Rabbi's Blog

What are you crying about?

As a father of 4 little kids (Thank G-d), I don’t get tremendously fazed by noise, crying or tears.

I’ve come to learn that kids crying usually calls for a hug, some reassurance or a band aid. Sometimes however, there are tears and tantrums which call for a more ‘hands off’ approach (that’s PC for ‘ignore’).

I am intrigued though, by what can bring an adult to tears.

A few days ago, a friend forwarded me a (TED Talk) video lecture presented by a superb medical expert on health related topics that concern many American’s today, like diabetes and obesity.

The surgeon presented a smart and compelling talk, and towards the end – he started to choke up and cry.  My knee jerk reaction was: “Why is this guy crying over blood sugar? How did he go from ‘all science’ to sob?”

But then it dawned on me pretty fast: Here’s a guy, who is so deeply and emotionally invested in his career and life’s mission, that it doesn’t just make him tick – it makes him cry!

It got me thinking: What am I so passionate about in my own life that can move me to tears? I think crying is awesome, especially in today’s digitalized age, where we are so easily desensitized. I’m not suggesting that all adult tears are sincere, but you do kind of get a sense when they are.

Seeing someone get emotional about a topic that is so meaningful to them is truly inspiring. It’s a ‘realness’ indicator.  Tears reflect an innerness and passion that define the real core of who a person is, and what they live for. 

We may even say: “You are what you cry for.”

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Yossi Zaklikofsky

Look What Came in the Mail...

Even in this e-mail age, I still get excited about checking my non-virtual mailbox each day.

It’s probably the combination of taking a little walk, the thrill of opening an actual envelope, and the intriguing analysis of brands who are still marketing through snail-mail, which make ‘getting the real mail’ so much fun.

Yesterday, in the mailbox I discovered something unusual. My fingers struck up against a small brown paper bag filled with coins and dollar bills, it was stapled together at the top, with one word written on it: ‘Tzedakah’. That was it, no name, no phone number, no agenda, no pomp and circumstance. Just real anonymous Jewish charity. We don’t even know who to thank for their kind contribution to ‘The Shul’.

It got me thinking of how natural it is to do acts of goodness with the anticipation of receiving something back in return, like when people are honored or recognized for their generosity and charity – all so common and perfectly normal.

But there is also something extremely refreshing about unassuming kindness. I am not only referring to unassuming charity, but also to a generally humble and sincere attitude, towards helping others across the board in a genuinely modest way.

Doing goodness without fanfare is an essential part of our Jewish DNA. It’s so touching to encounter it in real life!

King David said it best: “Who is like your people Israel?”

Have a great Shabbat and an easy fast,

Rabbi Yossi Zaklikofsky