Shabbos Parshas Shemos

This week's Parsha is really action-packed.  Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses) is born in Egypt and we learn about his adolescence and early adulthood.  Moshe Rabbeinu is raised as a prince, but abandons the posh life to serve his people.  Not content to live to be served, he recognizes that his people need him and instead lives to serve.  It is in the course of this role that he discovers his true purpose.  While serving as a simple shepherd for his father in law, Yitro (Jethro), a sheep wonders away.  Moses follows the sheep to the Burning Bush where HaShem addresses Moses directly for the first time. 

I think it's significant that Moses ' role of leader of the Jewish people is revealed to him while he is working as a Shepherd.  After all, it was Moses who Shepherded us out of Egypt and it is his Neshama (soul) that will return in Moshiach and lead us once again out of Exile. 

At the end of the Parsha, HaShem promises Moses that the redemption of the Jewish people is close at hand.  Let us hope as we read the Parsha this week that we can relive it and hear G-d's promise once again.

Things to think about to make this Shabbos Shiny

Moses was lucky.  HaShem told him plainly what He wanted Moses to do.  HaShem isn't so direct with us.  Look around you.  Is HaShem trying to give you a message about something He wants from you?  Try to get a little closer to Him this Shabbos.  Let Him shine through you and maybe you can help others get a little closer, too.


 

Find the Parsha in a Nutshell here.

Adelle Shayna's Shloshim was Sunday night.  It was the official kickoff of The Shiny Project and everything I had hoped it would be.  Hubby and I got there early to set up.  He did some chair kung-fu in the Ballroom and got rows set up lickety split.  I did up a little table by the entrance with a pretty table cloth, big framed picture of Shiny, and a basket of fridge cards.  I sprinkled butterfly and glitter confetti on the table because to me, an event is not an event without glitter confetti on the table.   

Rabbi Lipskier of Chabad of the West 60s MCed.  Rabbi Kugel of Chabad of the West Side spoke about Achdus.  Rabbi Cohen of Young Israel of the West Side spoke about Taharas HaMishpocha.  They were all very inspiring and gave me great Chizzuk.  At the end, I spoke and we showed a slideshow.  Here is the text of my speech -

            First, I’d like to sincerely thank you all for coming tonight.  I want to thank you for your concern, your friendship, your kindness, your patience and all the delicious food. 

            We are here tonight to remember my daughter, Adelle Shayna, our Shiny Adellephant, of blessed memory.  Adelle Shayna’s entire existence is a remarkable one.  When she was in my belly - a tiny woman, tumbling around inside of me, she was with me as I had the great honor of giving blessings to women as they used the Mikveh.  We were both so blessed to be able to participate in this gift HaShem gave to the Jewish people.  The Mikveh is such a special experience that in the moment of her Tevila, a Jewish woman can ask HaShem for anything at all; daven for anything, tell Him anything.  Before she was even a real person on her own, Adelle Shayna was present for the opening of G-d’s ears over and over.  All this while getting her own private lessons in Torah from an Angel.

            At her birth, as with every birth, the Shechina, the Physical Presence of G-d was there, though I am fairly sure this was not their first meeting.  We rejoiced in the birth of our first daughter as she cried.  It’s said that when a baby is born, the family laughs, but she cries because she is leaving Paradise to come into our world.  When she passed away, we wept and she laughed because she was returning to Paradise.  Once again in the Physical Presense of G-d she left peacefully and suddenly, not giving us a chance to ask for a different verdict and not giving us a chance to be angry when G-d did not change his mind.

            There were 154 days between the time when G-d escorted her to Earth and when He escorted her home.  An infants’ soul is pure and without sin.  They know and do only G-d’s Will.  For 154 days our lives were blessed with the presence of a Tzaddikess.  Every mother thinks that her children are the most special.  Mine really is. 

            Adelle Shayna reveled in attention from anyone and everyone.  She rewarded friendly strangers with an infectious, unreserved smile.  Even on the self-involved streets of Manhattan, people would stop me to look at her.  So often they commented on the depth of her stare.  They said that something in her displayed an age beyond the days she’d been with us.  I just thought it was something nice that strangers said.

            This special little neshoma reached out to others.  She asked for nothing from them and gave them everything she possibly could – a pure, sincere smile that conveyed the heavenly joy of her existence.  She was a simple vehicle; unable to articulate her thoughts into words and still she was able to brighten the lives of so many.

            Before the Shiva, I thought of myself sort of as a concierge.  I had an important role in my job, I was appreciated for it and when we parted ways, our relationship took hiatus until we saw each other again.  Please don’t get me wrong – I love my job.  I have always loved my job.  But over those seven days, you amazed me.  The people, the *love* that filled my house was beyond touching.  It was inspiring.  In the intervening weeks, the care and concern shown by each of you has carried us through.  Even if I have just responded to your inquiries of “What can I do?” with and “I’ll let you know,” to simply know that you are there is the greatest comfort not only to us, but to our families who live far away. 

            Now, let me tell you what you can do.  When you get up tonight, introduce yourself to the person sitting next to you.  Smile at strangers on the street.  Take the question, “What can I do?” with you. 

            Can you even imagine the power that you have?  If my fat little baby could send strangers away smiling and chatting happily what can you as a thinking, speaking adult accomplish?  That’s the idea behind The Shiny Project.  I want you to learn from the example of an infant and spread joy unconditionally.  Use your every faculty to strengthen the spirit of your fellow and inspire him to do the very same. 

            We learn that in Parshas Noach, HaShem provided for the people, things were easy and pleasant.  The people decided that they didn’t need HaShem, because everything was just hunky-dory.  Today, things happen that break our hearts and we say, “Where is G-d?!”

            The Aibishter can’t get a break. 

            It is so easy to become disenchanted with this world, to hate it, even.  Things simply do not make sense.  Gossip magazines are a multi-billion dollar business while children die of starvation.  G-d’s chosen land is beset and besieged on all sides.  The problems of this world are overwhelming.

            But they are within our power to solve.  In the face of such complicated sadness, the solution is so simple.  Just one more mitzvah.  That’s all.  One more mitzvah from each of you not only adds bricks to the Beis HaMikdash but inspires all who know what you’ve done to do one more mitzvah themselves.  And imagine all that they can inspire.  All you have to do is one little thing and Moshiach is right around the corner.  One little thing and the abject ridiculousness of this world is dissolved into perfect peace.  One little thing and no more dirty politics because we’re all under one Divine ruler. 

            Today we kick off The Shiny Project.  Do one simple thing to inspire countless other simple things and bring the greatest thing.  Your act of kindness can bolster the faith of someone else and prompt him to do the same.  You can show others that they are not alone.  Prove to those around you that compassion is a living being – consuming, breathing – and reproducing.  Do one thing every day to breed unity.  Imagine reaching out to one person and he, in turns reaches out to others and so on.  It’s a pyramid scheme of the heart!  No investment!  No minimum order! 

            Recognize the impact you have on the world around you.  Consider your words before you speak them.  Never let an opportunity pass to do kindness. 

            We say “Ba Shana Ha Ba’ah B’Yerushalayim,” Next Year in Jerusalem.  I’m not going to settle for that.  I know what you can do and a year is too long.  Put your energies to positive work and I will see you and all that have gone before us tonight in Yerushalayim.