Hendel does Israel

While I may no longer technically be in Israel, I have no intention of stopping who I am or what I am about. We all know the timeless Chabad teaching of "Mach Doh Eretz Yisael" - its very empowering. I'll let you know about my journey, my struggles and my dreams. JaHbless.

Sunday, February 19, 2006

Thinking Big - Moichin DeGadlus

It didn't take me too long, actually, I was in Melbourne for less than and already felt like I needed to get away! So off I went, with my good friend Eli G camping at cumberland river.
You know I like camping?
I love camping because nothing is rushed. Every aspect of the day, is at a pace where it can be appreciated as an end in itself, rather than means of accelerating to the next task. The food preparation took a lot longer because we were without the convenience of a modern kitchen, but it didn't matter! We were happy to spend an hour making breakfast and than another hour eating it. We collected firewood, and we sat by the fire till the early hours of the morning, drinking beer and wine, eating sunflower seeds and watching the flames crackle and dance.
So quiet, so peaceful. I got my first long night of sleep in about a month (12 hours!) - yes, it was on the floor of a tent, in a sleeping bag, but I loved every minute of it... eating sunflower seeds and watching the flames dance.
So quiet, so peacefull.

I got my first long night of sleep in about a month (12 hours!) - yes, it was on the floor of a tent, in a sleeping bag, but I loved every minute of it...

We learnt a peice from Kedushas Levi on Parshas Yisro:
He spoke about having a small mind and a large mind. Small minded people look at G-D (and any relationship) in terms of what it does for them. It is subjective, "I love you because.....", people who can zoom out, and love G-D objectively, operate at a higher level. They can handle challenges, the challeneges allow them to reveal a deeper part in their existance. They are not afraid, they have no claims against G-d.

The Jews came to this level at Har Sinai, they graduated Egypt and were given all the eye candy they needed, (10 plauges, splitting of the sea) they had plenty of subjective reasons to love G-d, after all, for the first time in over 200 years G-d actually (in a revealed way) cared about the Jews. But then, they wanted more, they wanted the level of "I" Anochi, of G-d himself, a true objective realtionship.

That is what being open minded means. Being able to look beyond our own subjective reality, and take a stand and expeirence something larger than ourselves.

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