"Shabbat Shalom from Bangkok"

By the Grace of G-d

Dear Friend,

These days everyone is a medical expert.

Even more relevant for our times, everyone is an epidemiologist.

Everyone is an expert on Judaism.

Following this pattern, everyone is a potential ‘expert’ on any field of knowledge or expertise.

Dr. Google.

Professor Google.

Even Rabbi Google.

All it takes is an internet connection and a gadget, and a universe full of information is there for the taking. Primed and ready to be studied and absorbed.

It wasn’t always that way.

Information used to be held very tightly by the ruling class.

Keeping the masses ignorant was a tactic that countless rulers and monarchs employed.

G-d clearly doesn’t agree with that methodology.

Unlike the prevailing culture at the time where the masses were kept away from knowledge, G-d revolutionized things.

The Almighty came down to Sinai to communicate the holy Torah, in a desert.

Nobody owns the desert; it belongs to all who wish to reside in it.

Similarly, nobody owns the Torah.

The Torah was given to the entire body of the Jewish nation. Approximately 2-3 million sons and daughters of Israel were present at the giving of the Torah at Sinai.

The Torah is a body of G-dly information that is available to each and every student who wishes to partake of it.

And G-d intends it to be freely available.

The Talmud states that one should imitate G-d’s approach to teaching Torah. ‘Just like I taught Torah for free, so you should teach Torah for free’. Torah teaching should be carried out without getting paid for it.

Hashem’s granting of the Torah went much further than just making it available to all and for free.

G-d actually invested ‘effort’ (so to speak) in facilitating the Jews receiving of Torah.

To use very mundane language, Hashem didn’t ‘play hard to get’.

In the description of Hashem giving the Torah the language used shows that Hashem showed His eagerness to transmit the Torah. In a way, Hashem appeared even more ‘excited’ about giving it, than those who were to receive it.

We see this from the fact that G-d came to the appointment at Sinai BEFORE the Jewish people showed up. When the Israelites woke up in the morning Hashem was already waiting for them.

Imagine going to interview for a dream position with the ‘trillionaire CEO’ and arriving at the interview with that super powerful chief, waiting expectantly for your arrival and greeting you personally when you arrived. You realize that he came earlier to the meeting than you.

Furthermore, the Torah describes Hashem going out to welcome the Jews to Sinai as groom goes out to welcome his bride under the Chupa-wedding canopy. Whatever may happen later on in the marriage, at the time of betrothal, a groom is very keen on having his bride join him. That is how the Torah describes G-d’s desire to have us Jewish people receive His Torah.

That is incredibly inspiring. Hashem not only allows us free access to Torah, but He also even ‘cajoles’ and woos us into being mature enough to appreciate its greatness and ‘receive’ it.

Allow me to ask a question. But first let me preface, G-d knows best. Of course. I don’t even need to state that. But I do want to investigate this ‘eagerness’ that G-d exhibited at Sinai a bit. From a contemporary down to earth ‘marketing’ perspective.

If you asked a top marketing firm how to best ‘market’ Torah and make the people eager to receive it? For marketing purposes, they may suggest playing ‘hard to get’.

Something that seems readily available is not always appreciated.

It is not just when you are marketing consumer products that scarcity creates more desire.

Even when it comes to Judaism it is not all that uncommon for Jews to seek something that is more elusive.

We know that Jews have a penchant for going and seeking the truth, in the most exotic of places.

During a visit to Calcutta many years ago, I met a top lecturer for one of the Eastern religions. We were both waiting for a flight in the Indian airport lounge. He was wrapped in saffron robes and his disciples were bowing and kissing his feet. I mean this literally. He looked Western to me. I asked him where he was from. He said he was from the USA. He told me that he ‘used to be Jewish’ i.e. he was born to Jewish parents. Of course, I told him that a Jew is always Jewish. We engaged in a deep discussion about the depth within Judaism and particularly the esoteric teachings of ‘Kabbala’. He enjoyed the discussion and recognized the depth of what I was sharing from Torah. He declined my offer to put on Tefilin and admitted that he had never had a ‘Bar Mitzvah’.

When I asked him how he had chosen this particular path of worship he responded with a story that astounded me. He confided to me that ‘when I grew up and was interested in spirituality, I visited the local library in New York and searched the spirituality section, arriving at the Eastern philosophies section. I didn’t know anything at all about my own Jewish heritage’. He was apologetic because he now obviously knew that Judaism had the depth he had been searching for. But he had embarked on a different journey and was deeply entrenched.

Being the pre-email times, I was in touch with him via mail once or twice, (He agreed that I would send him a copy of the Tanya which I did) but to my regret, the contact didn’t continue. I pray that his ‘Neshama’ – Jewish soul has awakened and brought him back to his true essence where his soul will find the true depth and inspiration that his Neshama truly seeks.

