Life is But a Parable

InspirationParsha

Jul 11

In this week's Torah portion, hired by Balaak the king of Moab, the prophet Bilaam attempts to curse the Jews. In a series of shaming and even comedic (talking donkey - think Shrek) Balaam is forced to bless the Jews with a series of blessings that are of the greatest the Jewish People have ever received.

His blessings/prophecies begin with the words "and Bilaam took up his parable". The framing of these blessings are parables requiring interpretation.

Why the parables? Why not say the blessings straight?

The greater the experience, the more intense the opportunity the more it seems to evade us and challenge us. This is not a bug, it's a feature in the design.

When you hit the jackpot, the money comes flowing out and overflows the receiving container. But when you hit just a little prize, it falls into the cup and you are good to go.

We are finite beings trying to experience something that is beyond our finitude. Hashem's plan for us is beyond our comprehension. And so life is but a parable.

A parable is a way to explain something that is difficult or beyond the comprehension of the recipient. So the teacher uses parables, analogies and stories.

The book of Song of Songs, is a love story composed by King Solomon. The story is a parable for the relationship between the Jewish People and G-d. King Solomon understood the layers of human relationships and how complex that is. He understood even more so, the relationship between Jew and G-d and told us a story for us to relate to it.

Bilaam's blessings are so great that they can't be articulated straight. They are beyond comprehension. And so Bilaam uses the tool of parable.

When we dig into the parables we get a glimpse of the powerful blessings that are contained therein.

So when encountering barriers, challenges, things that are difficult to comprehend, know that the great Storyteller is behind it all. Dig and you will find a deeper connection and be able to get a glimpse through the parable.

Good Shabbos!

Featured

A Father’s Hug

Note: We have entered the final month of the Jewish year, the month of Elul. The Alter Rebbe explains its unique energy with a parable: During the year, if one wishes to see the King, he must pass through guards and gates, and only then can he enter the palace. But in Elul, the King Himself goes out into the field. There, every person can approach Him freely. The King greets each one warmly and with a smile.

Jerusalem, Atlanta

Judaism has some very obvious unique core beliefs. Among them is the role that Israel in general and Jerusalem in particular play.

Jerusalem's holiness starts with the creation of Adam and continues with the two Holy Temples that stood there. It begs the question, although we find references to Jerusalem in the Five Books of Moses (eg. Malkizedek the king of Shalem), we don't find the word Jerusalem/Yerushalayim explicitly mentioned as Jerusalem?

A Bit of Moses

As Yom Kippur draws to its close, I often feel myself shifting roles—from spiritual leader to coach—guiding the “team” through the final inning, the last round. We’re all tired. Weeks of preparation, two days of Rosh Hashanah, the deep solemnity of Kol Nidrei, and now a full day of fasting have left everyone—myself included—exhausted.

Almighty Comfort

Have you experienced loss? Has a part of you been taken out never to be returned? You're not alone. The prayer of comfort we offer in the Shiva home begins with a reference to G-d as Hamakom - The Place.

The Resilient Jew

As a People we've been victims of hatred, murder, rape, destruction. This Sunday we commemorate the event that spawned the current exile of close to 2000 years where acts against us have been non stop.

You Are In Charge

This Shabbos is Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av the first day of the new Jewish calendar month. It also marks the beginning of the period known as the 9 Days, culminating on the 9th day known as Tisha B'Av, commemorating the destruction of Jerusalem and the two Temples.

Say what you're gonna say Do what you're gonna do

Talk is cheap, although it seems to come at a big price these days. But really, anyone with an opinion articulates it without fear. That is in part because today everyone feels that speaking your mind is ok no matter the context, language or opinion.

Life is But a Parable

Oy, The Stories We Tell Ourselves

It’s a box that I moved into long before I had basic self-awareness. The box is the lenses through which I look at the world. It’s how I show up for good or for ugly. It’s how I perceive others and judge (sometimes even being judgmental – shocker) what I experience.

Geon Yaakov!

I'm getting it, more and more. And as I get it, I develop much more compassion towards others, more accepting of their limitations and how that bumps up against me and my jagged edges but also inner strength.

Rabbi Eliyahu Schusterman

Life is But a Parable

Light Shabbat Candles in Atlanta at 7:48 pm

-

Light Shabbat Candles in Atlanta at 7:48 pm -

Start your Jewish journey with Chabad.