Chabad Times newspaper, October 2001

Chabad Times Oct. 2001/Tishrei 5762 Published by Chabad of Southern Nevada Vol. X No. 1 Reinventing the Wheel We've come a long way since Freddie Flintstone tooled around town in his stone-age jalopy. The wheel has evolved from primitive clumsy mill-stones into classy coach carriage and trim bicycle spokes, while cars upgraded from studded/winter & smooth/summer tires to all-season radials. But the wheel has recent-ly taken a whole new turn, daring to tread where it never did before. We are being overrun by hordes of rugged Rovers, r a m b u n c t i o u s RAV's and swagger-ing SUV's. The wheeler dealers are now i n t r o d u c i n g m o n s t r o u s U n i m o g s whose tires are taller than cars, so the wheel worshippers think they sit on top of the world. ROLLOVERS AND RECALLS Ranging far and wide, these roughriders tear up the road, guzzle gas and eat up the miles. Instead of carefully avoiding bumps and obsta-cles, they splash around in mud, climb up mountains and moonscapes, and crash into ditches. Now, before getting into a whole tirade, let's step on the brakes and pause to think. A little sport and adventure is fine, but to be so driven without purpose and direction? Like hotrods going 'round in circles, these people go nowhere very, very fast. What's Inside? Mother Seeks Lost Children . .2 Haftarah Lessons 3 Jewish Journeys 4 Turning the Page 5 Chabad News 6 Going Out of Business 8 Israeli Battered Woman 9 Kabbalah 101 10 High Holiday Guide 11 Carp in the Bath Tub? 13 All-American Kosher Eatery . .14 Where We Came From 16 Holiday Recipes 18 Just One More 21 Five Questions 22 Traipsing Through Leaves & History 23 We're sick and tired of road rage and rollovers. Sure, there's the sudden energy burst, the quick pick up and rush of power, but should it consume our life? DRIVING LESSONS Personally, I'm no navigator or explorer, but the Ford - Firestone blowouts send us a message: > when the \\ high rollers 111 take a fast turn, the game is over. ? Instead of t j f j just spin- J> ning our wheels, let's apply the lessons of Torah to daily life,' -for "The exe-gesis is not cru-cial, but the act," i.e. where the rubber hits the road. To get places, we must build up spiritual pressure within, so our Jewish drive and enthusiasm doesn't go flat. Let's maintain a good grip, and beware of those slippery ways. Why waste excess energy on tempo-rary thrill, if we can channel it to go the extra mile for a Mitzvah and good deeds? And let's do it right away for "If not now, when?" (Ethics of our Fathers 1) Why wait till you're all worn down, going bald, and ready to retire? THE LOWLY SCOOTER And while the Big Wheels stoop lower, the lowly scooter rises higher! At first, the mention of scooters brought back childhood memories of the rackety 'Dennis the Menace' fruit crates we mounted on roller skates. But the contemporary scooters are in vogue, practical and down to earth. This set of wheels doesn't pollute, guzzle or congest, is low maintenance This issue takes you to... NEW ENGLAND The Road Ahead It's fun to kick other people's tires, but let us not forget that the High Holidays call for self-examination and personal introspection. Our Rosh Hashanah andYom Kippur experiences are not a dead end once the hol-idays are over, but should continue to inspire us on our journey into the New Year. There may be bumps in the road, but let us remember that Moshiach is on the way, despite all the obstacles and detours, potholes and pitfalls. It is crucial that we show solidarity with Israel in these difficult times, to actively support our brothers and sisters by increasing our Mitzvos and raising our Jewish awareness and morale. May you and your family be inscribed for a good, happy and healthy New Year, and may it usher in an era of Redemption and universal peace for Israel and all mankind. Sincerely, Rabbi Shea Harlig, Rabbi Yisroel Schanowitz, Rabbi Mendy Harlig Distribution: Direct mailed 5 times a year to over 3,000 homes in Las Vegas, NV Chabad of Southern Nevada 1261 South Arville St. Las Vegas, NV 89102 (702) 259-0770 wivw.chabadh.org NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 447 LAS VEGAS, NV ?2001 Jewish Holiday Consumer. Contents may not be copied without written permission ol publisher. EXTRA PUSH Instead of plodding along with all pedestrians, at the spur of the moment, or moment of the spur, you have a leg up on the competition! Give yourself the extra little push, and you're on a roll! A scooter's progress