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Bris Avrohom of Fair Lawn
WEEKLYNEWSLETTER

Dear Friend,

We hope you are healthy and safe!!
There is a sentiment in this week's Torah portion about the Jewish people entering the land of Israel and discovering hidden treasure.
The Torah speaks to every Jew at every time in history and in every place geographically.
This ancient story from literally more than three thousand years ago is so relevant today.
We have great treasure in our homes and lives, but it may be hidden, sometimes in plain sight.
The Torah tells us that great treasure can be found in our homes, and that a certain problem is what opens our eyes to discover that we are truly fortunate.
Life is not perfect, but a perfect life is one that uses those imperfections to make a perfect life.
Friends, let's take another look at our families, at our friends and communities, and acknowledge that we are indeed fortunate. We are strong enough to appreciate what we have, we are wise enough to be grateful, and we are creative enough to think outside of the box and learn new ways to live, thrive and succeed. We can do this!!! Good luck, stay healthy and be in touch!!

All Synagogue services are currently suspended, instead we present you with Online Connection. In order to maintain as much of a regular schedule as possible, please join online for learning and services.

UPCOMING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
Pre Shabbat Inspiration: Friday April 24: 7:05pm
Online Connection Havdalah Service: Saturday night April 25: 8:50pm

SHABBOS TIMES
Friday, April 24
Pre Shabbat inspiration 7:05pm Click to join
Candle Lighting 7:28pm
All services are currently suspended until further notice.

Saturday, April 25
Shabbos Ends 8:31pm
Online Havdalah Service by Rabbi Mendel 8:50pm  Click to join

FAIR LAWN JEWISH DAY CAMP We are ready for the best summer ever,
click to read

Does every cloud really have a silver lining? Is there a blessing in disguise inside every curse? Well, admittedly, it isn’t always so easy to discern, but we most certainly do believe in the concept.
This week’s Torah reading deals with the purification of those afflicted by the strange leprosy-like malady known as tzara’as (a word uncannily similar to tzores!). The Parshah recounts different types of tzara’as manifestations—on a person’s body, in his clothes or even in the walls of his house. In the latter case, if after the necessary quarantine period the stain had still not receded, the stones of the affected wall would have to be removed and replaced with new ones.
Now imagine the walls of your house being demolished. Is that a blessing or a curse? No doubt, the homeowner in question would not feel himself particularly blessed. But, according to our sages, the case was often different for the Israelites living in the Holy Land. The previous Canaanite inhanitants of the land would bury their treasures inside the very walls of their homes. The only way an Israelite would ever discover those hidden valuables was if the stones of the house would be removed. When this happened, it didn’t take long for the poor unfortunate tzara’as-afflicted homeowner to be transformed into the wealthy heir of a newfound fortune. Suddenly his dark cloud was filled with linings of silver, gold and all kinds of precious objects. For him, in a moment, the curse became blessing.
Some time ago, a friend’s business went into liquidation. Naturally, he was absolutely devastated. After a while he opened a new business which, thank G‑d, prospered. He later confessed to me that in retrospect he was able to see how the earlier bankruptcy was truly a blessing. I still remember his words: “Before we were working for the banks; now we are working for our families.”
It would be naïve to suggest that it always works out this way. Life isn’t so simple, and sometimes it takes much longer to see the good that is hidden in the traumas and difficulties of life. But we will continue to believe that G‑d is good, that He really does want the best for us, and that one day, with hindsight, we will see how each of our frustrations did somehow serve us well in the long term.
All of us will at one time or another experience disappointments in life. The challenge is to learn from those disappointments and grow from them. Who knows if the wiser, more sensitive person we become is not the silver lining itself?
In general, there are two qualities which form a powerful combination to help us appreciate that there is a hidden goodness inside every misfortune: faith and patience. With faith that there is a higher, better purpose to life, and with patience to bide our time for its revelation, we will be able to persevere and weather the crises of life.
Please G‑d, may we all find our silver linings soon.

-adapted from www.chabad.org