Mendel Bluming | Blogger

There are multiple biblical obligations to actively save the life of another and not stand by your brother’s blood (Vayikra 19:16). The Talmud in tractate Sanhedrin (73,a) teaches that one is obligated to be willing to endanger himself to some extent in order to save another's life, by doing such acts as jumping into a river to save someone who is drowning, or warding off wild predators or bandits, even though all of these acts involve some level of danger. A person is not obligated, however, to save his fellow if it puts him in great danger. The exact parameters of a great danger are discussed in Jewish Law but they are clearly greater than fighting off bandits or a wild animal. We would not want another to be overly cautious when considering whether or not to save our life and we must be willing to do the same for another, as long as the danger is not considered a great danger. To give a meal to a starving person is an obligation. To give a lobe of one's liver is permissi...

G-d turns to Abraham and says, “I would like to make you into a great Nation but first go to the Land that I will show you, Israel. Only there will I make you a great nation.”   If G-d ultimately wanted to give him a set of laws and rules to live by what difference would it make where he lives? Jews are observant in keeping the Torah in Russia and Argentina, the USA and Greece why could G-d not make Abraham His chosen nation until Abraham went to Israel? G-d's purpose in creation is for you and I to make G-dliness comfortable within the physical world. Israel is meant to be a manifestation of that mission. An entire land that expresses clearly its G-dly connection. G-d was making that clear to Abraham at the onset. If you create a corner in your home that is expressive of a higher calling. If your refrigerator reflects the food that G-d wants you to eat. If the books in your home express a spiritual calling and G-d given mission not only have you done holy things, you have ma...

Imagine if the entire world was destroyed and only you and your family was saved by being on a specially designed ark. The water has subsided and all of mankind has been wiped out and now you open the hatch to finally leave the Ark. Before you do that you sit down with your family and discuss how to build a new world.   What would you do first to build a new reality? The first thing Noah does is plant a vine for grapes; he drinks and he becomes drunk. He drank too much but his thought process might have been the following. You cannot build this world without happiness and joy. If we are infused with happiness in our lives we will be far more driven to do what is right and selfless. Generally when we act selfishly it is because we are feeling down and insecure. Happiness and joy leads to giving and seeing the best in the other. So he said Lchaim! Alcohol was a bad choice but seeking happiness and joy makes a lot of sense. How do you act when you are happy? What are you doing...

The utopian Garden of Eden came crashing down because Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit. What was it about this fruit that they could not withstand?   This is how the Torah describes it in chapter 4 of Genesis: “The tree was good for food and it was a delight to the eyes, and the tree was desirable to make one wise.” Very interesting description for a fruit! So here is my 2021 perspective, after all the Torah is eternal and its message is as pertinent in our time as it was back then. Our very risky fruit is the iPhone... I certainly don’t mean to offend the iPhone whom I love and depend on... I mean all smart phones. They are a delight for our eyes. Our eyes light up when we get a new text, a new email, a new like on a Facebook post etc. They are desirable to us they are exciting and they make us wise, it can be so enjoyable. Yet it can also be dangerous.... G-d turns to Adam and says where are you and he says I was hiding... Yup, his smart phone has started to take o...

The keys to being a Jew are in your hand, when you hold your Lulav.   The Lulav (palm branch) reminds us to stand proudly as a lulav does. Do not cower. Keeping our Judaism quiet has never healed anti-Semitism and never built our next generation. Stand proud of your rich heritage and people. Your Etrog is similar to the shape of a heart. Have a heart for another. Reach out with kindness and goodness to each other. The Hadasim (myrtle leaves) are shaped like eyes. Watch what you allow your eyes to gaze at. The movies, websites and TV shows and even news casts that you allow yourself to watch. Have a good eye for another. Not everything that knocks needs to be allowed in. The Arravot, willows, represent your lips. Speak carefully. Speak positively, kindly and wisely. Right after the High Holidays G-d provides us with a visual aid to guide our path forward as Jews. Mendel (Menachem) Bluming