Mendel Bluming | Blogger

The Jews had arrived at the border of the Kingdom of Edom and asked for permission to travel through their country. In order to inspire sympathy and understanding from the Edomites, Moshe gave them a bit of the background to their journey:   We are distant relatives, he reminded the Edomites. Our respective ancestors, Yakov and Esau, were brothers. As a nation, we’ve been doing it tough. We were slaves in Egypt and only recently escaped. We’re finally heading towards our promised homeland and it would be much appreciated if you’d agree to allow us safe passage.  In the end, the Edomites denied our request and the Jews were forced to travel the long way around, through the desert. A fascinating teaching of Rashi casts a whole new light on the nature of inter-generational relationships.  In his message to the King of Edom, Moshe relates that “ Our fathers went down to Egypt, and we sojourned in Egypt for a long time, The Egyptians mistreated us and our forefathers.”...

Remember when your little brother was born? After being in your mother's tummy for such a long time, he finally came out to be with you and the family. How exciting. You'd been waiting for so long to meet him and play with him, and then he finally arrived.   Your baby brother was very comfortable inside mummy's tummy, where it's warm and he had everything he needed. But he couldn't stay there forever.  When it was time, he came out to be with you. In a strange way, death is similar to birth. We leave the world we know and enter the great unknown world outside.  All the people who have passed away are in that peaceful and happy place. Just as you were waiting for your brother to come and be with you, the souls of past generations were waiting for your grandfather to join them. Now they are all together. We miss them. But there's nothing to be scared of. Remember you used to talk to your baby brother, even before he was born? He heard you, though he couldn...

Large swaths of the States of Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia are blanketed by billions of cicadas. If you don’t live in the states, you have no idea what I am talking about but if you live there, they are a big part of your life during these weeks of Spring 2021. After burrowing underground for 17 years the cicadas await their grand exit into the world for a short few weeks to accomplish their mission. What do they do for these few weeks? They mate and bring little cicadas into the world and then they pass away... Maybe what the cicadas are teaching us is to never devalue the magnificent privilege and calling of marriage and welcoming children into this world. For that their entire wait and their entire lifetime becomes worthwhile... Mendel (Menachem) Bluming

The Torah, in the portion of Behaalotechah, speaks of the Jewish People's complaint about the manna in chapter 11 verse 6.   As part of their complaint they said that “there is nothing at all besides this manna before our eyes”. So why is that a complaint? So the only food is manna, why does that not make it a delectable cuisine? How do you know if something is too expensive or not? You compare it. You compare prices, you compare schools that your children get into. You compare summer vacations. Through comparison we know if we are doing well, if not we are never sure.. The Jews complained that they did not feel good about their cuisine because there was nothing else to compare it to, to know if it is really good. Social media has exacerbated that ability and need to compare to what others have rather than finding joy in the gifts that we are given and that often leaves us complaining that whatever we have is not enough. Mendel (Menachem) Bluming

In many states of the United States this spring of 2021 will welcome in billions of Brood X cicadas. With over 1 1/2 million of these creatures per acre the region will be blanketed.   They live just long enough to mate and then they soon pass away. Their progeny fall into the earth where they borrow for the next 17 years to emerge again. Imagine a mother cicada sitting with her children beneath the earth before they emerge: “Listen here my dear children cicadas! These are the moments that we have been waiting for. It will be only a brief few weeks on this earth and then you will be gone. Make sure to fulfill your purpose and mission because there is only a small window of opportunity.” Our souls too descend to this earth for a very short period of time and before they descend they are warned to be righteous and to remain focused on the mission (Talmud Chapter Three Niddah). Don't allow the time to slip through your fingers because before you know it, your allotted time is ...

Have you ever wondered why G-d chose the Sinai Desert to give the Torah? I would have suggested Jerusalem or Tzefat or L.A., but why a desolate desert? Here’s a thought... There are times when we are distant from Jewish community physically or psychologically... Maybe one is alone in a hospital room or on a college campus that lacks Jewish community or in covid quarantine. Maybe they live far from Jewish infrastructure or are far from Jewish observance. Torah is never far from you! Your relationship with Torah and G-d is always accessible and available to you. You can connect wherever and whenever. There is no specific venue or time required, just that you open yourself up to that meeting and you will find G-d to be close! Torah was given in a barren desert because even in the desolate deserts of life and this world, G-d is always close. He yearns for a relationship with you and removes all barriers to invite you in... Mendel (Menachem) Bluming

G-d shared with us why He created you and me.   To speak in human terms, a true gift is something that the recipient cannot attain on their own. G-d is perfect and Almighty, omnipotent and omniscient, so what can we possibly give Him, what can He possibly want that we can give? Due to His perfection He lacks accomplishment, overcoming obstacles and partnership because who can be His partner... He chose to shine His light through you, we call that a soul. Through you He lives vicariously and when you overcome obstacle, when you accomplish, when you choose to be His partner in refining this world and living in accordance with Torah values, He accomplishes what He could not on His own. This, G-d shares with us, is His purpose in Creation... Only you can give G-d this gift and fulfill this purpose. Menachem Mendel Bluming, Potomac Maryland