is not measured in miles, but it livens up and quickens the pace. It adds spring to your step, a little bounce and movement, and it drives home an important Mitzvah lesson. STEP BY STEP Judaism is not only major moves of total dedication, spend-ing all day in prayer and Torah study in the synagogue. We strive to live by the whole Torah, but Judaism also appreci-ates every move in the right direction, each good step by people on the go, ran-dom acts of kindness, even if it's on the run. The Torah teaches us: "Ekev Tishmeun" (Deut. 7) "You will be highly rewarded when you observe the seeming 'trivial' Mitzvos often stepped upon." Each single Mitzvah, by each and every person, brings us all / The Final Shofar Blast Watercolor by Debra Rolnik Raichman See inside back cover. a step closer to the time of Moshiach, when peace harmony and prosperity will reign throughout the world. Indeed, the Talmudic idiom for our era is "the 'heels and footsteps' of Moshiach." I don't usually advertise products or endorse brands, but let's not miss this opportunity to extend Rosh Hashanah greetings by mentioning "Goodyear." ? 2001 Rabbi Israel Rubin with unlimited MPG, and parks itself easily without the hassle of meter maids and parking tickets. Unlike transportation modes that take us for a ride, this one encourages exercise, so it's good for people from all walks of life. Mother Seeks Lost Children Adapted from the Lubavitcher Rebbe's teachings by Rabbi Yisroel Rubin On the second day of Rosh Hashanah, the Haftarah selec-tion we read in the Synagogue is taken from Jeremiah (chapter 31:14). The heartrending plea of our Matriarch Rachel and the Divine response to her cries reads as follows: "Thus said the L-rd: a voice is heard on high, lamentations and bitter weeping, - Rachel weeps for her children. She refuses to be consoled as her children are gone. Thus replied the L-rd: "Keep your voice from weeping and prevent your eyes from tears, for your efforts and endeavor will be rewarded, says G-d. They shall return from the land of the enemy. There is hope for your future, declares G-d: Your children shall return back to their boundaries." The Midrash describes a vivid heav-enly dialogue when the Babylonians were destroying Jerusalem's Holy Temple. The souls of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob came to intercede before the Heavenly throne for the children of Israel in their hour of trouble, but to no avail: our Partriarch's call went unheeded. At that moment, our Matriarch Rachel broke forth, crying: "Master of the Universe! You know how I saved my sister Leah from embarrassment by allowing her to wed Jacob in my stead. You, too, should for-give my c h i l d r e n who have sinned and are now b e i n g e x i l e d . H a v e mercy!" G - d responded, "For your s a k e , Rachel, I will restore Israel to their land." ( E i c h a h j Rabbah 24) A youth speaks to 'Mother' WHY RACHEL? Rachel's unique background will help us appreciate why only she could elicit a favorable Divine response in that most difficult time. "Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Ephrath - at Bethlehem. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave; it remains the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day." (Gen. 35:19-20) Rachel passed away at the young age of thirty-six on the 11th day of the month of Cheshvan in the year 2198 (1560 BCE), after a difficult birth to her son Benjamin. The family was then in the process of moving from Mesopotamia to Israel, so Rachel was buried at the wayside instead of at the prominent family plot in Hebron, the famous resting place of all the other Patriarchs and M a t r i a r c h s . Indeed, Jacob had to explain the unique situation to his son Joseph, whom Jacob had instructed to transport his remains hun-dreds of miles from Egypt for burial to Hebron. A LOVING MOTHER The unique location of Rachel's bur-ial is no mere circumstance, but by Divine Providence. Years later, cruel King Nevuzaradan's armies marched thousands of Jewish captives to Babylon on the road past Rachel's outlying gravesite. Like a loving motherly good-bye, Rachel's presence inspired the exiles, knowing that someone was out there for them. Rachel is certainly well positioned to plead the case. Her opportunity to rest near her beloved husband was sacrificed for the sake of the children, so she could be with them in a time of need. Rachel could not have rested in peace while her children languished and suffered in exile. A passionate caring