One of the great opportunities we provide here in Thailand is showing the beauty of Torah to Israeli young travelers. This is rather ironic. They leave the Holy Land of Israel in which Judaism is prevalent and available and in the exotic incongruous environment of the Far East, the Torah becomes something they are more open to exploring.

Avi had grown up in Israel but discovered Eastern religions when searching for spiritual depth. His multiyear search for ‘the truth’, brought him to the Far East and eventually he became a master of Eastern meditation, residing in the pristine environment of one of the islands in the south of Thailand.

A visit to Chabad House to touch base with some Israeli friends led to an invitation to participate in an inspiring evening ‘farbrengen’ (song and mutual sharing, with light refreshments) with Rabbi Nechemya. This comradely group experience, during which Torah thoughts were shared and good resolutions undertaken, touched his soul deeply. He agreed to begin one Jewish observance. Rabbi Nechemya gave him a pair of Tefilin. Doing one mitzvah, always leads to another. And another. It’s almost two decades later now. Avi lives in Israel and teaches Torah to seekers of spirituality while being a dedicated husband and father of a lively Jewish family.

As it turns out, Avi is a very effective and convincing teacher. Droves of people come to his lectures. He comes with the credibility of experience. Like Yitro of today’s Parsha, who tried out every religion of his time, and arrives to his son in law Moshe and says ‘now I know that G-d is greater than all other deities, and I know them all’. Avi, also, comes with the convincing strength of that same statement. He experienced a personal experience of having searched for spirituality in other pastures. He came to the ultimate realization that for a Jew, the only true spiritual journey that is TRUE to his or her Jewish essence, is the Torah path. He now is inspired in the orchards of Torah and shares this experience and inspiration with others.

Back to marketing.

Do you think it is good ‘marketing’ on G-d’s side to show His eagerness for us to accept His Torah offering?

I would beg to say that it may not be a good marketing tool in the way we view marketing in our material world. But the experience of Mattan Torah – the giving of the Torah is not about methods and tools.

Hashem is TRUTH - EMMET.

The Hebrew word אמת is comprised of the first middle and last letters of the Hebrew Alphabet.

The word EMMET means that it is absolutely true from beginning to end. And for all of eternity.

The Torah is TRUTH.

When Hashem gave us the Torah he gave it in the holiest, truest and most genuine way possible.

Marketing is a tool. It is used to elicit a certain response. It covers over on the truth though, this in itself can be part of a path to discover truth.  

From the perspective of absolute truth, the greatest and most precious gift Hashem has at His disposal – so to speak – is the Torah. It’s the crown jewel that He kept in His treasury. Something that He takes pleasure and delight in.

Hashem wanted to give the dearest thing He has, to his children, the Jewish people.

When Hashem decided to give this gift to the Jewish people, He also chose to show us just how precious it is.

It would be as if the deeply loving and caring parent you trust in implicitly, shows you how excited and eager they are to give you a particular gift. This expression of enthusiasm surrounding the gift allows you to realize just how special this gift is. Showing just how precious the gift is, is a sign of very deep love. For by revealing just how great the gift is, the depth of the love expressed by the giving of the gift is magnified.

Our Sages taught in Pirkei Avot : Beloved are Israel, for they were given a precious article; it is a sign of even greater love that it has been made known to them that they were given a precious article, as it is stated: "I have given you a good purchase; My Torah, do not forsake it”.

Yet, sometimes Hashem does hide from us.

That concealment is not Emmet. It is not for ‘real’. Hashem is still very much with us, even as he pretends to us ‘as if’ He is obscured. The reason for this exercise is to engender withing us a deeper love. It is a tool so that we should search and persevere in our search for Him. He hides, so that we should invest effort in seeking Him out.

This is for our own benefit. It is used as a method to make the Torah even more dear to us. What is earned through perspiration and exertion, is appreciated and beloved all the more.

In truth however, Hashem searches US out. He is EAGER for us to engage with him.

So what are we waiting for?

Never has Torah been more available than now.

In every language. At ever level. In print. Audio. Video.

Just plug in your gadget and download Torah. Chabad.orgTorahcafe.com amongst myriads of other wonderful sources for Torah on the web.

(Remember to print it out before Shabbat as on Shabbat we must rest from work. Using electronics is prohibited on Shabbat).

As Jewish mothers would sing to their babies when they rocked them to sleep ‘Torah is the ‘besteh schoyreh’ the best merchandise. If you appreciate ‘Ashkenazic Yiddish chazzanut click here’.

We need to learn from G-d.

To express our deepest truths to our loved ones.

We pass on our Jewish heritage when we show how deeply we appreciate and love our Torah and traditions.

Nothing is more important for Jewish continuity than showing your children that you have a set time to study Torah – the holy, priceless gift that G-d gave with enthusiasm and excitement to His people.

