VOLUME 20, ISSUE 33 FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013 / 12 AV 5773
TORAH PORTION: AIKEV (DEUTERONOMY 7:12 – 11:25)
CANDLE LIGHTING: 7:54 P.M. SHABBAT ENDS: 9:03 PM (CHICAGO)
This week’s CTN Shabbat Fax is dedicated In honor of the yartzeit of our beloved husband and father, Gennady Galperin. May his love and light continue to inspire and warm our lives. Leonora, Natasha and Eliana.
1. LOVE G-D, WALK IN HIS WAYS AND BE CONNECTED TO HIM …(11:22)
Being connected to G-d. Walking in His ways.
… What comes to mind?
Things like prayer. Speaking to G-d.
Or studying Torah and following the commandments. Listening to G-d.
And those certainly play a major role in having a relationship with G-d.
… But Jewish tradition emphasizes another way of connecting to Him.
Another ‘walking in His ways’.
Doing chessed. Acts of kindness.
Showing compassion and love to others.
… Because G-d is a giver. Not a taker.
And we walk in G-d’s ways when we become givers instead of takers.
… Doing chessed is more than another way of connecting to G-d.
It’s the deepest way.
… Because being like G-d is as close to Him as you can get.
2. STORY OF THE WEEK
There’s an old Jewish story about a man who gets to visit the world to come.
First he walks in to hell. And sees people sitting on both sides of a long table filled with food.
They’re reaching out for the food.
… But no one is eating.
He looks closer.
And sees that their arms don’t bend at the elbows.
They’re able to touch the food. To pick it up.
But they can’t put it into their mouths.
So they’re all just sitting there with a hungry, frustrated look on their faces.
… Then he enters heaven.
And it looks exactly the same.
A lot of people sitting at a table filled with food.
And again their arms can’t bend.
… But this time, in heaven, they’re all happily eating their fill.
How?
Simple.
… Each person is picking up food and feeding the person across from him.
3. QUOTE STORY OF THE WEEK
The world to come will be wonderful.
… But life in this world is even better.
Think of the wonderful things we can do here.
… Like being there for our fellow man.
To celebrate with them at times of joy.
And share their pain at times of sorrow.
… As great as the world to come is, those opportunities will not be there.
(Rabbi Chaim Schmuelevitz)