Dear Friends,
In Fiddler on the Roof, after 25 years of marriage, Tevye asks Golde, “Do you love me?”
Golde looks at him as if he has lost his mind. “I cook your dinner,” she answers. After everything they have been through, she is still there, still caring for him and their family. What more proof could he possibly need?
But Tevye still wants to hear the words.
It is funny because they are both right. Love must be shown. But sometimes, it also needs to be said.
This week’s Torah portion, Ki Tavo, makes the same point. In the mitzvah of bikkurim, a farmer gathers the first ripened fruits of his land, places them in a basket, and brings them to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Surely the basket itself says thank you. He harvested the fruit, packed it carefully, and carried it all the way to Jerusalem.
Yet the Torah asks for more than the basket. The farmer must speak. He recounts our journey from Egypt to the Land of Israel and declares that the fruit in his hands is a blessing from G-d. He does not simply say, “Thank You for everything.” He names the journey. He names the blessing. He names the fruit.
The action matters. The words matter. The Torah asks for both.
How often do we assume that the people closest to us already know what is in our hearts? My spouse sees everything I do. My children know I am proud of them. My friend knows how much the friendship means to me. G-d knows I am grateful.
Perhaps they do know. Say it anyway.
Words without action can feel empty, but actions without words can leave something important unspoken. Love needs to be lived, and it also needs to be said aloud.
Rosh Hashanah gives us the opportunity to do that with G-d. G-d already knows what is in our hearts, but prayer gives the heart a voice. We come to synagogue and put our gratitude, hopes, fears, and love into words.
At Chabad Naples, you do not need perfect Hebrew or years of experience. Whatever page you are on is the right page. The prayers are brought to life with commentary, joy, and messages that speak to real life. Come with your Hebrew, your English, your questions, and your family. There is a place for you.
This is what we want every person who walks through our doors at Chabad Naples to feel: We see you. We appreciate you. We never take your presence or partnership for granted. Our friends and partners have helped create a Jewish home where children learn, adults grow, seniors connect, and people receive care.
This Sunday at Kitchen of Kindness, we have an opportunity to do both. Join us as we cook and pack fresh meals, and help us tell people throughout our community: You are remembered. You are cared for. You are loved. If you haven't RSVP'd yet please do so by visiting www.chabadnaples.com/kitchenofkindness. It's a beautiful Mitzvah that makes a real difference in our community.
This week, we said goodbye to our dear friend Nicole Williams, Sarah bat Gabriella v'Dovid. We knew Nicole for 23 years, and during all that time, she never stopped expressing her love in words.
I vividly remember one Shabbat when Ettie threw a birthday Kiddush for me at Chabad Naples. Nicole stood up at the other end of the social hall, made her way across the room, and began sharing stories about how loved she felt, how much she loved us, and what Chabad meant to her.
In the final weeks of her life, I visited Nicole many times. Last Sunday, only a day and a half before her passing, I sat with Nicole and her family. Together, we told her how deeply we loved her, what she meant to the Chabad Naples family, and how much she had given.
Nicole always made sure we heard her love. Thank G-d, in those sacred final moments, she heard ours too.
That is the message I want to carry with me into the Jewish New Year: Do not leave love or gratitude unspoken. Tell your spouse what you still admire after all these years. Tell your children exactly what makes you proud. Thank the friend who stood beside you. Thank G-d for the blessings in your hands.
Be specific. Say it out loud. Then live those words through what you do.
May Nicole’s neshamah have an aliyah, and may the love she expressed so freely continue to inspire all of us.
Wishing you and your family a peaceful and meaningful Shabbat,
Rabbi Fishel and Ettie Zaklos