B"H
A Story is told about a camel talking with his parents.
A camel asks his mother: "Mother, why do we have humps?
"So that we can store water for long journeys in the desert.
"Mother, why do we have such big eyelashes?"
"So that we can protect our eyes from sand storms in the desert.
"Mother, why do we have such big hooves?"
So that we can trudge through all the sand in the desert."
"So mother, if we have humps for water in the desert, and we have eyelashes
to protect us from the sandstorms in the desert, and we have such large
hooves to be able to trudge through the sand in the desert, what are we
doing here in the Houston zoo??!!
My dear Avrami, Today you have become a Bar Mitzvah. A bar mitzvah is an important milestone in a young man’s life. It marks the passage from childhood to young adulthood. But being a “man” is far more than learning and reciting your parsha. Being a man, is demonstrating to yourself and others that you have learned and are living by the Jewish laws and values that will serve you well throughout your lifetime. G-d has given you many gifts and talents to help you through the desert.
This past Shabbos, I shared a dvar torah with you in regards to why there are 2 upside down nuns in the Torah portion. I explained that in Aramaic the word "nun" means fish (see Onkelos 11:5). The life of a fish depends in a large measure on its ability to swim upstream. If it permits itself to be swept along by the current of the rapids or the tide, it will be scuttled and squashed. It is only because Hashem has endowed the fish with the precious instinct of self-preservation, whereby it is able to swim upstream against the current, that it can survive and increase.
Jews have been compared to fish. Our forefather Yaakov blessed his children that "veyidgu larov bekerev ha'aretz" — "and may they increase abundantly like fish in the midst of the earth." His intent was that just as live fish swim against the tide, so his children should swim upstream and resist the temptation to take the easy way of going with the tide of fads and crazes which lead to the dissolution of our teachings and the scuttling of our people.
The message of the— "inverted nuns" — in connection with "the traveling ark" is that to travel with the holy Ark a Jew must be ready to go against the tide and proudly stand resolute in his convictions. Avrami, Mommy and I would love to bless you with much success in everything you do, but realize the key to your success is to maintain your Jewish pride. Remember, you are a Camel in the desert and not a camel in the zoo. You have been given by Hashem the characteristics, capabilities and talents to fulfill your mission, to make this world a dwelling for Hashem.
Avrami, Mommy and I are very proud of you and have had a lot of nachas from you. We remember how excited we were the day you were born. The day had a significance for the family on many levels. It was a few months after your grandfather Aba passed away. You happened to be born on a special day, Beis Iyar. The Birthday of the 4th Chabad Rebbe. The Rebbe Maharash. The characteristic of the day is parallel to your personality. On that day we refine the sefirot of Tifferet Shbeteferet. known as compassion of compassion.
True compassion is limitless. It is not an extension of your needs and defined by your limited perspective. Compassion for another is achieved by having a selfless attitude, rising above yourself and placing yourself in the other person's situation and experience.
This sums you up. You are one of the most sensitive young men I have met. You are empathetic to all and truly care. I know this and have also heard it from your teachers. I recall a conversation in which you did not want to have the spotlight of being the first Bar Mitzvah and wanted to share it with your siblings. May you always use your compassion for others, see peoples needs and perform balanced acts of chesed. May you grow to be a Chassid, Yirei Shmaim and Lamdam and continuously bring us Yidishe Nachas.
I am thankful to Hashem for allowing us to reach this milestone together. I am thankful to all my family and friends who have come from far and near to share in the simcha. My Grandmother. My Parents. My Inlaws. My Siblings. My aunts and sister in laws niece and nephew. I am thankful to the many blessing of Our Dear Rebbe and to his Shluchim in Houston, Rabbi and Mrs. Lazeroff for the wonderful Torah Day School and for establishing Chabad in Houston of which whom we are shluchim. Also our special SW Houston, West Houston, Friendship Circle community and am thankful to all of my fellow shluchim. Most important though, I am thankful for my wonderful wife Elisa, who really took charge and worked tirelessly with Avrami to make sure he was prepared for this day. I am truly blessed to have you as my Aishes Chayil and ezer knegdo. May we all only share in simchas together and merit the greatest simcha and be reunited with all are departed loved ones with the coming of Moshiach Now.
