Temple Shalom
of Central Florida
A Message from Rabbi Zev
Miracles...
At this time of year, one can’t help but wonder if miracles really happened as told throughout Torah, and if so…why aren’t they happening now? We take a look at the world today, and we see hunger, wars, homelessness, bigotry, hatred…, just to name a few, and ask where the miracles are now? Doesn’t God see that we need them now? That is the question that has been asked for many years, many times, by many people.
I remember a few years back, I was at a flea market, when I saw something so touching, I must share it. A mother and child (no older than 5) were walking down one of the aisles; the mother holding the child’s hand and the child eating a big lollipop smiling and enjoying it. Across the aisle was a child (maybe 7 or 8) in one of the booths with her mother, also with a lollipop, but unopened. The younger of the children dropped his lollipop and began to cry; his mother told him to stop, it was only a lollipop and next week he can get another if he was good. The little girl took her lollipop and handed it to the little boy and said, “don’t cry” and went back to her mother. Her mother praised her for being so thoughtful and caring; in the meantime, the other mother said nothing and continued to walk the aisle with her son.
What does this have to do with miracles you may ask…a whole lot. We were given free will by God, and what we do with it is where I am going with this. We need to make our own miracles happen, to be the miracle. We can’t just see a problem such as hunger or bigotry and expect God to make it end…after all we are partners with God and need to do our part to complete the task/miracle. That’s not to say that there aren’t miracles happening every day that we just take for granted, such as the birth of a baby, the blossoming of a flower, the rising of the sun. True, it may not be the miracle of the Chanukah Oil, but a miracle none the less. At this Chanukah season, let’s try to help make miracles happen…help bring the lights of Chanukah to someone who might otherwise not be so blessed.
From my family to yours have a joyous Chanukah season and a Healthy and Happy 2020!
Chag Sameach…Happy Chanukah
B’y’didut- In Friendship
Rabbi Zev