Reading the letters to the editor in the March 14 issue of The Jewish Link reminded me of what Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn said in the early 1900s. He said in the olden days, when calamity befell the Jewish community, people would look inward. They would ask themselves “How can we better Jews to our fellows and to God?” Nowadays, he said, everyone writes their congressman.
Sadly, this is still true today. How long will our trust in human beings be a stumbling block for us?
Teshuva isn’t only a directive for the non-observant Jew. It’s a directive for all Jews. I need to take a truthful look at my relationship with people and God and ask myself if I’m doing enough. What can I do better?
As for my relationship with others, several questions come to mind. Am I scrupulously honest in my business dealings? Although I may be careful that only kosher food enters my mouth, am I careful with the words that come out of my mouth? How’s my hachnasat orchim? Are family, friends and business or political acquaintances the only ones who sit at my Shabbat table? Am I willing to do a favor for a fellow Jew, even someone I don’t know?
As for my relationship with God, I’m asking myself more questions. Do I observe His mitzvot, or just the ones I’m comfortable with? How’s my Shabbat observance? The laws of Shabbat are many and complex. Do I try to learn all I can about the halachot of Shabbat? Do I dress appropriately as a Jewish man or woman should, even when the weather is warm? When I attend shul, do I have respect for the davening?
Do I have respect for my shul rabbi? Do my rabbi’s Shabbat drashas teach me about the parsha, the Haftorah, halacha, and how to be a better Jew?
I’m sure you can think of many other questions to ask yourself and I hope you do. It’s a lot easier to wave flags and hurl vile epithets at protesters than it is to change one’s nature and habits.
The Teaneck Jewish community is filled with wonderful people with the potential for tremendous chesed and avodat Hashem. We just need to do better. Only one thing will bring down Divine mercy, and that is teshuva. As Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak also said, “Immediate teshuva, immediate redemption.”
