The Greatest Gift We Have- Vaet’chanan 5782

The mind is our strongest asset as a human being. With the mind we have the ability to think and create emotions based on that thinking and knowledge. People often think their happiness will come through acquiring money or the security of keeping their money for all their time. This thinking is flawed. Research shows money will bring safety only to a certain point, not happiness. In reality, the greatest gift we have is our faith. 

To have faith that the king of the universe is watching over us, even to the miniscule actions is a comforting sensation. Faith is a skill that gets us to hope and be inspired, divinely inspired to see things in a certain way. To see the oneness of G-d. This is a constant practice. 

Divine Providence

Hasidic philosophy teaches us about divine providence. It says even the leaf of a tree falls by the wind not by coincidence but it falls at a specific point in time for a purpose. G-d is there every step of the way. G-d showers us with love with the most hidden miracles. 

Every leaf, every insect, every living organism has a purpose in creation. If we have faith to the point of seeing it, can you imagine how insync we would be with our environment? It would be amazing to see the grass breathe, the trees respirate, all working in the rhythm of the universe. If we were at this level of seeing, we would be able to see miracles clearly. 

Creation is a constant event. G-d sustains at every moment. The consciousness we can develop to see at this level. This consciousness would let us understand G-d created us and equipped us with the resources necessary to accomplish our purpose in this world. All doubts would banish and a state of surrender would come. How would we not want to work with our creator who makes all happen for us? No doubt we would be in a state of awe. 

But, we don’t see. And we forget. That is the tragedy.

Greatest Tool- Torah Learning

This week’s Parsha, Vaet’chanan tells us not to forget. To keep the miracle alive. To remember the greatest gift we have, our faith. Moses in his 37 day sermon tells the Israelites not to forget. 

“But beware and watch yourself very well, lest you forget the things that your eyes saw, and lest these things depart from your heart, all the days of your life, and you shall make them known to your children and to your children’s children”

The Jewish People who saw the greatest miracles, the parting of the red sea, the clouds of glory which protected them, manna fell from the sky, they saw with their own eyes, they forgot. That is an unbelievable thought. They forgot and so soon. They sinned with the golden calf. It is human nature to forget. 

That is the message of this week’s parsha, to be careful not to forget. Because the greatest gift we have is to remember G-d is with us every step, in every leaf, in every interaction. There is oneness in everything, all working in  our favor. With effort nevertheless. Even remembering is an on-going effort. 

Faith Is Fundamental: Greatest Gift We Have

The greatest gift we have is our faith. Faith in oneness grants us a different dimension. It gets us to move mountains because it is the key to the mind.our most powerful tool. If we can see life in all, and all working with purpose, we would too surrender to be purposeful and serve our creator. In the end, that is what we most desire. To fulfill our purpose on Earth. 

Parasha Vaet’chanan reiterate the importance of keeping torah and mitzvot. The knowledge of learning G-d’s words and practicing its commandments is what gives us wisdom and understanding of the world we live in. This tool brought down from heaven is a gift we were given to be our best self. To behave at our optimal capacity.  

“And you shall keep [them] and do [them], for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the eyes of the peoples, who will hear all these statutes and say, “Only this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”

Happiness comes through the mind. The mind is man’s strength or weakness because it has the ability to think. We can train our mind to think good, to see at a higher level, to have our consciousness be present and see life. To choose life. When we think of our creator and have faith that all is there for a reason, to think about it to the point of seeing it, that is the greatest gift we have.