BEARING OPPOSITES

Dear Family,

I would like to dedicate this week's Dvar Torah to Renee ah who passed away this last Shabbos on vav Tishrei. She often mentioned to me how she used to enjoy our weekly Dvar Torah and news of the Family. We would like to wish long life to all her Family - Roy, Brian, Sidney and Adam who are on our group, and her children and their Families who I have now included, Jody, Sheli, and Gavin. HaMakom yenachem eschem besoch shear avalei Tzion biYerushalayim.

As I am now travelling, I apologise if I am omitting any Mazal Tovs this week. But there are 2 Barmitzvos. Mazal Tov to Mendel Levy who is celebrating his Barmitzvah in Yerushalayim. This should be the start of many great things in your life Mendel in both gashmius and ruchnius. And with much joy. Mazal Tov to Gavriel who started putting on tefillin last week. Wishing you also to move michayil el chayil Gavriel with joy.

Renee was niftar on vav Tishrei which is also the day of the passing of the Rebbe's mother Rebetzin Chana and it was on Shabbos. This is a famous date on our calendar..

When thinking about this email I was trying find a way to express my combined feeling of sadness and joy. We are moving now from Yom Kippur , a time of awe, to Sukkot which is a time of joy, and how do we reconcile this with the passing of someone dear to us? And I came across a brilliant answer, based on a talk of the Rebbe, where this paradox is addressed.

Haazinu is a poem where Hashem asks us to listen to His words. He asks us to learn from history and warns us of the consequences of violating the terms of his covenant. He finally reminds us of the purpose of all of our troubles through history, to bring us to our ultimate goal, the final Redemption.

But the question is that Haazinu is a poem, and just a few sedras before this, we already had a full admonition? So how does a poem add to this? And every Shabbat in the Temple one sixth of Haazinu was sung by the Leviim at Musaf. And it is expressly forbidden to be sad on Shabbat?

Therefore the purpose of the poem is not just to review the contractual terms of our contract , but as Mosheh says immediately after the poem 'Pay close attention to all of the words that I testify to you today.' We are being asked to consider all these things and draw the proper conclusions. This poem, where Hashem takes our commitment to Him seriously, and that our behaviour can determine the course of history, are meant to infuse our lives and our relationship with Hashem, with enthusiasm, focus, and yes, even joy!

The same applies to our own personal lives with all its challenges and difficulties, leading to our eventual maturation, fully devoted to our Divine mission.

But more than this, the fact that Haazinu is a poem of praise, teaches us that the highest form of returning to Hashem (Teshuvah), is the return motivated by joy, and performed with joy, focused optimistically on the happy ending awaiting us at the conclusion of the drama we are all living!

Wishing Renee's neshamah an Aliyah, and that we will soon reunite with all our departed ones with the coming of Mashiach.

Gut Shabbos to all and a Gut Yom Tov!