mother, Rachel watched and looked out after her children, assuring them that there is a point of return, that there is light of Redemption at the end of the long dark tunnel. POINT OF RETURN Rachel stands out among the Matriarchs as the unconditionally loving mother. Her devotion knew no limits, extending herself even to rebellious ?. children who deserved j, ji punishment. Only Rachel could arouse G-d's mercy, and assurance of the ulti-mate Redemption. Just as our ancestors received Rachel's encouragement on their way out into exile, so do we turn today to Mother Rachel for guid-ance and inspiration as we approach the Redemption with Moshiach. As the spiritual matri-arch of the Diaspora, Rachel personifies the cry for the return of Israel. Refusing calm or comfort, Rachel teaches us to per-sist in face of adversity. She is not afraid to present her demand, refusing to be The velvet curtain on Rachel's Tomb silenced, calmed or pacified. Rachel teaches us to reach out to the wayward Jew "lost among the nations," and share the good news that we will ultimately return to the physical and spiritual borders of the Holy Land. Rachel's isolated burial site in the middle of nowhere is now a most important Jewish landmark. Rather than just an interesting tourist attraction, we have deep emotional ties to Rachel's Tomb, where Jews from around the world come to unburden their troubled hearts to a loving and caring mother. Standing alone, Rachel's tomb 2-i ^mrn u Top: Painting by Meyer, 1803 Middle: Rachel's Tomb in the '80's Bottom: Kever Rochel today, with a new security wall 1 1 * e q u a l s . Hebron's! Tomb of the I Patriarchs! as a historic I place of| p r a y e r Travelers stopped by Rachel on their way to Hebron and Egypt long before King Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem. Pilgrims came regularly from as far as Damascus and the Euphrates valley to pour their hearts out at Rachel Tomb. Rachel's Tomb is a special place for personal prayer and meditation. Due to Rachel's difficulty in conceiving and her death in childbirth, it represents hope for the barren and childless. Rachel's Tomb is not a symbol of death and mourning, but of life, roots and continuity, a monumental tribute to the dedication of a Jewish woman. Grief was part of her experience, but Rachel maintained the vision of a better future. THEN AND NOW Rachel's Tomb has become a flashpoint in Israel's struggle with ter-rorism. Originally, Rachel's monument consisted of twelve stones, represent-ing each of the tribes. Later an open-walled canopy shelter was erect-ed of stone and mortar. In 1841, the famous philanthropist Sir Moses Montefiore obtained per-mission from the Turkish Government to restore the tomb. He built the large, two room building we know today. On his last gift a month before he died in 1885, Montefiore pledged to have it renovated. In 1864, the Sefardic Jews of Bombay donated the sum necessary to dig a well for thirsty pil-grims, and Chief Rabbi Rav Chazan wrote a warm letter of thanks for their support. Recently, Rachel's tomb has been expanded and fortified for protec-tion against Arab attack and sniper fire, after the torching of Joseph's Tomb in Shechem by Palestinians one year ago. A high protective stone wall with indented arches now buffers Rachel's Tomb from the road. i JOSEPH AT HIS MOTHER'S GRAVE Early mention of the Jewish tradition of praying at righteous person's gravesite is found in this interesting Midrash. Only seven years old when his mother died, Joseph was kidnapped at age seventeen and taken to Egypt. As the caravan passed Bethlehem, he bolted and ran to his moth-er's grave. "Mother!" he cried, "Save me. Save me!" "Do nor fear," his mother Rachel's voice answered. "Go with them, and may G-d be with you." Consoled and strengthened, Joseph returned to the caravan that eventually put him on the road to slavery, allegations and prison, from where he eventually rose to become viceroy in Pharaoh's Palace. SUCCAH.BO ORDER EARLY! Bamboo Visit our website: Schach Mats www.succah.com 8' x 12' . . . . $ 1 1 0 E-mail 6' x 8 ' . . . 53 orders@succah.com 8' x 10' . 88 Call: 240-447-5095 5' x 12' . 66 VISA/MASTERCARD/ 8' x 8 ' . . . 70 DISCOVER Accepted 6' x 12' 5' x 10' . 