And by showing your excitement and eagerness when your child studies Torah, you are instilling within them, the love of Torah, which they please G-d will transmit to their children. And they to theirs….

Don’t delay. Set up a schedule for Torah study. Even a few minutes a day. It will make all the difference in the world for you, your loved ones, and all those who are part of your ‘world’.

You may find it interesting that one of the Prophecies regarding the Messianic times, is the widespread universal knowledge.

As it says in the book of Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah) 31, 33 ‘a nd no longer shall one teach his neighbor or [shall] one [teach] his brother, saying, "Know the Lord," for they shall all know Me from their smallest to their greatest, says the Lord,

It sure seems like we are progressing rapidly and blessedly in the availability of the knowledge of G-d to the point that ‘all shall know me’. Albeit, the literal and absolute fulfillment of which, will be a product of the coming of Mashiach, may it be speedily, AMEN.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Yosef Kantor

 By the Grace of G-d

Dear Friend,

Wouldn’t you have liked to be there?

At the Exodus from Egypt.

Ten plagues that rendered the superpower Egypt harmless.

Watching the powerful ‘Sea of Reeds’ open up and two wall of water standing firm, creating a path of dry land.

It would be incredulous to personally experience the miraculous experience of walking through a sea that has split.

And the miracle bread or forty years would have been a spectacularly liberating experience. After finishing their provisions, thirty days into the dessert journey, Hashem rained down food in the form of Manna. Literally ‘Heavenly Bread’.

Well, in a sense we were all there. We remember these events daily and repetitively thank the Almighty for His benevolent kindness. Or daily prayers remind us to be gratitude filled for all the steps of our history that led us to where we are.

But now I am talking about actually being there.

What do you think it would feel like?

Let me ask you about something contemporary.

About something that you did experience.

Like Covid.

In some time from now, this virus will please G-d disappear, or as some medical opinions say, it will continue to exist but as a ‘regular’ seasonal virus that needs to be lived with and not feared to the point of panic.

At that time, the children that don’t have any memories of it, will look to us to recount our experiences.

Anyone who lived through these past two years will have an angle to share. Whether or not they got infected by Covid, every single person has been affected.

But there will be those who actually experienced the sickness and those who Hashem protected and didn’t actually get sick but suffered the side effects of the virus on the economy and other domino affected infrastructures.

Let us talk about those who did experience Covid. There will be many different experiences depending on who you ask.

Take my family for example.

I am thankful to the Almighty that I didn’t contract Covid till last Friday at the onset of Shabbat.

With Covid, the later the better.

Our daughter had it in March 2020 in NY. She is young but felt horribly sick for almost two weeks.

My father had it in April 2020. He was hospitalized in a usually effectively run NY medical institution. His experience was horrifying. In terms of the medical aspect, there were a flurry of deaths from the virus at that early stage. Being hospitalized with Covid was a very scary notion. And in terms of the inability of the hospital to be adequately on top of the nursing care for the inpatients. Remember, families were not allowed in. Patients were vulnerable and alone. The medical providers are heroes, but the system couldn’t cope or keep up.

Thank G-d my father came home after ten days in hospital just in time for the Passover Seder and still quite unwell.

Getting Covid in January of 2022 is a different story thank G-d for the vast majority of cases. (Sadly there is also a minority who have gotten seriously ill, may Hashem send healing to all those who are acutely ill and hospitalized)

Yes, I did get two days of fever and was feeling quite ill. I would not wish it on others and certainly we need to make every effort to curtail the spread of this, and any disease, to the best of our ability.

But by all accounts, thank G-d the virus seems to have developed into something closer to a bad cold or a flu, in terms of symptoms, without the attack on the lungs that had us all in a state of high alert.

After two days I started feeling better thank G-d.

A few of our fellow community members have reported to me that they tested positive but thank G-d did not suffer anything more than a sniffle.

It seems that there are varied experiences ranging from very serious to remarkably mild.

In several decades from now, we will recount stories to the youngsters.

Many of us will furrow our brows, lean back with a sagely inward gaze as we share stories recalling the pandemic of 2020/1 and regaling the kids with episodes from how life was ‘back then’.

I will be one of those who ‘had Covid’.

You may be one of those who ‘had Covid’.

Millions have had Covid. Fifty million in the USA alone.

Yet, the individual experiences may be totally different.

‘Having Covid’ can be as harrowing as lying in a hospital bed attached to oxygen thinking the only way out of hospital is in a hearse.

‘Having Covid’ can be as benign as testing positive and having a sniffle and a cold-like feeling.

Applying this back to Exodus, splitting the sea and eating Manna.

The experience was not a one size fits all. There were also varied experiences within those who benefited from this miracle.

For example, when it came to the manna.

