Friday 13 January 2017

November 30, 2012


Hello Volunteers and hello snow!

Thought I would try to warm you on what looks to be the first day of the Winter of 2012/2013.

The Torah parsha this week begins with the story of Jacob.  An encounter with "another" transforms not only himself but his opponent. There is ambiguity and confusion. Is Jacob wrestling with an angel?  a man?  God?  We know that, as a result of his struggle, he is physically hurt but will not let go unless he is blessed. His opponent blesses him,  'No more shall you be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have struggled with God and with human beings, and you have prevailed'" (32:25-29).

Jacob is spiritually renewed.  He was no longer the "heel" who tricked and deceived others; he was upright.  Not known for his physical strength, he learns that it is spiritual strength that counts.  After running away 20 years earlier from a struggle with his brother, now he learns that it is through struggle that one grows and becomes the person that one is meant to be.

"But Jacob was not the only one who was changed by this wrestling match. His opponent, whom Jacob ultimately realizes is God, was also changed. From now on God knows that there is a true covenant-partner; first an individual-then a nation-who will argue and fight back; who will challenge and not allow God to escape from our grasp without answering our most challenging questions. Perhaps this was the moment when God first knew that Jacob and his descendants are indeed worthy of the gift of the covenant because they understand that being part of the covenant means standing up for who you are and what you believe in, no matter who you are standing up to.

Finally, this wrestling match also changed who we would be as a people. It not only gave us our name, Israel, but it gave us our identity. It means that we are destined to wrestle and struggle and fight not only with our enemies, but also with ourselves and with God. It established the idea that through such struggle comes growth and reconciliation, and that only through direct confrontation are we able to change from who we are to who we were meant to be."  Rabbi Bruce Kadden

If you are a seasoned volunteer of Out of the Cold or a beginner, you have now become one who struggles with God and is a partner with God. Week after week, you see the fear, poverty, hunger and displacement of people who struggle with finding just the basic necessities of life.  In either case, you no longer are who you once were.  This good deed that you do easily encourages you to engage in more. “Mitzvah goreret mitzvah,” one good deed leads to another good deed. Together, we can challenge our guests’ beliefs that no one cares about them.  Even if you work behind the scenes or before the doors even open, by your smiles, by your service with pure intention, by your weekly presence, by your words and connections, you challenge the barriers that are put up as stumbling blocks for our guests.

The attached HOOTC newsletter speaks to the past, present and future.  In our actions, it is not the outcome but the effort and you’ll read all about it.   We’re all a tag-team, stronger for having each other.  See you next week!

Shabbat Shalom, Cindy

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