79 55 FREE SHIPPING! My flight had cleared the runway in Portland when I took out my Chumash book of Torah, put on my headphones and played the tape Rabbi Vogel sent to help me prepare for my upcoming haftorah, the chapter from the prophets chanted after the Sabbath Torah Reading. No matter how much I tried, I couldn't retain the haftorah melody. Six months before, on Simchas Torah, I had made a mitzvah pledge to learn ro chant the haftorah that I should have really done at my bar mitzvah 33 years earlier. Unfortunately, back then, I was a poor Hebrew school student, so my merciful teacher wisely limited my role to a morning Aliyah - that is haftora-free. Even that had been a chal-lenge. Life has changed since I discovered Chabad, and now reciting the haftorah seemed like a great idea while I was celebrating on Simchas Torah. But now it was almost "game time" and I sim-ply wasn't ready. Even as I was practicing, I was sub-consciously trying to find an excuse to get me off the hook, to avoid looking foolish in front of friends and family. As I sat in my seat wallowing in self-doubt an elderly woman strolled past, looked at my open Chumash, looked at me and then kept walking. Repeating this several times, she final-ly stopped and motioned for me to remove my headphones. She said, "It isn't often you see someone reading a Hebrew book on an airplane. What are you reading?" I explained I was prac-ticing my haftorah. She smiled, and then uninvited, sat down in the seat next to mine and proceeded to tell me her l i f e story. She p u l l e d an old newspa-per arti-cle from her pocketbook and gave it to me to read, explaining that the photo in the article was of her cousin's school class in Hungary during World War II. Her cousin was the only member of the class who escaped the Nazis. She thought that since I was study-ing for my haftorah I would appreciate reading the article. The story moved me but I was mystified how it connect-ed to my haftorah. After picking up my luggage, I jumped into a rental car and pointed it toward the Vogel Bar Mitzvah celebra-tion I was to attend. What a magnificent Bar Mitzvah! Friday evening got off to a joyous start as friends and family from all over joined in prayers, Kiddush, joyous singing and laughing. Shabbos morn-ing the bar-mitzvah did a magnificent job. Midway through the festivities Rabbi Vogel asked his father, Reb Yeshiva in London, ultimately sending hundreds of boys to spread Yiddishkeit to Jewish communities around the world. He declared that every mitzvah performed, every bar mitzvah celebrated, and every Jewish boy or girl educated, ensured that not only would the Jewish people survive, but thrive in the post Hitler world. When Shabbos was over and it was time to return to Oregon, I returned with a new passion in my heart. At the Noson Vogel, to recount his miracu- start of this journey I was fearful of lous escape on the last ttf /j| Haftorah Lessons Nazis over-ran the coun- 'that J L j C S S U l t i S fateful day, ^^ ^ ^ 'coincidental-ly' exactly 61 years to the day of this bar mitzvah, his sister convinced a guard to let her family secretly scale the wall of the ship and board before it sailed out of port. In the end they were the only four out of the seven hundred souls to escape Hitler's clutches that day. He told of the anguish of leaving port, as thousands stood on the docks, their hope of survival slowly disappearing below the horizon. Since then, Reb Vogel had dedicat-ed his life to foiling Hitler's plan to eradicate Judaism by promoting and supporting Jewish education. Years after departing Calais, Reb Vogel established the Lubavitch Boys High School and eventually the Lubavitch By Steve Hyatt 'looking foolish' because my haftorah tune was less than perfect. After meet-ing the woman on the plane and then hearing Reb Vogel's story, that haftorah was more important than I realized. Every note of my haftorah helps us triumph over the evil Pharaohs, Hamans and Hitlers, as the Jewish spirit still burns brightly throughout the world. As I sat back in my seat I couldn't help but marvel at hearing two such painful, yet inspiring stories over the course of a few days. I thanked G-d for these wondrous blessings picked up my haftorah, slapped on my head-phones and went back to work. Universal Wellness c* Serving Las Vegas Since 1992 x * C^+e Sahara Pavilion North EXPERIENCE UNIQUE PRODUCTS AND HEALTHY ERGONOMIC FURNITURE THAT PROMOTES UNIVERSAL WELLNESS Therapeutic Recliners ? Essential Creams & Oils ? Physical Therapy and Massage Therapy Supplies Massage Loungers ? Professional Massagers ? Tempur Pedic Swedish Mattress and Pillows Ergonomic Chairs and Ergo Seating Accessories ? Aromatherapy Work Home Therapeutic Equipment Massage Therapy Supplies Ergonomics BODYBUT /i^uRHitx; " n e . C h a