The manna was a pure white food and tasted like the finest and most delicious foods imaginable: Whatever taste one desired, the manna tasted like that food.

Yet, not everyone received it in the same way.

The manna would fall in such a way that the righteous would find it at the doors of their tents; the average people had to go out of the camp to gather what fell there; and the wicked had to go far out to find their portions.

Additionally, for the righteous it fell ready-to-eat, similar to baked bread; for the average person, it fell as unbaked cakes, requiring minimal preparation; and for the wicked it came in an unprocessed form, and consequently they had to grind it in a mill.

Even when it came to crossing the sea it would seem that not everyone had the same distance to walk.

The Jews crossed the sea following a semi-circular path. They didn’t go in on one side and come out on the other side of the sea. Rather they entered the sea and exited the sea on the same side, further along the coast. In that semi-circle, each of the tribes had its own path. In other words there were twelve paths that comprised the semi-circular path that the Jews traveled.

Close your eyes and imagine a semi-circular highway divided into twelve. The innermost track will be a shorter distance in length than the outer track.

This would mean that the tribe that was walking on the outside track had a longer walk than the tribe on the innermost track.

Fascinating.

Can it be perhaps like two people who come off a fifteen-hour flight. One comes off from a cramped economy class while the other comes out of a fully equipped first class. Same journey. They took off from airport A and landed in airport B. They did not necessarily have the same experience though.

I have had time to ruminate this week.

Staying at home waiting for Covid to clear is a fine time to meditate and think about life.

And realize, that although now I have joined the ranks of those who have ‘had Covid’, I needed to realize that I still couldn’t consider myself fully understanding of what others have gone through or are going through.

Thank G-d I had a mild case, and I am back to myself please G-d and just finishing up the requisite isolation days before ‘reentering’ society.

I realize that I cannot truly comprehend or feel empathetically what others have gone through. They may have had a more difficult case. More painful symptoms. The aloneness may have been very difficult for them alongside a host of other differentiations.

This leads me to the point that really hit home.

Our Sages tell us ‘don’t judge your friend until your reach their place’.

Why not?

I see someone else do something wrong. Why shouldn’t I be judgmental?

Because life is not easy?

I am also a human living in that same life as him.

If I don’t stumble and mess up with acting improperly, why shouldn’t I expect the same thing from him? We both walk the same earth and live under the same life conditions. We may even be neighbors and live on the same block.

The Tanya deflects this question.

You don’t live the same life as your fellow, says the Tanya.

Yes, you are a fellow human living here on earth.

But the circumstances of your life are totally different.

And that changes the experience totally.

His life circumstances may bring him into positions of temptation that you have no idea about. You don’t ever feel that urge to do that improper thing because you haven’t been required to earn your livelihood in that environment.

Let us learn how not to be judgmental.

Judgementalism comes when we think we understand. We have experienced what our fellow is going through and reacted better. We feel happy about our behavior in the face of challenge and temptation. Sometimes even smug. And we look down wish disdain at the fellow who didn’t come out as positive.

But we may have it totally wrong.

We THINK we understand.

But we don’t TRULY understand. Because the circumstances were different.

Just like the person who tests positive to covid and has a sniffle.

The sniffler cannot truly understand the one who suffered the loss of a loved one to Covid, or was sick to the point of being in fear of losing their own life.

Throw out the judgmentalism.

Let us be accepting of our fellows. Laudatory. Complimentary.

This will help them raise themselves to be better and live up to the complimentary way they feel others perceive them.

The Rebbe taught by example how to look at others.   In Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z”l words, “You saw your reflection in the Rebbe’s eyes, and you were suddenly much bigger than you thought you were.”

We are all on our individual journey.

In the same world. Perhaps even living in the same city and on the same block. But markedly different experiences. Each of us having their life tailored by the Almighty.

On the one hand, when it comes to being self-introspective, we need to hold ourselves accountable. We dare not create short cuts for ourselves. We should not stop trying harder as we utilize the gifts G-d has endowed us with to their maximum.

And at the same time, when it come to the way we view others, we need to be totally non-judgmental, giving them our love and empowerment to do the best that they can do.

This Shabbat is called the Shabbat of Song.

Too often, great things happen to us, which we may say “thank you’ to Hashem for, but we don’t sing enough.

Singing to Hashem, means letting your emotion spill over into melody. Sing, clap, dance, and raise your voice in jubilance to G-d.

Above all we must sing together. In praise to Hashem for all the goodness and kindness that comes our way.

We all have voices that are different.

Sopranos, tenors, baritones and everything in between.

When we sing together, we create a harmonious melody that uplifts and inspires.

The ultimate song will be sung when Mashiach comes speedily in our days AMEN.

But even now, when we eagerly await Mashiach, we need to SING MORE!!!!

We ought to sing for EVERY BREATH that the Almighty gives us.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Yosef Kantor