Freedom to Believe
They breathe a sigh of relief. They made it. They were able to pay their bills this month or was it the rent? The money came in, miraculously, just at the time that they needed it. But already they are thinking about next month. How will they make it next month?
Such good news, they were ecstatic. They were expecting. A miracle. But before the baby was even born they began to worry. Was this it? Or would they be blessed again in the future?
She got the job. She still couldn’t believe it. It was exactly what she hoped for, worked for. But would she be able to hold onto it?
The doctors gave her a clean bill of health. Thank G-d. She was so grateful. But the anxiety that it could return never went away.
If he is bringing it as a thanksgiving offering, he shall offer, along with the thanksgiving offering unleavened loaves mixed with oil, unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and scalded flour mixed with oil….And the flesh of his thanksgiving peace offering shall be eaten on the day it is offered up; he shall not leave any of it over until morning (Vayikra 7:12-15).
He shall not leave any of it over until morning-Indeed, since a thanksgiving is but a variety of peace-offering, why should it not eaten for two days and a night, like all the other peace-offerings? A thanksgiving offering comes to thank G-d for a miracle-but we are surrounded by miracles all day long! Thus, when we bring a thanksgiving miracle it is only because we happened to become aware of one miracle, while we remain oblivious to all the others. Therefore, a thanksgiving offering may be eaten for only one day-tomorrow there will be other miracles for which to be grateful. -Imrei Emes
That’s right, so you had the money that you needed today and it was a miracle. Who says that it won’t happen again? You were blessed today and it was a miracle? Be grateful and appreciate it and be aware. Instead of worry, instead of fear, tap into each day’s miracle and believe that G-d, who is Limitless and Capable of Everything, can bless you tomorrow like He did today with a miracle.
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She’s leaving in two days for the States and she asks me if I can squeeze her in. She miscarried and she needs to relax. She needs a positive connection with her body; she needs a positive touch.
I tell her to come in an hour, my heart aches for her loss.
She wanted this pregnancy. She wanted this baby. I tell her that nothing that she did or didn’t do would have changed the outcome. The holy soul came down and her holy body was a vessel. For reasons we don’t know and don’t understand the soul’s mission was to return to it’s Maker.
She’s going back to the States to spend Pesach with her family. This was not the news they anticipated they would share. She can tell already that this holiday is not going to be the way she envisioned it. And she’s right, it won’t. She finds the courage and strength to feel the loss, not run away from it, and then to just be in the moment where she’s at. She turns to the One who Gives and the One who Takes and puts her faith in Plans. She offers her heart and her prayers and as she boards the plane with her husband to meet their family, she trusts and she lets go of
expectations.
This is the law for the elevation offering, for the meal offering, and for the sin offering, and for the guilt offering, and for the inaugurations offerings, and for the feast peace offering…(ibid 7:37)
This is the law-The Talmudic Sage Reish Lakish said, “Why does it say: This is the law of the elevation offering…?” To teach that if someone studies the laws of an offering it is regarded as if he had actually offered it. -Menachot 110a.
That’s right she has so many expectations. She envisions
her holiday different. But she has no control and they end up going to her in-laws even though it’s not where she wants to be. Or she feels that she has no choice but to invite those family members, the ones she doesn’t want to come. Her custom is one way and his way is another. The meal didn’t turn out the way she planned. The children didn’t participate. She’s alone instead of surrounded by friends or family. Expectations. She goes in the holiday with expectations. Or are they disappointments?
She wants everything to run smoothly and to be beautiful and perfect and in her eyes it’s not.
What can she do?
Relinquish control of those expectations.
This is the law-The Talmudic Sage Reish Lakish said, “Why does it say: This is the law of the elevation offering…?” To teach that if someone studies the laws of an offering it is regarded as if he had actually offered it. -Menachot 110a.
She can offer her heart and her prayers and her tears. She can learn beautiful insights and interpretations. She can give it her all and then the hardest part of all- she can let go. Of what? Of those expectations. No matter what she does or what she doesn’t do the outcome is not in her control.
She can put her faith in the Master of Universe, the real Plan Maker. She can come to Seder night, with yearning and desire and if she leaves those expectations behind it will be as though everything she did or didn’t do turned out just right. It will be perfect because it’s the way He will it.
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It’s stress time. But it doesn’t have to be. May we enter this busy time with calmness to stop, see, and appreciate the miracles. May we have faith that He takes care of us and always will. May we relinquish our expectations and enter the holiday of Freedom with joy and take each moment as it comes.
Shabbat Shalom! Chag Kasher V’Sameach!