r Zero Gravity Decatur Blvd. Sahara Pavilion North 4750 W. Sahara Ave., #30 Las Vegas, NV 89102 733-9355 www.backcarestore.com ONWE Professional Products Present This Coupon A Receive a 10% Discount on Featured Items Except Biotone Products ^ u 1 garian bom and Israeli raised lolly Resnick moved to Manhattan in 1972 to seek her fortune in the communications industry. She landed a coveted position at NBC news as producer of the only daily interview show in New York "Five Minutes With &..". "As the 'gate-keeper/ I decided who was to be featured on the TV show- Menachem Begin, Henry Kissinger, President Carter, Dr. Spock, Gregory Peck, Sofia Loren, kings, prime ministers, prima ballerinas, the who's who of the political, art and literary world." Molly enjoyed her enviable position, but after years of encountering celebri-ties, her bubble burst. "Once, during a difficult interaction with an agent for a certain celebrity, I suddenly saw these glamour people in a different light. The superstar was just a pawn in the hands of his managers, and couldn't venture an opinion about his own life. It hit me that being rich and famous didn't mean you found the key to happiness or had com-mon sense. In real life, they were only human with all the normal weaknesses and frailties." Molly took a leave of absence to embark on a worldwide search for spirit and meaning. She assembled a travel itinerary and letters of recommendation from her celebrity friends, even an intro-duction to Marlon Brando, in his private island in the Pacific Ocean. On a jaunt to Rio she had a critical encounter with the Chief Rabbi, the late Yerachmiel Blumenfield, who invited Molly to Shabbat dinner. In spite of her agnostic skepticism, Molly was persuad-ed to light Shabbat candles, and she became mesmerized by the beauty and intelligence of the rabbi's daughter Chana, who showed Molly a photo of her obviously religious fiance, bearded and black-hatted. Molly's response was one of incredulity "How can you tell him apart? They all look the same! You don't want to spend the rest of your life being pregnant every year, cooking chicken soup and praying behind a curtain," she decried, "Come I'll help you run away!" She offered the young bride to be. Chana insisted that she happily and freely chose this lifestyle. This was hard for Molly to digest. "She picked me up the next day and I called out, "You mean they let you go out and drive? Aren't they afraid you'll run away?" For three days the sophisticated producer bom-barded Chana with questions about observant life. Why this? How come that? As a political science student Molly was enamored with the American Constitution. "To me it was the epitome of justice and wisdom. I then realized that the Torah, my people's 'Constitution' was not just 200, but thou-sands of years old. I had dabbled in every 'ism' - Hinduism, Buddhism, you - name-it, but I knew so little about my own heritage." "It was like falling in love. I had final-ly found the answer and meaning. I real-ized that our world had a G-d and pur-pose." Molly returned to New York ready to learn and grow with Judaism. "I gave up the 5 things I loved most-shrimp, lobster, pork, (non-kosher) caviar and champagne, and lit Shabbat candles regularly." Each week she visited another obser-vant family for Shabbat. She found the Lubavitchers to be warm, intelligent and most accepting. Eventually, Molly's observance grew to Shabbat, kosher, and dating only Jewish men interested in marriage. She felt it was a mistake to leave mar-riage to whimsy. "We should put the same effort into finding and choosing our mates as we do in planning our Jewish Journeys careers." A f r i e n d arranged her first shid-duch (match) with the man who became her husband. Molly smiles. "Even my mother for-gave me when she found out the religious young man I was bringing home was a H a r v a r d doctor." Dr. L a w r e n c e Resnick, an expert in h y p e r t e n - sion who is today a Professor of Medicine at Cornell in Manhattan, was then the Lubavitcher Rebbe's per-sonal physi-cian. Molly continued her work at NBC for several years. Her new ways met with mixed responses of cynicism and admi-ration. "G-d is almost a three letter word among the self-declared intelligentsia circles- to some I'd become a fanatic, a fundamentalist! Others praised me for the almost extinct quality of dedication to my beliefs. As her family grew to include three children, Molly's priorities shifted and she left NBC, devoting herself to home-making and the