Dear Friends,
Political!
Power!!
Empathy!!
Humility!!
Kindness!!
What is the difference between the first two and the last three?
Lots of things....
However I do want to share a well known teaching from the Talmud and Maimonides, who state that Three Essential Character Traits that should be intrinsically part of our Character and Behavior as Jewish people.
These are the traits of Humility, Empathy & Doing Kindness.
The order is telling, as it is teaching us that while all three traits are interconnected, it is a healthy dose of humility which breeds empathy, which will then lead to acts of kindness to others.
At a time, when politics have become so divisive, when antisemitism has crept into the halls of power, and when so many are ambivalent or even endorse these dynamics, it is imperative to not let any of this drag one down and breed even more negativity.
Instead, our focus can and should continue to be to seek to live our Jewish values with joy and a sense of pride and positivity, We must remember that we have values that we need to live by and focus on, as we seek to continue to be a light to our surroundings, and those are what matter most.
Indeed while power and politics impacts so much in this world and certainly they can play a constructive and important role for managing and helping society, ultimately on a more individual level, it is humility, empathy and acts of kindness, that are truly changing lives, and building a better world, one Mitzvah and interaction at a time.
As we seek to overcome challenges, darkness, deal with so much in our society and with a deluge of sometimes negative news, let us strengthen our resolve to live up to these values with joy and positivity. It is these core Jewish values, started thousands of years ago by Abraham and Sarah, which have remained truths for millennia that will will help us continue to overcome any negativity or hate, even if it is loud and hard and sometimes hard to swallow.
These values and principals, are not simply ideas which we cling to while we face negativity, but are actually the pillars upon which our world is built and are what will help us thrive, and impact the world in a truly enduring and positive way.
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos
Yisroel
P.S Please join us tomorrow for Shabbat Services as we read all about Abraham and Sarah and their challenges and values that helped shape the Jewish people.