Rabbi Fishel's Blog - Chabad of Naples

Why is the Torah called a song

Monday, September 27, 2021 - 10:40 AM

Dear Friends,

At the end of Moses’s life, having given the Jews at G-d's request 612 commandments, Moses is instructed to give them the last, commandment #613, a commandment that expresses how all of Judaism should be lived:

“Now write down,” G-d says, “this song, and teach it to the Jewish people”.

According to tradition “this song” refers to the whole Torah, meaning that the last mitzvah is to write down the whole Torah.

But why is the Torah called a song? Is a Constitution a song? Haven’t we been reading a book of laws and commandments, not lyrics to a song?

By referring to Torah as a song, however, it is as if G-d were saying to us: “It is not enough that you study Torah cognitively as mere history and law. It must speak to you emotionally.”

Joy and melody are essential to Jewish living. Judaism should infuse our lives with joy; every mitzvah ought to bring new celebration into our life. Just like song breaks barriers and reshapes our hearts, so too must the Torah.

Another aspect to song is this: the first time you read a book, it is exciting. But most of us cannot read the same book more than a few times. Not so with music. The more we hear a melody, the more we appreciate it. It inscribes itself deeper in the grooves of our soul. Torah is a song. The more we study its melody, the more we love it.

Finally, the Torah is called a song because a song becomes only more beautiful when sung with many voices, interwoven in complex harmonies.

When you talk and someone else starts talking, what is that called? Interruption!

But when you are singing and someone else starts singing, what is that called? Harmony!

When Torah becomes an egocentric speech, Jews fight; “we interrupt each other.” But when Torah is studied as Divine music, we sing in harmony.

Simchat Torah is when we recapture Judaism as song, when we bring the beat back into our lives. It is when we rediscover the 613th command — Torah as a melody, scored for many voices. The Torah is G-d's song, and we, the Jewish people, are His choir, the performers of His symphony.

Even though this Simchat Torah many of us can’t be in Shul to dance, we can still be at home and sing!

Wishing you a Chag Sameach! Good Yomtov!

Rabbi Fishel & Ettie Zaklos

5782 is off to a great start!

Sunday, September 12, 2021 - 11:26 AM

Dear Friends,

And what a Rosh Hashanah it was.

5782 is off to a great start!

It was wonderful seeing so many of you over Rosh Hashana! The safe, indoor services, as well as the overflowing crowd at ‘Shofar & Tashlich in the Park’ were inspiring.

The Shofar & Tashlich in the park ceremony seemed even more meaningful and special as we all carefully observed the safest way to come together to pray at the Gulf for this occasion.

We prayed for those who couldn’t attend and expressed our dearest hopes that G-d will hear and grant all our wishes and prayers.

It's an honor to be part of this incredible community.

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Yesterday marked marks 20 years since 9/11.

“Where were you?” is a sobering question that has been asked to so many of us in relation to the destruction of the Twin Towers in New York City. With a two-decade milestone upon us, it feels necessary to pause and reflect.

The question, “Where were you?” should not merely be an account of time and place – it is so much more and begs the follow up enquiry: “Where are you?”

The great Chasidic master, Reb Shneur Zalman of Liadi explained how in the story of Creation, when Adam was asked by G‑d, ‘Ayekah’ - Where are you? It could not have just been a geographical question, for G‑d obviously knew where Adam was ‘pinned’ on the map.

Ayekah - explained Reb Shneur Zalman - was G-d asking, “Where are you in your life?” It is a constant, ongoing question - a perpetual call to every human being. What have you accomplished on the path to fulfil your life’s mission?

Twenty years later, September 11^th is still such an emotional date. Let’s not merely reminisce and ask, ‘Where were we?’ Rather, let’s reflect two decades later and analyze our individual evolution: Where are we now?

After such a tumultuous year, having just experienced Rosh Hashanah, now is the perfect time to pose the existential question: Where do I want to be?

May these pensive and reflective Days of Awe, between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, inspire us all to search our souls to both conceive and actualize the answer!

Wishing you a meaningful Shabbat Shuva, G’mar Chatima Tova and may you be sealed in the Book of Life!

Rabbi Fishel & Ettie Zaklos

EMBRACE THE SEASON OF HOPE

Friday, September 3, 2021 - 1:02 PM

Dear Friends,

King David once called a jeweler and asked him to design a ring that would be his equalizer by bringing him joy when he was sad and ground him when his heart felt haughty.

Quite a challenge!

Overwhelmed by the task, the jeweler walked home with stress written all over his face. A young boy noticed him and asked him why he was so sad. He brushed the boy off. The boy nudged.

Reluctantly, he shared with the boy the seemingly impossible task the king just gave him.

The clever boy told him: “do not worry. Make a beautiful ring and on it engrave these words גם זה יעבור – this too will pass. The king will be happy with it.”

The fellow went home and prepared such a ring and presented it to King David. The king was mightily impressed and asked him how he came up with this idea. The honest jeweler told the king about the young, clever boy. The king asked him to describe the boy’s features. It soon became apparent that this youngster was the crown prince – and future King – Solomon.

The ring worked its magic on the king by always centering him regardless of the circumstances.

Although this story happened thousands of years ago, its message could not be more relevant in our time.

Currently, we see and have seen loneliness and emotional pain that we never thought we’d see in our lifetime.

We have witnessed extreme politics taking hold of the national (and global) conversation.

We watched in horror as the incredible search teams, both local and abroad (a special shoutout to the incredible team from our Holy Land), searched through the rubble of crushed concrete and crushed dreams, looking for survivors amongst the carnage.

We saw missiles fly above the heads of children in southern and central Israel and taking the lives of innocents.

Having suffered through more than a year of a pandemic that has overturned our lives, we now find ourselves facing a new variant which we don’t yet fully understand.

We look at all this and ask, ‘does this ever end?’ ‘Is life as we knew it forever gone?’ ‘Will we ever move beyond masks, social distancing, pandemic waves and all the havoc they bring’?

Although none of us owns King David’s ring, nevertheless the message of the ring reaches across the centuries with its soft and gentle voice.

‘Let me tell you about King David. For the first two decades of his life, he was ostracized by his own family. As he says in the book of psalms, “my father and mother have neglected me, yet G-d embraced me.”

‘He was hunted by King Saul. His own son tried to kill him. His enemies were constantly waging war against him. He witnessed the dirtiest politics of his time. He faced endless drama amongst his family.

‘And yet – here is the punchline – he always took heed of the wise words of the ‘wisest of all men’ – his son, King Solomon, that this too will pass.’

‘Take this statement to heart. Let it remind you that no matter what the challenge, it will pass. You will smile again. You will love again! You will overcome this. The best of life is not behind us; it is ahead of us!’

So spoke the wise ring.

If I were to summarize this article in one sentence, I’d have to borrow from baseball legend Yogi Berra who said: “it ain’t over till it’s over.”

We are far from over! Better days are ahead of us!

As we anticipate the approach of the High Holidays with their theme of hope and renewal, we pray for better days in the coming year and that Hashem will bring physical, emotional, and spiritual healing to our world.

May this coming year bring sweetness and love to all.

Rabbi Fishel Zaklos