A Rebbe is a Rabbi from which one learns much of their Torah knowledge. A Rebbe could be also a Rabbi that has much Torah knowledge.

In Yeshiva, my Rebbe taught me how to learn Torah. We had many Torah discussions. I tried to serve him the best I could.

The week my Rebbe passed away – walking to my Teaching Job – the sky was purplish-orange but clear. I felt a great emptiness, accompanied by sadness and darkness.

I reminisced the good times we had.

Daylight fading, combined with the darkness of losing my Rebbe left me searching for light.

Teaching, I was more quiet than usual. In spite of difficulty, I taught Torah to the people who were at my table. That’s what my Rebbe would have wanted.

I still felt pain but as I taught the darkness started lifting.

The light started shining again.

Melancholy of Youth Lost

At times I reminisce about times I had as a youth with sweet melancholy. What I’m left with is a semi-regretful feeling, for the times passed.

Some try to hold on to those feelings and relive the times of youth.

The Torah says to go on and grow and continue living fully. Life is to be more than reminiscing of yesterday. Life is to enjoy and rejoice. The Power of a Mitzvah can uproot darkness and bring new happiness into life. Life is to be full of Light.

Torah Light

It says in the Torah :

A Mitzvah (commandments) is a candle and Torah is light. (Shlomo HaMelech / King Solomon in Mishlei / Proverbs 6:23)

Life’s Ups and Downs

In life it is normal to have ups and downs – spiritually and materially.

There were times that I missed the mark spiritually and felt the void and heavy darkness.

When when I took myself in hand again to do Teshuva/Repentance and continue doing good deeds I found the light shining again.

The reason: Hash-m is the source of life. When the Soul is close to Hash-m, one is close to Light. When one distances themselves from G-d’s Torah and Mitzvot, Darkness seeps in.

I speak from experience. A recent Gallup poll survey found the same – those close to Mitzvot are happiest.

Source of Light

A rabbi once remarked to my friend – the only source of happiness is from observing Torah.

My friend countered “My Parents are not observant Jews and they live happily?”

The Rabbi Replied “Are there any particular Mitzvah’s that your parents do?”

He said “Yes. They do a lot of Chesed / Acts of Kindness”

The Rabbi then concluded “That is the source of their happinesss.”