Torah

We have all just heard the news of the U.S. bombing Iranian nuclear sites. Baruch Hashem! While the full extent of the damage is not yet known, the fact that it happened—and certainly caused extensive damage—is terrific! When all elements of an operation work together perfectly, it’s nothing short of miraculous.

It is always important to reinforce our commitment to the journey of faith. There is no greater act of emunah than living a spiritual, holistic life in an often chaotic, fragmented world. The famous words, “kedoshim tihiyu — you shall be holy,” are not a call to be transcendent, angelic beings — lofty and perfect, completely beyond the struggle innate to the human condition. This is not permission to deny our humanity or restrict our sense of self. This is a calling to be human — to be the ultimate human, to bring transcendence and spirituality into this world.

Each individual has their own perception of reality, their own view on religion, and their own ideas about leadership. Every religion as well has its own perceptions and views on these topics, and just as a person’s views serve as a gateway into understanding their inner beliefs and values, a religion’s views serve as a window into its inner beliefs and value system.

We are now a bit more than a week past Chag Matan Torah, Shavuos. It has come and gone—and hopefully, you’ve recovered from the lack of sleep and overindulgence in cheesecake. Most importantly, I hope it was an inspirational Yom Tov. But now that it’s over, is there anything left for us to hold on to? Or are we just waiting to fast-forward to the next exciting event?

News flash: We are at war with Iran. After two Iranian missile attacks on Israel and their support of terrorist groups who openly attack Israel, Israel’s preemptive strike has certainly declared open war. Iran isn’t Hamas, Hezbollah, or the Houthis—they sponsor them! Attacking a sovereign country is always more challenging. But without a doubt, we have experienced amazing miracles—miracles through natural means that are not at all natural! Everything is falling into place in miraculous ways. There have also been tragedies. This war brings surprises and great inconveniences.

Everyone wants to contribute something significant to the world; to play a meaningful part in the cosmic symphony we call life. This desire is an inherent part of being human. We yearn to expand beyond our limited sphere of existence and become a part of something meaningful, something infinitely greater than ourselves.