[HANASHIR:3107] Re: Blues?

[BEBWH <BEBWH...>]

Hi Guys. For those of you still home and reading this I saw something 
interesting last night and since we're spending Shabbos at home and not at 
camp I thought I'd impose upon the list for a moment. If you don;t like items 
that move off the path of the usual and wonderful list content then delete 
now and if Adrian wants to give a little slap on the wrist for deviating I'm 
deserving.

In a wonderful book called Likutei Dibburim the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe 
writes on the subject of learning Torah. He explains the reason for all 
learning is to enable us to perform mitvos better. For example when we learn 
the halachas of Pesach prior to Pesach we are able to observe the holiday in 
a more meaningful manner because we can do and understand the mitzvos better. 
The same goes for Sukkas or Shabbos or anything else. The learning we do 
directly effects the quality of our performance which impacts the level of 
our own spirituality. What if we learn about something and we don;t translate 
it into action? He gives a great analogy so get ready, here comes the musical 
part. He talks about a person who is able to produce beautiful music from an 
instrument. This person (like we who subscribe to this list) can pick up an 
instrument and know where to put our fingers on the frets, which strings to 
pick or which keys on the piano to strike to create chords or melody. However 
the laws of physics do not prevent anybody from getting a sound from the same 
instrument. Anyone can hit the piano keys or the guitar strings and make 
noise. When we learn and then use our knowledge to do an action (mitzva) we 
are like the musician who knows how to make beautiful music. Learning without 
action is the same as the untrained hands on the piano.
It's perfect that the parsha this week has a message for leaders. In the 
opening line  of Beha'aloscha, G-d speaks to Moshe and tells him to tell 
Aaron he's going to get to light the menorah in the Mishkan. Why does G-d not 
tell Aaron himself? There are lots of connections to the action of lighting 
the menorah, the spiritual light it created in the world and the spiritual 
light within each of us. We as leaders are able to teach and influence 
others. We all believe music has a special ability to ignite a spark in 
others. Moshe was the igniter of Aaron. G-d gave us the Torah through Moshe. 
He is the leader. So when we connect with someone. when we lead someone, when 
we teach and influence someone, when we ignite the spark and bring someone 
"close"  we, like Moshe, are not allowed to abondon them. G-d deliberately 
made Moshe continue his relationship with Aaron  We as leaders must maintain 
the connection, continue to teach and to care about every spark we ignite in 
our students and peers. If you read all the way down to here, have a good 
Shabbos. 

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