THE SWEET WAR

Dear Family,

I hope that everyone is well.

Wishing Ariel a refuah shlemah after his tonsil operation in Sydney. I hope you are recovering well Ariel!

Mazal Tov to Sharon Davidoff on her birthday next week. Wishing you a wonderful year Sharon with good health and happiness. I hope all is well with you and Brian with the Californian fires!

Mazal Tov to Shlomo Kehaty whose very significant birthday is coming up on Shabbos. This is his opsherin birthday where he has his first haircut, puts on Tzitzits and starts to officially wear a kappel! Mazal Tov to Mendel and Freida, and wishing you all a wonderful celebration, with much nachas from Shlomo and all your children BEH!

In this week's Sedra, Shemos, we read about Moshe and the burning thorn-bush, (3:1-5) and in Tanya we have been learning about the Beinoni (the 'Intermediate' type of person, or 'Ordinary' person) - Chapter 12, but also Chaps 9-11

I saw an interesting article by Rabbi YY Jacobson, combining these themes, and it is also relevant now, because the upcoming 24th of Tevet is the yohrtzeit of the Alte Rebbe, author of Tanya.

Moshe sees this blazing thorn bush, and he is amazed that the bush is not getting burnt.

Hashem then appears to Moshe and He tells him to remove his shoes, because the place where he is standing is Holy Soil.

The fire represents our Spiritual nature which is our desire to be good and moral.

The thorn-bush represents our mundane, careless side, overtaken by ugly emotions.

The burning bush embodies the duality that we experience in our hearts.

Moshe gazes at this sight, and wonders why the Spirituality (the fire) does not neutralise (burn) the Negativity, (the thorn-bush), and annul the duality?

Hashem responds to Moshe that he is on Holy Soil. Ie. We must try to encounter this Holiness in each of our situations, within the battle

This is one of the central themes of Tanya, ie. that the Beinuni, the ordinary person who has not yet reached the perfection of the Tzadik, is engaged in this battle between Good and Evil.

He is the hero of Tanya, who does not get phased by the negative side of his nature, because he understands that there is also a G-dly side to his or herself, and there is an inner conflict between these forces, trying to take control of 'the Little City' ie the body.

He realises that every situation that he finds himself is 'Holy Soil' and he engages in the battle. Sometimes he wins and sometimes he is down. For him the battle is what is important, and he knows that he may not conquer his opponent fully.

But he also knows that every battle brings pleasure to Hashem, and he engages the battles with joy, developing a real relationship with Hashem.

Torah and Mitzvos guide us through the battle.

Gut Shabbos to all!