Good Shabbos Email - Chabad of Peachtree City

VAYECHI- AN END TO THE WORLD WE KNOW?

Friday, December 28, 2012 - 1:46 PM

FOR VAYECHI

AN END TO THE WORLD WE KNOW?

So, the “End of the World” came last Friday according to some interpretation of an ancient Mayan calendar.

And just as it came, it went. Just like the rest of these eschatological predictions!

It seems to be happening lately with some frequency: A person, usually somewhat of a lunatic, or maybe a full-fledged lunatic, announces to anyone who wishes to listen that the world is about to end. And some people, perhaps a little vulnerable, or perhaps really unwise, buy into this lunacy. They are prepared to hunker down in a bunker to be saved when the world comes to an end. It is always unknown how these people expect to survive, and where they will be on an ended world…

Th… Read More »

VAYIGASH- LESSONS FROM FIRST GRADE

Friday, December 21, 2012 - 1:44 PM

FOR VAYIGASH

Dealing with senseless murder:

LESSONS FROM FIRST GRADE

Do you remember first grade?

I do. Not just because I have a child currently in first grade. Even after more than four decades, I remember my teacher, Rabbi Aharon Cousins, may he live and be well, who has become a good friend. I even remember where I sat in the classroom, and who was next to me.

We did not spend our time, however, merely sitting there. We were studying and learning. The memory of what we studied, though, I cannot evoke, other than for one thing: The teacher had written the names of all the Torah portions on the board. He then asked us to memorize them. I still remember them to this day.

First grade is not a grade in w… Read More »

CHANUKAH- OUTSIDE LIGHTING

Friday, December 14, 2012 - 1:38 PM

FOR CHANUKAH

OUTSIDE LIGHTING

Over the past couple of weeks, two pictures received major attention in all the news media that generally carry human interest stories. One image shows a police officer bending towards a homeless person sitting on a sidewalk in New York. This officer was offering a pair of boots to the barefoot man. It was later revealed how this police officer had discovered this shoeless person on a particularly cold night, and his heart just could not allow him to ignore the man whose feet were in desperate need of protection.

It was a good-feeling, warm-the-heart kind of story. And the picture was extremely moving. It is no wonder that it became so popular.

At around the same time, in the same ci… Read More »

VAYEISHEV- SECURING CRAZINESS

Friday, December 7, 2012 - 1:36 PM

FOR VAYEISHEV

SECURING CRAZINESS

In preparation for the upcoming holiday of Chanukah and its festivities, I was in possession of a shopping list while visiting New York earlier this week. In the Big Apple, one can purchase many items unavailable in any other location in the United States, and items available elsewhere are usually cheaper in New York, as well.

Pretty soon it became obvious that my hand luggage would be too small to fit what had become a rather large stash of food and books. I secured an empty cardboard box from a local store, in which I placed all the items I had purchased. Now that I had luggage to check in, we had the taxi come to take us to the airport fifteen minutes earlier.

The usual traffic around Brooklyn and Que… Read More »