I am no vegan – but moving slightly in that direction. I do like egg salad. So how am I going to get the crushed eggs to stick together – Hummus. If you add enough spices to the salad you may not notice the missing mayonnaise. I add salt, cumin, pepper, onion powder and other spices.

Getting Out of Cruise Control

Many people are stuck in cruise control mode. I have my life – I continue cruising – until I hit a bump. That was me a long time ago. Go with the flow. Do what’s popular. Until I hit a bump.

This bump woke me up to the reality that life is not just following the crowd. It is much more satisfying to live a life that is thought out. That I follow what I think is good – rather than what others think is good. I found Torah laws to be truth after a long, thought out search for meaning and reasons for my problems and existence. But I am used to the good life. Instead of abandoning pleasure, I substituted one enjoyment for a more meaningful enjoyment.

So I substituted non-Kosher food with Kosher food. I substituted – watching TV with reading Jewish Aggadah / Stories. I substituted going shopping on Saturday – with going to synagogue on Shabbat.

It is said in Torah – that for every forbidden pleasure – there is a substitute. For instance – someone used to bacon – can eat kosher facon or beef fry. For shrimp – there are fish that taste like shrimp. The list goes on.

The quest for a more meaningful Torah life is easier if you find the right substitute.

The Steipler Gaon – Rabbi Yisrael Kanievsky – as a young man was in the Russian Army. He tried to follow Halacha – Jewish Law – as best as he could. He wanted to keep Shabbat. His Sergeant told him to shoot a rifle for practice on Shabbat. He turned the rifle upside down and he shot – for if he did it in an unusual manner – it is not as great of a sin. (Shooting ignites a spark – which is forbidden on Shabbat).

The sergeant approached his commander and complained that he held the gun upside-down when he shot. The general replied “As long as he hits the target let him shoot any way he wants!”

One night he was on guard on Shabbat. The previous guard – left the coat the guards would use hanging on a tree. It was problematic – but not prohibited to remove the coat from the tree – because saving’s a life pushes off the restrictions of Shabbat. He preferred to relinquish the coat. He went the whole night without the coat. When one asked – how he was able to withstand the cold for such a long time – he replied “I said to myself – I’ll remain without a coat for just 5 more minutes.” When 5 minutes would pass – he tried another 5 minutes – until he got through the whole night without a coat.

We are tempted by things we know we should avoid – but may be dissuaded by the daunting task. Or try to do something that we should be doing – and give up because the task seems overwhelming. If we say to ourselves “I’ll just try it for 5 minutes” – and keep at it in 5 minute intervals the task becomes more doable.

I visited various Holocaust Museums. Each one has it’s own way of presenting the tremendous evil of the Nazi’s genocide of the Jews. In essence it is positive to have these museums. There is a positive commandment to remember what Amalek did to us. Amalek is the nation that wants to destroy the Jewish nation – as we have seen in the Holocaust.

Each Holocaust museum has a different take. One focuses on giving a person to experience the feeling of that period. Another focuses on serving as a memorial. Another focuses on reminding people of the events. The question each museum probably asked was “What do we want people to come out with by visiting the museum?” Each one answered in their own way based upon their outlook.

The Torah has a different outlook – it’s not just to remember – but to learn from the messages. One message – is to understand the Hand of G-d in History. One book that talks on that message is called the Hidden Hand in the Holocaust. It talks of How Hash-m guides History on a Macro and Personal Level. It intertwines events to help us understand the purpose of Historical events. The Author – Yakov Astor also has another book of the same Name – giving an understanding of more current events in the perspective of the Torah.

Another message is what is the Torah outlook on events before during and after the Holocaust. The Jewish publisher Artscroll.com has a wide selection of Books on the Holocaust that give the perspective, stories and positives message of the Holocaust from Torah Hashkafa / Outlook. Feldheim also has books on the subject.

A recent book that came out on the Holocaust by “Sara Yoheved Rigler’s called I’ve Been Here Before. It talks of people who have had visions, deja vu, dreams of living the holocaust. These people – are said to possibly be reincarnations of people from the holocaust.

