Might As Well Do It

Why do they hate us so? Many reasons have been given, but after all the discussions, it boils down to the fact that we are G-d's People and they just have a hard time with that. Own it friend!
What does it mean to be G-d's People?
Hashem gave us the Torah (please celebrate this anniversary with us) and in it are the instructions how to be G-d's People.
Some of these instructions are about religious things, like Shabbat, Kosher and blowing the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah. But the real stuff is in this week's Torah portion.
The portion is called Kedoshim. G-d asks us to be holy like He is holy. Being holy is about the small things. Things like; how we eat, how we talk and how we treat each other.
In all of our most mundane activities, the actions that are done by all of humankind, we have the opportunity to uncover the G-dliness that is in it and to connect to Hashem and become holy through them.
We can help those that wish to hate us, but we can at least own it. Let's live as proud Jews in all that we do.
Good Shabbos!
With all my love,
Rabbi Eliyahu Schusterman
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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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.