A friend who wanted to make sure I am as full of joy as one should be during the joyous month of Adar sent me a comical short video which I am sharing with you.
It’s an elderly woman at a busy market stall in Israel who stands near the large expensive fish that are displayed at the stall and naggingly asks to buy olives by the kilo rather than in the usual sized container. As the store owner is busy responding to the olive details, a cat sticks its paws out of the bag that is being held by the elderly woman and grabs a fish and pulls it into the shopping bag. All carried off in split seconds while the people around are distracted, focused on the olive purchase minutiae.
It’s hilarious.
On a deeper level it reminded me of how we live our lives and what we may be overlooking.
Sometimes we get caught up in immaterial petty things. We get pulled into squabbling about unimportant things. Some people are distracted by the vast array of flavors and variety of material indulgence. They fall into a drunken state of chasing the temporary pleasures.
All the while there are many more significant issues that they are being distracted from. If they really ‘kept their eye on the ball’ they would remember to keep on aiming towards the ‘goal’.
Do you think your kids care that much about the details of the snacks or games you are spending an inordinate amount of time preparing for them? Don’t you think you should focus more on spending quality time with them? It certainly beats using the ‘screen’ as a full-time babysitter.
Imagine if you are using all your energy in selling some proverbial olives which have a profit margin of a few meager pennies when the expensive fish is being lifted from your possession.
Priorities can so easily be skewed if we don’t anchor ourselves to the moral compass of Hashem’s instructions to man.
The reading in the second Torah this week (we take out two Torah’s this week) is Parshat Zachor the mitzvah to remember what Amalek did to us and thus we are instructed to wipe him out.
While the actual implementation of this mitzvah requires circumstances that will be met only when Mashiach comes, the application in terms of our inner service to Hashem is very pertinent.
There is a spiritual negativity within each of us that battles and challenges our relationship with G-d.
If you sometimes feel challenged in your religious observance, or even in your very faith in Hashem, it is because there is a spiritual Amalek who sows doubt and tries to cool down our connection to G-d.
The way to fight and win the war with Amalek is as described in the Torah (Shemot 17:8-11)
Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
So Moses said to Joshua, Pick men for us, and go out and fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand
Joshua did as Moses had told him, to fight against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur ascended to the top of the hill.
It came to pass that when Moses would raise his hand, Israel would prevail, and when he would lay down his hand, Amalek would prevail.
The Talmud comments on this:
Did then the hands of Moses wage war or break war? Not so; but so long as Israel looked upwards and subjected their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they prevailed; and when they did not, they fell.
In other words. If you are focused on the truly Divine values of life, if you remember that authentic life is defined by connection to G-d and disconnection from G-d is unplugging from true life, you will uncover the inner strength to win the war.
By taking Moshe’s cue and focusing on what is holy and true, you will be able to extricate yourself from the confusion and distraction of the world around you.
During this upcoming week we will be celebrating Purim.
On one hand the Jews had a seat at the table. They were invited to Achashverosh’s feast. Ironically, the moment that they felt invincible, protected by the reigning sovereign, the threat of Haman came upon them.
Stripped and bereft of any chance to save their lives through political efforts, they turned to G-d in prayer and supplication. They fasted for three days. They had their kids entrusted to Mordechai the Tzadik for religious Torah instruction.
When they were distracted from their true Jewish identity and relied solely on governmental ‘proteksia’ things looked more dismal than imaginable.
When they looked heavenward to G-d and recommitted to Him, the tables were turned, the situation was transformed as they vanquished their enemies.
It’s a reminder of how to overcome the inner Amalek, the inner Hamanic voice.
By connection and commitment to Almighty G-d.
That is the time-tested surest and securest path for a Jew.
Look upwards to G-d – win the battle with Amalek – negativity and insecurity.
This dramatic turnaround happened almost 2400 years ago in Persia. And ever since then we celebrate Purim.
The most festive and joyous day in our calendar.
Looking forward to a victorious Shabbat and a joyous Purim.
Rabbi Yosef Kantor