Making effort to understand the ways of G-d / Hash-m are a way to become closer to him. Reading these books will help you understand the Torah perspective.

Today is Tisha B’Av. One of the reason’s for the destruction of the Second temple was Sinat Hinam. Sinat Hinam is gratuitous hatred.

The Beit HaMikdash – was destroyed from a domino effect that started from a person being embarrassed in public.

There was a man who made a party. He had a friend named Kamtza.

He told his servant – call Kamtza to come to the party. The servant called Bar Kamtza – the man’s enemy.

Bar Kamtza – came to the party. The Host did not understand why Bar Kamtza was there. He said “I want this person to leave my party.” Bar Kamtza – said “Please don’t send me out. I’ll pay for my meal.” The Host said “No. I want you to leave.”

Bar Kamtza – said “Please don’t send me out. I’ll pay for half of the feast.” The Host said “No. I want you to leave.”

Bar Kamtza – said “Please don’t send me out. I’ll pay for the entire feast.” The Host said “No. I want you to leave.”

Bar Kamtza was sent out. He was so upset that no one protested – even the sages that were present – that he went to the Roman government & told them that the Jewish people were rebelling against the Roman government.

He told the Romans – here is a proof – send a Korban – offering to the Beit HaMikdash / Jewish Temple and you will see they will not accept it.

The King sent a Choicest calf – called an Egla Tilsa – as a sacrifice. Bar Kamtza took the calf and made a blemish on the calf before he brought it to the Beit Hamikdash.  In the end – The Jews did not offer the sacrifice – because it had a blemish.

There were ways to save the situation – but Zecahria ben Akulas – dissuaded the people from giving the Korban.

The king saw that the sacrifice was not accepted. He sent his best general Neron Kesar. Nero went to do battle against Jerusalem. Neron was a thinking person. He reasoned – I know that G-d / Hash-m wants to destroy the Temple and He wants me to be the agent to destroy it. He reasoned perhaps if he – Nero – did destroy Jerusalem – G-d would punish him for doing so.

He asked a child for the verse he learned that day – to see if he really would be punished for destroying Jerusalem. The Boy responded “I will send my wrath on Edom – who destroyed my temple.”

He ran away and converted to Judaism. Because he did so – he had the Zechut to have a descendant -the great Tanna – Rabbi Meir Baal HaNess.

Close to the Three Weeks one of my cousins passed away. Rabbi Saban – said at a eulogy – at the 7th day. Emmanuel was peaceful. He shied away from dispute and hatred. He said – we can learn from him to avoid dispute. He asked  : What is Sinat Hinam / Gratuitous Hatred? We don’t just hate a person for no reason – so what is gratuitous hatred? He said – at times someone does something against us – let’s say take our money or insult us. It was decreed from Heaven that we should be punished in that way. The person who did the act was a just an agent.

Let’s make peace. Let’s let go of animosity. Let’s forgive and Rebuild the Third Beit Hamikdash. Amen.

In Parasha Matot – G-d Tells Moshe / Moses to take vengeance on the Midianites. Moshe sends Pinhas. Why did Moshe not do it himself? Moshe had gratitude towards Midian. He took refuge there when he ran away from Egypt.

Many a time we have an opportunity to express gratitude.

A man once came home – he found his wife happy. He asked – why are you smiling. She said – their son came home and he did very well on the Mishna test. He told her it was he meatballs that she prepared yesterday that gave him strength to study and remember the material.

That compliment made her happy. He thought if that’s the power of a compliment – he will try to give more compliments. The man went back to his Kollel / Torah study group – and he gave the Rosh Kollel a compliment. “Thank you for the 13 yeas I have been here. You provide the Gemaras / Talmud books, the Shtenders / Learning stands,  and the coffee.

Some time later – he met the Rosh Kollel in the market. He said to him – I want to thank you. I was thinking of closing the Kollel due to lack of funding – and because of Your compliment I thought – “You know – I really did good to the community by opening the Kollel. Many people learned Torah. Perhaps I will try to continue it. In a several days I was motivated – & I raised the funds and I raised the yearly budget.”

The Power of a compliments