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Newsletter          October 14, 2010 - 6 Cheshvon 5771
   

entangled


All Wrapped Up
Little did I know what my wife planned for me: I was honored when Debbie asked that I wrap some pastries in plastic wrap; she was allowing me in the kitchen! She is a big believer in the profound changes affected by Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, so I innocently assumed that my wife believed that I could be trusted with food. I have observed Debbie doing it, so I knew what to do: You take a sheet of wrap. stretch it out, place the food on it, and then tightly close the package. I began pulling out the plastic, and soon found myself tangled in the wrap. The plastic doesn't come out smoothly. It tangles as you yank it out, and then it leaps onto you and wraps itself around you. It took one large Costco size box to wrap each of the pastries. The packages were about three feet thick, but I was confident that after an entire day wrapping two pastries that I had them secure. I lifted the beautifully plastic wrapped pastries to place in the freezer and they fell out. 

"I will make you a multitude of nations." Sounds wonderful, but when we consider how the world is so wrapped up in the tension between Abraham's children, Muslims and Jews, I wonder whether the "blessing" was actually the curse of plastic wrap. The wrap becomes increasingly tangled as we struggle to free ourselves. Was the name "Abraham," "Father of Multitude of Nations," really a blessing, or a disguised curse?

It's similar to God instructing Abraham to, leave his city, birthplace and family; sounds like leaving, but Abraham is soon wrapped up in all sorts of confrontations with Pharaoh,  Avimelech, the four kings, Sodom, and Malki Tzedek. Even Abraham got tangled in the plastic!

Abraham didn't wait for God to save him. He fought through all his entanglements and emerged stronger than ever. God wanted Abraham to teach us how to deal with every aspect of the world, and battle the complicated issues that freeze most people into inaction. The commandment to leave his home was not a promise of a smooth walk forward; it was an invitation to dive right into all sorts of societies and then keep on walking.

Halacha, our laws of movement, also do not come with a promise of a peaceful life free of attacking plastic wrap. It is an invitation to engage the world and emerge stronger and more vibrant.

Someone took me to task for "Turtle Surfing," as any mention of the Galapagos Islands hints of Darwin, which leads us to evolution: "Why do you frequently refer to secular literature rather than the riches of the Torah? You are bordering on heresy!"

My answer is that I see Torah as an exceptional way to maintain clarity even when all wrapped up in the world. That is its magic, its power, and its gift. I'm not searching for a safe haven. I want to dive right in and confront every aspect of the world and life. I prefer to be wrapped up in plastic wrap on the floor rather than living in a protected place.

So, my friends, whether your entanglements ate with plastic wrap, difficult people, or a confusing world, please know that you are carrying on a tradition that began with Abraham's first step forward.

I wish you a Shabbat that will offer the necessary clarity to overcome whatever form of plastic wrap issue that restricts your movement.

This week's favorites: Taking A Walk, With What Remains, & Skilled Vision.


The Foundation Stone is happy to announce a new series of 10 teleconference classes for women given by Debbie Brenner on:
Derech Hashem
by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato

                                      Time:   Monday  - 9:30 pm EST
                              Start Date: October 18, 2010
                               Materials: Derech Hashem translation by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan.

The series will cover Part I and go over the following topics:
                                          1. The Creator
                                          2. The Purpose of Creation
                                          3. Man
                                          4. Human Responsibility
                                          5. The Spiritual Realm

The class will focus in providing a thought structure to basic Jewish Philosophy and will last 45' and 15' additional for discussion. We are requesting a minimum contribution of at least $10/class. ($100 minimum for the whole series until December 2010).  Registration for the series will be through PayPal. Please, click on the link to proceed with the donation. Thank you.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Simcha L. Weinberg
President          
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