"Be the Change You Want to See."
The month of Mar Cheshvan which will start this Shabbos
is one devoid of any Jewish holidays.
The previous two months of Elul and Tishrei were
filled with preparations for and celebrations of
many Festival days.
Now we are asked to breathe and let
the inspiration, the work and the growth
we have experienced take root in our hearts and souls.
Now is the time to consolidate and take stock.
This month for me is filled with many birthdays and yahrzeits-
the birthdays of my oldest daughter, and 3 grandchildren, in addition to
the yahrzeits of my son and father.
New beginnings set amongst many deeply profound losses.
Birthdays and yahrzeits are also opportunities to evaluate where
we are coming from and where we are going.
In this week's Torah portion we read about
Noach who was named by his father, Lamech, because,
"This one will bring us comfort from our work and
from the toil of our hands, from the ground which Hashem cursed."
Noach's name reflects the hope that his father had for him.
Hope that he would, in the future,
be a source of comfort or salvation.
The parsha begins by describing a corrupt world which
God would literally wash away.
Noach, righteous in this generation, was chosen to be
the progenitor of humanity.
He was tasked with building an ark to protect himself, his family and
every type of animal and bird from the flood.
The world was to begin anew with him and his family.
The challenge would be to become people worthy of being the sole survivors.
People who could "walk in God's ways," and
could partner with God to create the world God "envisioned."
As we take stock of who we are and who we want to be,
let's take to heart the notion that we all have the capacity to be 'righteous,'
and to be sources of comfort and help.
Every day we are also chosen, like Noach, to
create and build our society/ world.
Future generations will build on and inherit what we leave behind.
Will we be a source of comfort now and for the future?
It is up to each one of us to be the change we want to see so that
when we die, we will leave behind a kinder, healthier, safer,
more loving, more hopeful and more compassionate world.
Much love, Shabbat Shalom and Chodesh Tov,
Elissa
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