This is a note that came into my inbox.
We are a shomer shabbat couple now living in Jerusalem. We arrive in Bangkok …. we would like to organize Shabbat meals for Shabbat. My wife has some food issues (Gluten free/eats fish but no meat or chicken) and avoids nightshade vegetables (potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, aubergine, eggplant).
It reminded me of just how complex it is to be responsible for providing people’s nutrition needs.
Pause and think for a moment about the awesome kindness and largesse of Almighty G-d.
In Tehillim 136:25 King David sums it up when he offers the following praise to Hashem:
Each and every day: He gives food to all flesh. God sustains all the creatures of the world, for His kindness is forever.
You think it’s hard to feed your family because one family member likes this and the other likes something totally different.
Think for a moment about the awesomeness of Hashem.
Hashem provides sustenance to ALL FLESH.
To humans with their eating requirements.
To the birds, the fish, the beasts and even to the bacteria.
This is one of the reasons that chapter 136 of Tehillim is called the ‘Hallel Hagadol’ the ‘Great Praise’.
It is so easy to lose perspective and not open our eyes to see the unearned kindness that the Creator of all flesh bestows unto us.
Let us ask ourselves to take the following test.
The Parsha this week gives two scenarios about what happens when we eat and get full.
You will eat, be satiated, and bless God, your God, for the good land He has given you. (Devarim 8:10)
lest you eat and be sated and … your heart grow haughty and you forget God. (Devarim 8:12-14)
If you are up to it, make an honest appraisal.
What happens to you when you are ‘satiated’ riding a wave of success?
Do you feel more grateful, humble and mindful of the needs of others?
Do you do what G-d wants you to do with success. Which is clearly to find ways of sharing your blessings with those who are less fortunate.
Or G-d forbid, does your hubris swell and you become more intolerant of others.
Does your swelling bank account now entice you to buying fleets of cars and other redundant excesses.
Built into a Jew’s life is a reminder about Hashem’s grace and kindness.
Every day we need to eat. After eating Hashem has instructed in the Torah that we thank Him.
The Birkat Hamazon – Grace after meals is one of the greatest prayers we say, albeit sometimes without enough kavana and meaning.
One of the very inspiring things about Jewish overnight and day camps is that they often sing the Birkat Hamazon in a melody that sticks in the mind of the child till they grow up.
I have met with people in their seventies who have forgotten almost all the prayers that they were raised with, but the Grace after meals is still fresh in their mind in the original Hebrew.
Because of camp.
One should never underestimate the power of inspiring moment during ‘unofficial’ learning experiences. Like fun camps. The kids are having fun, living more Jewish and doing mitzvahs and learning Torah in an enjoyable way. Without the rigidity and ‘triggers’ of ‘school’.
The Rebbe encouraged the opening of camps for children as a way of inculcating Yiddishkeit in a most effective and joyous way.
The first Chabad camp started seventy years ago and was named Gan Yisrael. Today Gan Yisrael camps span the globe.
I attended Camp Gan Yisrael as a child in Australia.
We have several branches of Gan Yisrael camps here in Thailand during the summer which injects identity, knowledge and mitzvahs into the minds and hearts of the Jewish children in Thailand.
In the summers of 1990 and 1991 I had the great merit to be a head-counsellor in the flagship Gan Yisrael in upstate NY. The highlight of the camp was returning to Brooklyn with the entire camp and praying Mincha with the Rebbe. This was followed by the Rebbe giving an inspiring talk of about an hour and then handing us - the head counsellors – packets of dimes (10 cent coins) to distribute three to each child who attended the camp. One for Tzedakah, the other for themselves and the third was left up to the child to choose whether it would go to tzedakah or spent on themselves.
Receiving tzedakah from the Rebbe as a head-counselor in Camp Gan Yisrael
When I think back to that incredible experience and meditate on it I realize just how much emphasis the Rebbe put on Chinuch – EDUCATION.
And I recognize that however much Jewish educational opportunities there are, it’s not enough.
We need more and more Torah education for our children, and for ourselves, so that Judaism can thrive and grow.
Back to the beauty and importance of thanking Hashem after meals.
Here is the first paragraph of the Birchat Hamazon.
Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, Who, in His goodness, provides sustenance for the entire world with grace, with kindness, and with mercy. He gives food to all flesh, for His kindness is everlasting. Through His great goodness to us continuously we do not lack [food], and may we never lack food, for the sake of His great Name. For He, benevolent G-d, provides nourishment and sustenance for all, does good to all, and prepares food for all His creatures whom He has created, as it is said: You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. Blessed are You, L-rd, Who provides food for all.
A relatively short blessing. But so chockablock full of inspiration.
Did you know that the author of this first paragraph of thanksgiving after food is Moshe Rabeinu?
What you may find even more breathtaking is that the food they were thanking G-d for, was the Heavenly Manna!!!!
It reminds us that while we may receive our bread in a more earthly way, through working and ‘hustling’, in reality it is really a gift from Hashem.
Let us become more grateful for the good that Hashem rains down upon us.
Especially, let us be more mindful of the greatest thing we can do in life.
Helping others!
Our Sages have told us we ought to cleave to Hashem by following in His ways, which is achieved by doing acts of benevolent kindness to others. Just as He does.
Appreciate your blessings more.
Give more to others.
May Hashem bless you with health, joy and nachas. As the Torah says, ‘if you bring joy to ‘mine’ (the unfortunates of society), I will bring joy to ‘yours’ (your loved ones).
As we are less than six weeks from Rosh Hashana let me get a headstart on that too.
SHANA TOVA,
Shabbat Shalom,