A Story is told about a camel talking with his parents.
A camel asks his mother: "Mother, why do we have humps?
"So that we can store water for long journeys in the desert.
"Mother, why do we have such big eyelashes?"
"So that we can protect our eyes from sand storms in the desert.
"Mother, why do we have such big hooves?"
So that we can trudge through all the sand in the desert."
"So mother, if we have humps for water in the desert, and we have eyelashes
to protect us from the sandstorms in the desert, and we have such large
hooves to be able to trudge through the sand in the desert, what are we
doing here in the Houston zoo??!!
My dear Avrami, Today you have become a Bar Mitzvah. A bar mitzvah is an important milestone in a young man’s life. It marks the passage from childhood to young adulthood. But being a “man” is far more than learning and reciting your parsha. Being a man, is demonstrating to yourself and others that you have learned and are living by the Jewish laws and values that will serve you well throughout your lifetime. G-d has given you many gifts and talents to help you through the desert.
This past Shabbos, I shared a dvar torah with you in regards to why there are 2 upside down nuns in the Torah portion. I explained that in Aramaic the word "nun" means fish (see Onkelos 11:5). The life of a fish depends in a large measure on its ability to swim upstream. If it permits itself to be swept along by the current of the rapids or the tide, it will be scuttled and squashed. It is only because Hashem has endowed the fish with the precious instinct of self-preservation, whereby it is able to swim upstream against the current, that it can survive and increase.
Jews have been compared to fish. Our forefather Yaakov blessed his children that "veyidgu larov bekerev ha'aretz" — "and may they increase abundantly like fish in the midst of the earth." His intent was that just as live fish swim against the tide, so his children should swim upstream and resist the temptation to take the easy way of going with the tide of fads and crazes which lead to the dissolution of our teachings and the scuttling of our people.
The message of the— "inverted nuns" — in connection with "the traveling ark" is that to travel with the holy Ark a Jew must be ready to go against the tide and proudly stand resolute in his convictions. Avrami, Mommy and I would love to bless you with much success in everything you do, but realize the key to your success is to maintain your Jewish pride. Remember, you are a Camel in the desert and not a camel in the zoo. You have been given by Hashem the characteristics, capabilities and talents to fulfill your mission, to make this world a dwelling for Hashem.
Avrami, Mommy and I are very proud of you and have had a lot of nachas from you. We remember how excited we were the day you were born. The day had a significance for the family on many levels. It was a few months after your grandfather Aba passed away. You happened to be born on a special day, Beis Iyar. The Birthday of the 4th Chabad Rebbe. The Rebbe Maharash. The characteristic of the day is parallel to your personality. On that day we refine the sefirot of Tifferet Shbeteferet. known as compassion of compassion.
True compassion is limitless. It is not an extension of your needs and defined by your limited perspective. Compassion for another is achieved by having a selfless attitude, rising above yourself and placing yourself in the other person's situation and experience.
This sums you up. You are one of the most sensitive young men I have met. You are empathetic to all and truly care. I know this and have also heard it from your teachers. I recall a conversation in which you did not want to have the spotlight of being the first Bar Mitzvah and wanted to share it with your siblings. May you always use your compassion for others, see peoples needs and perform balanced acts of chesed. May you grow to be a Chassid, Yirei Shmaim and Lamdam and continuously bring us Yidishe Nachas.
I am thankful to Hashem for allowing us to reach this milestone together. I am thankful to all my family and friends who have come from far and near to share in the simcha. My Grandmother. My Parents. My Inlaws. My Siblings. My aunts and sister in laws niece and nephew. I am thankful to the many blessing of Our Dear Rebbe and to his Shluchim in Houston, Rabbi and Mrs. Lazeroff for the wonderful Torah Day School and for establishing Chabad in Houston of which whom we are shluchim. Also our special SW Houston, West Houston, Friendship Circle community and am thankful to all of my fellow shluchim. Most important though, I am thankful for my wonderful wife Elisa, who really took charge and worked tirelessly with Avrami to make sure he was prepared for this day. I am truly blessed to have you as my Aishes Chayil and ezer knegdo. May we all only share in simchas together and merit the greatest simcha and be reunited with all are departed loved ones with the coming of Moshiach Now.
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