The Midrash credits the original composition of Eishet Chayil, the famous Proverb that praises the Woman of Valor, to Abraham's eulogy for Sarah. Practically every family I have visited for a Friday evening Shabbat meal sings this magnificent poem. I wondered, as I do about every law and custom we practice, how many people actually understand what they are singing, or even why we sing it at the Friday night meal. I posted an open invitation for people to share their insights and reflections. I expected ten or fifteen contributions. We received more than forty! Blessing showered me.

People care. People think. We actually have succeeded in developing a virtual community of people searching for meaning in all they do. I am watching a dream come true. That is a serious blessing.

We passed the quarter million hits mark early this week although our website is less than a year old. Another dream realized. Another blessing.

We have more than 2500 posts from a relatively small group of contributors. Another blessing.

We have been posting short essays honoring the Yahrtzeits of important characters in Jewish history. Fifty essays in less than three weeks based on writings from the 1st century B.C.E. to the 20th. We have connected to people from Babylon, Russia, Spain, Italy, Hungary, Morocco, Israel, and England, even Passaic New Jersey. We have bridged time and space and discovered that all these great people interconnect and reflect the unity of Torah. Torah showers us with magnificent blessings that lift us above physical boundaries to the highest heavens.

Please join me and stand in this shower, and joyously allow the blessings to soak you all the way to the bone.

This Week's Favorite: Haftarah: The Best in Us

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Simcha L. Weinberg
President          
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