivation. Motivation to do something about it. We don’t have to simply accept this reality, we can - and must - do something about it. We have to do something about the underlying circumstances that have created this reality. This past Tuesday was the fast day of the 17th of Tammuz, the day which commemorates the Romans breaching the walls of Jerusalem which led to the destruction of the Second Temple. The 17th of Tammuz begins the 3 week period of mourning which culminates with the 9th of Av, commemorating the date of the Temple’s destruction. It’s the time of year when we are reminded of the need to do whatever we can to rectify the situation. The time of year, the Land of Israel, they both serve to highlight the significance of our place in this world. G-d put us each in this world for a purpose and we have the tools we need to achieve this purpose. The key is to realize the enormity of this mission and be intentional and focused on achieving it. How? While it might sound cliché, it is anything but; we achieve our purpose through making this world a G-dly place. Elevating every interaction and infusing it with holiness. 
Rabbi Yossi's Blog
Why visiting Israel made me angry
You are unique - just like everyone else
Always remember you are unique - just like everyone else. Seriously though, each of us have unique G-d given qualities and talents, and it’s up to us to choose how to use them. The challenge is that there’s two sides to every trait, every part of our personality can be used just as well for bad good as it can for good. Therein lies the risk; our role is to ensure that we use our uniqueness properly. In this week’s Torah portion we read the narrative of Balak the Moabite King and Bilaam the Midianite Prophet. We’re told that both of them were deeply spiritually in tune and true forces to be reckoned with. However, both of these people chose to use their talents in the wrong way and ended up causing harm to the Jewish people, their own people and themselves. There’s a very important detail that needs to be highlighted. Bilaam’s attempt at cursing the Jewish people ended up providing us with the clearest reference to the Messianic Redemption in the Torah. In fact, there is a powerful message embedded here. The Talmud relates that when Moshiach arrives, the obstacles placed by the Yetzer Hara, the Evil Inclination, will be shown to the righteous as a tall, steep and imposing mountain and to the wicked as a thin flimsy string. The righteous will obviously feel accomplished with their achievement in overcoming this formidable foe and the wicked will feel silly that they couldn’t overcome such a weak challenge. One thing will become clear to everyone; the high value placed on the Mitzvot we do now, i.e. before Moshiach arrives. We have the ability - and responsibility - to be part of making this world a better, more G-dly and kinder world. Right now, we have a chance to be part of the action - but soon, very soon, it will be too late. Combating the darkness? The only effective method is increasing in actions of light. So those unique G-d given qualities and talents? Use them to increase in goodness and kindness. Making this world a better place requires increasing positivity and strengthening the good. Don’t stay on the sidelines - or worse, get distracted using your talents for other purposes - get in the game and let’s all work together in making this world a better place.
G-d's Parking Spot
Photo by Raban Haaijk on Unsplash Despite being a person who usually arrived on time, a young man was running late to an important job interview. He finally arrived at the correct address but there was nowhere to park! Although not being particularly religious, as he circled the block he began to pray feverishly. “G-d please help me find a parking spot!” He was desperate. He felt the job offer slipping away as he searched for a place to park. “G-d, if you find me a parking spot I will begin keeping Kosher and putting on tefillin!” Just then, a spot opened up directly in front of the main entrance of his destination. As he pulled into the spot and hastily parked his car, he continued his conversation with G-d. “G-d, the deal's off, I found a spot!” It’s a joke and we laugh, but do we in fact act in the same way? How often do we appreciate the miraculous blessings in our life? Do we fool ourselves to think that our accomplishments or success are our own doing? We expect miracles to be overt, of sea splitting biblical proportions but more often than not, they’re so commonplace we forget to even notice them. This week’s Torah portion recounts the events just prior to our ancestors entering the Land of Israel and the miracles that took place along the way. One of the miracles was performed by G-d in a completely hidden manner and they only discovered what had happened because G-d caused them to. And this elicited a profound sense of thanks from the Jewish people, so much so that they composed a song of thanksgiving. Interestingly, despite having received numerous miraculous gifts from G-d over the duration of their desert sojourn, this is the only time they actually sang a song of thanksgiving. Was the manna not worthy of thanks? What about the miraculous well of water? What about the other ears they won in miraculous ways? Why didn’t they give thanks then? Here’s the difference: In those instances the miracles came in response to their desperate need. When, out of desperation, they turned to G-d to save them, He responded in kind. But that’s nothing compared to G-d preemptively providing for their protection. In the events described in our Torah portion, G-d’s salvation was a pure gift from Above. Not just a miraculous response in their time of need. That’s why they sang praise; it wasn’t just the miracle, it was experiencing G-d’s profound love for them. Our daily experience is much the same. We don’t even need to ask and we experience such abundance and so much blessing. If we took a moment to realize, we’d jump out of bed each morning and sing praise to G-d!