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"Preparation Is the Key!"

08/21/2019 11:09:01 AM

Aug21

Rabbi Reuben Israel Abraham, CDR, CHC, USN (ret)

We read the following in this week's parashah, Parashat Eykev: "And I dwelt on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights; I did not eat bread nor did I drink water." (Devarim 9:9)  This verse relates how Moshe went up the mountain shortly after B'Nei Yisrael (the Children of Israel) had received the Aseret HaDibrot (the Ten Commandments) coming down on Shiv'a Asar B'Tammuz (the 17th of Tammuz).  Upon seeing B'Nei Yisrael worshiping Eygel HaZahav (the Golden Calf), he throws the tablets down shattering them into pieces.  Moshe then returns to the top of the mountain to plead with HaShem not to kill the people.  "And I fell down before HaShem like the first time for 40 days and 40 nights; I did not eat bread or drink water...." (Devarim 9:18)  Moshe descends the mountain on the 29th of Av having achieved his goal.  On the very next day, Rosh Chodesh Elul, Hashem tells him: "Engrave for yourself two tablets of stone just like the first ones, and ascend to Me up the mountain and make for yourself an ark of wood." (Devarim 10:1)  The end of this 40-day/night period is Yom Kippur upon which B'Nei Yisrael are forgiven for this grievous sin.  Rashi tells us that during the middle 40 days/nights period, the period during which Moshe voluntarily ascended the mountain to plead with HaShem on behalf of B'Nei Yisrael, HaShem was angry with them to the point that He wanted kill them.  Moshe "convinced" H-m otherwise.  This middle 40 day/night period teaches us an important lesson: in order to develop a positive relationship with another person, we must work very hard at this process over an extended period of time.  This best evidenced via the Jewish marriage ceremony.

Halakhah (Jewish Law) intentionally divides the Jewish marriage ceremony into two distinct parts: erusin, where the man and woman are bound to each other in a betrothal that did not allow them to live with each other, and nisuin, the ceremony under the chuppah (wedding canopy) that did permit them to finally live together as husband and wife.  In pre-Medieval times, the period between erusin and nisuin was one year.  Obviously the entire process of getting married was compressed into one ceremony that still contains both parts, each part being separated by the reading of the Ketubah (the wedding contract).  Even this small amount of time between each part of the Jewish marriage ceremony continues to give emphasis to the fact that love between husband and wife requires time and effort to develop and grow.  Because our relationship with HaShem is akin to the relationship between husband and wife, it also takes much time and great effort to develop and grow.  The simple fact of the matter is that the more time and effort we put into our relationship with HaShem, the greater and more satisfying will that relationship be

As we approach the month of Elul, that period of time when we prepare for the Yamin Nora'im (the Days of Awe), may we put even more effort into nurturing our relationship with HaShem as well as all our relationships with our spouses, our families, our Synagogue, and the People Israel.  

Thu, March 28 2024 18 Adar II 5784