Mendel Bluming | Blogger

Here's a thought: have you ever felt very inspired and uplifted by a great spiritual experience only to have real life wipe out any memory of it rather quickly? A newborn baby, moments after birth, is taken by a midwife and wrapped up in a swaddling cloth. This serves to keep the newborn protected and warm. Having just emerged from the security and nurture of the womb, the baby is particularly vulnerable and sensitive. A good swaddling cloth gives him a sense of protection from the cold and harsh world out here. But swaddling doesn't last long. You rarely see teenagers wrapped up in a cloth with their arms behind their ears. (Though perhaps some should be.) Swaddling is a brief bridging stage between the safety of the womb and the hazards of real life. A well wrapped baby will eventually grow to face life unwrapped. The swaddle cloth just helps him get there. Your soul needs that bridge too. You have emerged from the womb of Yom Kippur a pure and renewed soul. The negativ

What is the essence and theme of the day of Yom Kippur? If it is a day to say I'm sorry and repent just say you're sorry and let's move on!   What is Yom Kippur? It is a day to focus on the needs and voice of the soul. Our bodies are vocal and demanding. The desires of the body we feel strongly. The soul is more subtle. So today we put aside the body’s demands of work, leather shoes, food etc and we focus on the voice of our souls. That still soft inner voice yearning for connection and meaning that is so often overlooked by the daily din. If you listen closely to the voice of your soul what does that tell you? Your body needs nutrients and so does your soul. Yom Kippur is the day to focus on that. Mendel (Menachem) Bluming

One of the central practices of Rosh Hashanah is to dip an apple in honey to represent that we ask G-d for a sweet and blessed new year.  Aren’t there sweeter fruit to dip in honey than an apple? How about a mango? Peach?   So here’s a thought... Our Apple really needs to be dipped in honey to start off the new year, especially this year. Disagreements about how to respond to the pandemic and the political vicissitudes not to mention everyone’s nerves being a little more tense due to the fears of the pandemic that has already taken 4.5 million lives, our Apples have seen a lot of vitriol. Disparaging and hurtful comments seem to be sent much more easily on social media. For the new year let us dip our Apples in honey. Keep our communications kind, giving the other the benefit of the doubt and not pressing send as often... So here’s my blessing to you that the words that you receive and that you send be dipped in honey. May the new year bring us all sweetness and good health!

The American army was never meant to stay in Afghanistan long term. They were always there to train the local Afghan army and eventually withdraw. Our US army, likely the most powerful in the world, poured trillions of dollars; blood, sweat and tears into the effort. Twenty years, countless resources, sophisticated weaponry and strategies, so that when it counted, they would be able to defend themselves. And after 20 years, America finally pulled out. Would all the effort pay off? Would the training work? The world watched in horror as the Taliban overpowered the Afghan army in no time. All that effort, all that training, gone. The current Jewish month of Elul is one of reflection... When the new generation that we have trained will be left to stand up and take on the fight; for our traditions, morality and values, will they? Have we made sure that they are ready? Mendel (Menachem) Bluming