How many times are we confronted by challenges and we question our ability to overcome them?
The saga of the spies in this week's Torah portion tells the story of a group of men sent to scout out the land of Israel and bring back information.
The spies come back with a story of fear and despair, how the land G-d has promised us will never be attainable, and for that the spies are punished.
The problem was not their report on the situation, the issue was that they questioned the ability to conquer the land and concluded that we will never be able enter the Promised Land.
We each have our own personal "land" to conquer in this journey called life. Our lives are met with challenges, inner fears and obstacles, but G-d has given us the resources, strength and resilience to succeed.
The question should never be, "can I do it? Our mindset needs to be "I know I can do it, let me figure out how."
Wishing you a peaceful Shabbat!
Rabbi Mendel & Elke Zaltzman
MVP completes a great year!
The popular MVP (Mitzvah Volunteer Program) , for boys and girls in middle school, met weekly throughout the year to make crafts and treats for seniors. At a time when our elderly were isolated and lonely, the MVP's brought joy and smiles to so many!
Looking forward to resuming again in the Fall!
Shabbos Times
Friday, June 4
Candle Lighting: 8:07pm Evening service: 7:30pm
Saturday, June 5
Morning service: 10:00am
Kiddush Brunch: 12pm Evening service: 8:10pm
Shabbos ends 9:15pm
Daily Services Week of June 6- June 11
Sunday Morning: 8am
Monday- Friday: 7am
Evening Services: 8:15pm
Mazel Tov to all our Bar and Bat Mitzvahs this week!
Mazel Tov to the Alkin family for Ilay's Bar Mitzvah
Mazel Tov to the Zamir family for Eitan's Bar Mitzvah
Mazel Tov to the Gekman family for Ariela's Bat Mitzvah
Mazel Tov to the Samolyov family for Arnella's Bat Mitzvah
Community Calendar 5782
Production of our beautiful, full color community calendar has begun for the new 5782 year.
The new Community Calendar will be published in September 2021 for the new 5782 Jewish year.
The recent growth of our community requires us to print 4000 calendars this year, most of which are mailed free to Jewish homes in the North Jersey area.
Please take a moment to see how you can support this important project.
Two centuries ago, the French tyrant Napoleon Bonaparte was master of Europe. In Spain, an embattled English army under the Duke of Wellington was resisting his advance. One day a young lieutenant came into the British general's tent clutching a map in his trembling hands:
"Look, General the enemy is almost upon us!"
"Young man," the general replied coolly, "Get larger maps, the enemy won't seem so close."
WEEKLY eTORAH
Some conclusions are more obvious than others. Sometimes the most obvious conclusion isn’t necessarily correct. Drawing our own conclusions can often be a risky business.
Take the case in this week’s Parshah. The spies sent by Moses return from their reconnaissance mission of the Promised Land with a frightening report about the fierce warrior nations of Canaan. The Jewish people are dejected and frightened, and even weep at the thought of their impending invasion, convinced it can only be a suicidal mission impossible. The Almighty is angered, the people are punished for their lack of faith in His promise, and the spies go down in history as the villains in the story.
But why? What, in fact, was their sin? Moses asked for a report of the land. They came back and reported exactly what they had seen. They told no lies. The land was formidable. The inhabitants were huge and powerful. The fruits were extraordinarily large. They even brought back samples to prove it. So, if it was all true, why were they punished?
The answer lies not in the report, but in their conclusion. The facts as the spies presented them were entirely accurate. The sin was their conclusion, “We will not be able to go up to that people, for it is too strong for us.” Moses had sent them on a fact-finding mission. Their job was to bring back information. Nobody asked them for their personal opinions. The whole point of their mission was to gather the data necessary for the Israelites to find the best way of conquering the land. That they would do so was a given. G‑d had promised them the land, told them of its natural beauty and assured them of success.
The same G‑d who just miraculously delivered you from Egypt, the mightiest superpower on earth; split the sea for you; and revealed Himself in all His glory to you at Sinai—has now said that the Promised Land is there waiting for you. And, after all He has done for you, you turn around and publicly doubt His power to help you succeed? This is not only a mistake in judgment. This is shameful, sinful and faithless. The spies’ report was correct, but their conclusion was disastrous.
The facts are there for all of us to see. The question is how to interpret them. If we have a preconceived position and then manipulate the data to draw conclusions that suit us, we may come off clever at first, but in the end we may well go the way of the spies. Without faith, even the most accurate information can lead to the wrong conclusion.