less rigorous schedule of freelancing. But what about her former feminist credo? Initially, the woman's lack of active participation in some aspects of Jewish services had bothered her. "But, I've come to see that women play an even greater role. Women set the tone in the home, determine the quality of family life and the education of the children. It's trivial to worry over sepa-rate seating in the synagogue. When we pray, G-d is our focus, not socializing." Motherhood and growing spiritual sensitivity also changed her former pro-choice outlook. "Children are a blessing, and life is sacred from conception- unless the mother's life is in danger." But how did she give up life in the fast-lane to spend more time at home with the kids home? "Judaism values women as the mainstay of the home. It is hard to be the CEO of a major corporation and the CEO of your family and succeed at both. Family is only a sacrifice when we think of a career as more important." "In Hebrew," Molly explains," the name of the first woman is Chava, which means the mother of all things. Chava is the epitome of nurturing. A woman is a nurturer, a quality our world so desper-ately needs." Summing up the difference between her secularism and embrace of Judaism, Molly extols the depth, beauty and joy of getting in touch with one's inner self- the Jewish essence. The worldly success she once pursued is shallow compared to the depth of Jewish living. She finds her self-definition has radi-cally changed. "I used to define myself as first and foremost a woman, a journalist, an Israeli, an American, a liberal, and a humanist. And somewhere, I was also Jewish, but that meant little to me." Now, she puts the Jewish part first. This prior-ity is essential to "having it all," she says. The fiery spirit that drove Molly up iviCtv by Miriam Karp Molly Resnick with Sophia Loren the career ladder and fueled her quest for truth has found a new outlet. Combining her jour-n a 1 i s t i c savvy with the concern of a Jewish m o t h e r , Molly now fights the indoctrina-tion of Palestinian c h i l d r e n into Jew haters. I n 1 9 9 8 , Molly and s e v e r a l f r i e n d s f o r m e d MATCKH -Mothers A g a i n s t Teaching Children to Kill and Hate. They use the proven combination of media blitz and mothers, modeled after MADD, Mother's Against Drunk Driving. "We copied MADD because that grassroots organization changed the laws of the land, and our cause is no less urgent. Today Arab Palestinian direct their hatred against Israelis and Jews in the Middle East, tomorrow it will be Americans right here in our own back yard. Grabbing headlines with an infor-mational forum, letters to the press, and contact with politicians, MATCKH exposes the c o n s t a n t hate fea-tured on Palestinian television, songs, and in school text-books and s u m m e r camps. "If the Palestinians are taught from the time they are four years old that Israelis are vermin, it is easy for them to kill." Molly cites a Palestinian textbook that uses anti-Semitism in its 5th grade gram-mar lessons" 'Define the subject and predicate in the following sentence: "It is the duty of every Moslem, man and woman to launch Jihad (holy war) against the Jews." Another time bomb is a poem "The Martyr" which extols the virtue of children becoming suicide war-riors. Molly now visits schools and youth clubs around the country to encourage children to write letters for peace that are assembled into colorful quilts. "Dear Palestinian," one reads, "Don't hate me just because I'm Jewish. I don't hate you." On October 4th, Choi Hamoed Succot, students will display their quilts at a massive rally that MATCKH is plan-ning at the steps of the Capitol in Washington DC. under the auspices of several congressional leaders. Summing up her activism, Molly states, "I do not have have illusions of grandeur that I can solve the world's troubles. On one hand there are deeply ingrained problems, and on the other, G-d can change the whole scenario in a second. However, I can't rest without using my G-d given talents and skills to at least do my part." Agi rl complained to her father about life and how things are hard. She didn't know how she was going to make it, and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time; as soon as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen, filled three pots with water, and placed each on a fire, bringing them to a boil. He then placed carrots in one, eggs in the next, and in the last he placed coffee. The daughter waited impatiently, wondering what he was doing. In about 20 minutes he turned off the burners, fished out the carrots and the egg and placed them in a bowl, t h e n ladled out the coffee and put it in a cup. "What does it mean father?" The father explained the different reactions to the same adversity of boil-ing water. