from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"
October 11th 2024 -Volume 13 Issue 50 9th of Tishrei 5785
Triple Shabbos!
from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"
October 11th 2024 -Volume 13 Issue 50 9th of Tishrei 5785
Triple Shabbos!
I can’t believe you actually have time today to open up this E-Mail from me… It’s Erev Yom Kippur. The Day of Judgement, when we should all be signed and sealed for a good sweet year. There’s a mitzva to eat all day today, because tomorrow we can’t. Someone told me that last Shabbos we ate last year’s food. This Shabbos we don’t eat at all, and next Shabbos we eat out in the street… It’s especially hard this year because on Yom Kippur we’re not just giving up a regular Sunday or Monday schnitzel or hamburger dinner, we’re giving up chulent. We’re giving up Kugel. We’re giving up Shabbos food… That’s real suffering. What more can Hashem ask from us… That’s gotta count for something big up in heaven… right?
But as we know Hashem is not interested in our suffering. He wants our good. He’s our Father. He stands ready to come home. To Return to us. For us to Return to Him. The fasting is just to make us realize that it’s not all about the chulent. It’s not about the Shabbos nap. It’s not even about the Torah we learn. In fact Yom Kippur is the day that we received the second set of Luchos and Ten commandments. The Talmud even refers to it as our wedding day with Hashem as a result of that. Even more than Shavuot. And whadaya know? We don’t even mention the giving of the Torah or standing at Sinai, despite the fact that on Rosh Hashana we mention it quite a lot. Why not?
The reason is because it’s not about the Torah even in of itself. The Torah is just a symbol a ketuva. A wedding document that unites us with Hashem. Yom Kippur is about us and Him. It’s about finding Him within ourselves. It’s about leaving our bodies behind for the day and uniting and exulting with our Creator; our Father; our Beloved. When we do that, then all is forgiven. We’re one. We don’t need chulent or to nap to feel and rejoice with Hashem. Lesser beings that are bound and have to cater to their bodies and that are held down by their mortal desires and needs need those perks to connect and feel divine. On Yom Kippur we’re way above and beyond that. We are one with the Kohen Gadol when he recites the name of Hashem. We are on the floor bowed and prostrated in the House of Hashem. There is no sin. There is no body. We are all soul. We are One with Him.
That’s where we’re heading tomorrow. Every year Yom Kippur is referred to as Shabbat Shabbaton- a double Shabbos. It’s Shabbos that takes us beyond this world. This year it’s a triple Shabbos because it actually is Shabbos as well. The root of the word Shabbos is return- It’s teshuva. It’s getting back to the beginning. Tapping into our deepest core. Going back to that one Shabbos that we never merited to spend in the Garden of Eden when each part of our souls was part of Adam Harishon- the first Man; the first Creation. Us. Right from Day One we sinned and we’re expelled. 5785 years we’re still waiting to return to that Shabbos that we never experienced. It’s been a long journey. But we’re at Bein Hashmashos again. We are twilight Erev Shabbos. We’re ready to make kiddush. To be brought back to that heavenly table. Our Father has been waiting for so long to have Shabbos with us. May this year be the year that we finally spend Shabbos with Him redeemed.
See, how short I could write when I’m in a rush… 😊 Now you’ll ask me why I don’t do that every week. I forgive you… But hey…it ain’t easy… Week in and week out, trying to share some thoughts, some inspiration, some insights and even Torah with all of you. But you make it worth it. I appreciate you reading. I appreciate your comments and feedback. I appreciate your sponsorship and sharing. I feel like we’re a family and I’m humbled that my simple thoughts and ideas actually have so many of you that even open me up weekly if not every so often… And I know that the jokes aren’t good enough to bring you back alone. Thank you… You have no idea what it means for me personally and what chizuk it gives to me.
On that note, I’d like to ask you all for forgiveness. I can’t even count how many things I’ve done that truly wasn’t worthy of you to read, that may have upset you, that may have put you down- especially those of you that haven’t move to Israel yet… There I go again… But know that it truly was never with bad hurtful intent. Know that I love you, and if you haven’t unsubscribed and are still here, please as well find it in your hearts to daven for me, Ephraim ben Esther Baila and for my family together with all of you tefillos for Klal Yisrael, for our soldiers, for our hostages and their families, for the so so many that are suffering that need healing, that are homeless, that are in trauma that need salvation and simcha and for the Mashiach to finally come.
Finally and last but not least in any way shape or form, I turn to you once again and ask that you consider among all your contributions to consider our shul. To help and donate on the link below. You know that many times this year, you thought about it, you wanted to. This year has been very trying and difficult and your partnership and assistance really makes a big difference. Thank you to the so many that have donated already and continue to do so, through out the year. May Hashem bless all of us with a gut g’bentched yohr. A year that is unlike any other. One that brings us the simchas olam that we have waited and that the world has waited so long to experience.
Gmar Chatima Tova,
with all of the love in the year,
warmly,
Ephraim
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