Dear Friends,
In today's world, so many people are looking for answers. But did you know that Judaism teaches us we should ask more questions? See? I'm doing it already. But it's true!
The People of the Book are famous for asking questions by the dozen. Questions of their leaders, questions of God, questions of their rabbis. If you've been around Chabad of Naples for a while now, you may have heard about our legendary impromptu "Stump the Rabbi" sessions that spring up at the end of our Wednesday class or at the Kiddush on Shabbat. We're just keeping the tradition going!
Questions about Jewish law, questions about conducting business, questions about the best way to use our time and effort.
Moshe emphasized that in order for the Jewish way of life to be successfully transmitted from dor l'dor, generation to generation, the children needed to ask questions of their parents. They needed to engage with the Torah's teachings and our traditions in an inquisitive fashion. This week's Torah Portion contains several passages that are central to the Passover seder, when we retell the "Four Questions" the children should ask of their parents during the meal.
Isidor Rabi, Nobel Prize-winning physicist, said that when he came home from school his mother never asked him what he learned or if he had a good day; she asked him "Izzy, did you ask a good question today?"
The art of asking good questions should not be undervalued.
Not because Judaism celebrates questions for their own sake, but because the right questions lead us somewhere. They help us uncover meaning, arrive at clarity, and move toward real solutions.
Through questioning, we come to better understand who we are, where we come from, and what kind of people we are meant to become.
Sometimes, a single question tells an entire heartbreaking story. A Jew imprisoned in Auschwitz once asked whether he was permitted to save his only son if it meant another would be killed in his place. The question alone opens a window into unimaginable pain, faith, and moral courage.
It is from asking these questions and receiving thoughtful answers from our sages that we gain an understanding of how to be. How to be a person of strong character, how to find inspiration in times of great obstacles, how to maintain a Jewish identity in an ever-shifting world.
And that rich history of leading with curiosity, dear friends, is why I'm excited to tell you about our newest adult education course that's starting on Monday. Come join us for an in-depth exploration of some very famous Jewish questions, whose answers may surprise you. These are questions Jews have been asking for centuries, and answers that continue to shape how we live today. We’ll step into these real-life dilemmas and gain a deeper appreciation for how Jewish law works and for the beauty, depth and humanity of Judaism itself.
Let’s sit together at the table where generations of Jews brought their hardest questions.
Reserve your spot today and start compiling your good questions now
(You’re welcome to join us for the first session, no strings attached, and see if it speaks to you, just let me know you’re coming.)
Wishing you Shabbat Shalom and a great week ahead,
Rabbi Fishel & Ettie Zaklos