ב"ה

Behaalotecha 5763 - June 20, 2003

The Vertical Life

We "raise" our children, "climb" the ladders of our careers, "rise" to life's occasions, think "highly" of people we admire, "aspire" to high ideals, regard "heaven" as representative of all that is good and "lofty". Why all this uppity talk?
Parshah
Behaalotecha in a Nutshell
Aaron lights the menorah; a second Passover is instituted; and people complain about the manna, demanding meat instead. Miriam is punished for speaking ill about her brother Moses, and the nation waits for her before leaving Sinai.
Bonds

She walked out of the room. Halfway down the hallway she stopped and stood motionless as if confronting an invisible wall
Story
The Lottery Ticket

He didn’t win anything in the first drawing, nor was his luck any better in the second or third. With each failure his frustration grew, and his faith in the Rebbe’s blessing weakened . . .
Why Do I Need a “Hebrew Name”?
It functions as a conduit, channeling spiritual energy from G‑d into your soul and your body. That’s why a critically ill person is sometimes given an additional Hebrew name—sort of like a spiritual bypass operation.
And the man Moses was very humble, more so than all the men that were upon the face of the earth
— Numbers 12:3
Print Magazine

Adam trudged past the gates of Eden, his head low, his heart heavy with the pain of remorse.

Suddenly he stopped. A thought had struck him.

He turned to the heavens and exclaimed, “You had this planned! You put that fruit there knowing I would choose to eat from it!”

“But tell me: Why?

The heavens were silent.

But ...