How much of what is really good for us?

 

We see some guidelines as the portion starts with a concept of freedom and ends by teaching that freedom is related to how to be giving 

and letting go sometimes...

 

 

In the middle are dire warnings 

For the Israelites in the desert on the way to Israel

 

And for us - if we do not follow the Jewish Path to Life - especially on Israel's Holy Turf

 

A little story - a teaching from the time of the Alter Rebbe - first Chabad Rebbe

 

Hilel Paritsher was a young student

who  Wanted a private audience with the first

  Chabad Rabbi - not always easy to come by

  

He  wanted to impress the Alter Rebbe

with a Tora thougt - so he

 

Snuck in to the office and hid in a closet

 

The Rebbe got wind of the student's hiding and said out loud

 

"MAYBE EVALUATION IN SOUL SEARCHING IS BETTER THAN hiding and TRYING TO IMPRESS"

    

 Soul Searching ...is valuating your soul - and getting to know yourself in the context of your LIFE

  

 The warnings in the Tora Portion this week are still good for us all

  

Even Three Thousand Years after they were delivered at  Sinai...

  

The idea is

  

 to take a moment now

 not just to think what we are doing - but also to evaluate in the context of Judaism and Israel

 

 Remembering  the Loving Warnings from our parents