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting, but came out soft and weak. The egg had been frag-ile, but became hardened by the expe-rience. The coffee was unique. After it was in the boiling water, they changed and flavored the water. "Which are you?" he asked his daughter. "When adver-sity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?" From the Jewish Diabetes Association Connection As a child you probably received a sweater or an article of cloth-ing you liked a lot. However, to your dismay, you soon outgrew it, and had to replace it with a new, larg-er one. We learn our first prayers and notions about G-d when we were still children. But, unlike our old sweaters, how many of us have discarded our childish notions of G-d and prayer and replaced them with more mature ideas? Imagine you are a three-year-old child, and you want a piece of cake. Your considerations are simple: "I want cake. I'm entitled to it, and I must have it!" From a child's viewpoint, the major function of parents is to gratify his wishes. When they don't, the child feels angry and deprived. Now imagine yourself as the par-ent. You know that if the child will A eat the cake, he would get sick or j m lose his appetite for nutritious food. How would you feel declin-^^*" ing the child's request? How great is the difference between the child's feel-ing and that of the parent! One fundamental difference between how children and adults view the world is that children filter the world primarily through their emotions, while adults rely more on their intellect to make sense of their experiences. Our emotional view of G-d is often like a child who wants, and we often feel angry at G-d for hurting, frustrating or ignor-ing us. These feelings are reactions to our perception, not to the reality of how G-d acts toward us. We cannot know G-d's motiva-tions. Therefore, when we react to G-d's denying us what we want, we must rely, at least in part, on our intellectual understanding of His behavior, and also on trust in Him. THE SERPENT'S CURSE G-d created us with the need to pray, giving us a vehicle by which we can forge a relationship with Him. In the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we learn how the ser-pent enticed Eve to eat the prohibited fruit, and she then gave it to Adam to eat. G - d punished A d a m , j;' E v e .-jy a n d t h e SELF- IMPROVEMENT THROUGH PRAYER Prayer is not only a request for physical and material needs, but also a vehicle to transform ourselves into more refined persons. When we lack something, we should do some heavy thinking. What is it that we're miss-ing? Do we really need and want it? If we get what we desire, will we use the gift to elevate us spiritual-ly? Without this process, we might simply use our bless-j| j ings to satisfy only our phys- H ' ical and material desires. Turning the Page serpent. Adam and Eve were expelled from Eden, and Adam had to work the soil. The ser- ^^ijj? pent was cursed by having to eat the dust of the earth. But what kind of curse was that? Earth is everywhere: no matter where the serpent is, he has plenty of food! The curse was that the serpent was now self-sufficient. One who is self-sufficient will never approach his Creator to ask. G-d was so upset with the serpent He wanted as little as pos-sible to do with him. In contrast, G-d desired humans to turn to Him with requests. By Lisa Aiken ?MM Prayer W a 1 s o allows us to forge a relationship with G-d and make Him a reality in our lives rather than an abstract concept. These are the benefits that the serpent, and people who think they are self-suffi-cient, miss out on since they feel no need to connect with G-d. VERBALIZING PRAYER A tenet of Jewish prayer is that it is not enough to "think" a prayer, or to have a certain feeling in one's heart toward G-d. Jewish prayer requires people to actually say the words. Why? Why can't we just meditate and communicate with G-d by thinking? One of the greatest challenges of any relationship is in effective commu-nication. Many married couples love each other but cannot communicate that love. Love and communication are not synonymous. If a husband can't express his love to his wife, or vic