Summer 1991, tetherball with my dear friend and colleague,
Rabbi Shmuly Nachlas. Pretty sure I won that Game:)
It’s summer, a time when we have opportunities to travel out of our comfort zones, or if we’re lucky, to visit exotic places. I remember something my father often said, something that had a great impact on me.
He used one word that left a lasting message: “Fishel, remember you are a Shliach”. My father reminded me of this before I went to summer camp, whenever we traveled, and before I went as a rabbinical intern to Nepal and Vietnam to lead Passover seders. Shliach literally means messenger, but his implication was that I should keep in mind where I come from and remember whom I represent.
Even though I heard the word often, as a child I couldn’t really appreciate it. However, today as a father and Rabbi I want to share my understanding of this special word with you. I believe it is an empowering concept that we always should take to heart and mind. From the time we wake up in the morning this word can inspire us throughout each day to lead our lives with joy and beauty.
There is a beautiful prayer we recite every morning immediately upon arising, called Modeh Ani. We thank G-d for restoring our soul and granting us another day.
The passage ends with the words, “Rabba Emunatecha” which literally means, “We have great faith in You”. My father had his own interpretation: Your (G-d’s) faith in us is great. By granting us another day, by giving us life, He is telling each one of us how much He believes in us.
In a time that the rat race of life has us competing for clicks, likes, and comments, clamoring for our 15 seconds of fame, struggling to be noticed, the world tells us we are not good enough but G-d tells us, “You are my Shliach! You have my divinely-gifted powers. You are amazing!”
That’s the meaning of Shliach. Wherever we go, whatever situation life throws at us, we must be aware that we are empowered by G-d to be a beacon of light, to change our surroundings positively rather than be negatively affected by them.
As an ambassador bringing light into the darkness as G-d’s agent, we possess His power, His freedom, His goodness, His light, and His infinity. Although it seems very difficult we are never stopped for we are Ambassadors in every situation, every moment, and every place.
Each of us has our own unique greatness and throughout our lives, we receive signals or prompts from heaven, calling upon us to rise to ‘our moment’ and embark on a certain mission specific to our abilities, talents, resources, and influence. The questions we ask ourselves when we wake up in the morning are, “What can I do today to live up to G-d’s image of me? How can I become a better person? How can I have an impact on my family and my community?"
Especially now in the summertime which often offers us the scenic route, visiting exciting places, encountering different people and experiencing new environments, this is not a time to withdraw and say, “I’m on vacation.” Rather, this creates opportunities for us and for our children who are always observing and learning, to utilize the powers and talents we have and share them with the world.
Whether you use my father’s term Shliach, or you prefer empowered, ambassador, courageous, self-assured the message is the same. Regardless of how we see ourselves, we must be aware of the treasure chest of potential we have been given by Hashem, and then we must wake up, and utilize it.
