After the completion of the Holy Tabernacle in the desert, Hashem tells Moshe, “V’shochanti b’sochom” – I will dwell among you. Hashem’s presence will be felt, ever-present. Rabbi Shlomo of Radomsk in Tiferes Shlomo comments, “I will rest in the hearts of those who donate for the Mishkon [Tabernacle] with a full heart.” What does it mean to give with a full heart?

It is so hard today to believe in anything with a full heart. We live in a world where cynicism and selfishness surround us. We believe, but then again, we don’t entirely believe. We want to give, but we also want for ourselves.

Perhaps this is one of our problems with love. It is so hard to give, when I am not entirely sure that I believe in the love, I have doubts, I am insecure. I hold back.

When I give with my entire heart to another, my heart is filled with love. Want to experience Hashem? Give with all your heart, no holding back. Then the Shechina has a place to rest, in our hearts and in our lives.

Gut Shabbos

About the author

Rabbi Yonah

9 Comments

  • I don’t know how this will register on other computers but on mine it says that Michael wrote the last comment. In truth, I did. Something must have gone awry because Michael used my compy last night since his apartment is, as of yet, bli internet. I don’t want to get michael introuble since I know how scathing the critque may be of this post so I just want to say again that I wrote it and the words and ideas are mine.

  • So here is my original post which is no longer registering at all:
    I guess that Rabbi Yonah has somewhat redeemed himself with his new post on Abdel Malik Ali but I still fell inclined to say this. There is a reason that this is the only comment so far on this post. It is because this essay on the parsha is (thankfully) the antithesis of what Jewlicious should be. If I wanted to read Musar speeches wishing me a “Gut Shabbos” I would be looking at Chabad.org. Jewlicious should be ashamed of the fact that something so vapid is on its pages. I don’t know if I am alone in my feeling about this post (and maybe I am) but I have lost respect for this website as a respectable source of social and political commentary. Posts on this site should not be warm and fuzzy but insightful and challenging. What does this add that is missing from modern day Jewish dialogue? What do I learn from advice like this? This is not intelligent, it is solely emotional.

  • Hey Ariel, just wanted to let you know that I tried to approve your previous comment and it didn’t work out for some technical reason I can’t explain…now I know it was the Internet giving you a chance to clarify the comment’s authorship…spooky…

  • Ariel, I am a little confused. You don’t mind if Muffti posts with an atheist viewpoint, but you do mind when an Orthodox rabbi posts with an Orthodox Jewish viewpoint? Why? This is another voice in the mix of Jewish voices that we have on here. Besides, who says that our posts should be challenging and insightful? Just look at that happy dolphin I posted for you and tell me that’s not warm and fuzzy. And by the way, are you speaking about OUR Michael? Where is the lad?

  • themiddle,
    Yeah I am talking about THE michael. He has moved into the apartment in machanei yehuda that he will share with ck. About the mix of Jewish voices; Although I disagree with Rabbi Yonah’s viewpoint (since my “cynicism” leads me to question its inherent honesty) that is not the reaons that I believe that it has no place on Jewlicious. I am assuming (tell me if I am wrong here) that this website wants to add to Jewish commentary that is out there right now and not just repeat what has been said in the past or is currently being said by other sources. This is my real complaint on this post (Your post on the dolphin does have political commentary and is therefore still important). If anything I understand the recent explosions of posts on social events and ultimately this one too, I guess all I am saying is that I am dissapointed by it. I had just thought Jewlicious to be somewhat of a “Jewish Jon Stewart” (not that he is already) commenting on Jewish religion, life, existence, culture and having fun at the same time! (I would be interested to hear what you think is the purpose of this website. Also – muffti clearly is still dealing with his Jewish identity regardless of his atheism (since he is writing for a Jewish blog and all) which does moderate his opinions to some degree.)

  • We never set out to be a “Jewish Jon Stewart”, we never set out to be much of anything, truthfully.

    When ck and I hatched the idea for this blog, there were two general themes in mind: respect and love for Israel and Judaism, which is not to say no criticism. We wanted it to be fun, of course, and we thought dialogue was important, because if people start getting passionate about debating, we’re thinking about it, and realizing how much our Jewishness affects our lives and views. Once we start thinking about it, you start evolving.

    Anything that it has become it has become organically. We have no editing staff, we have no staff meetings, there are no rules about what a person can post. You post whatever moves you. We ask for respect for the things we hold dear, and we greatly appreciate nuance.

    Rabbi Yonah is a rocking guy, and we felt he helped complete a spectrum of Jewish voices, from an atheist to a rabbi, with most of us in different places in between.

    But really, we just here to have fun and maybe be a little thought provoking.

  • Looking at my original post I guess I went kind of crazy. I am usually the quiet passive-aggresive type. (I guess that the fact that this type of Judaism dominated my early life makes me especially vindictive against it.) But I still stand by what I have said. Obviously Jewlicious is yours and therefore up to you to decide its direction and I think the inclusion of a Rabbi among the posters makes this a more legitimate blog. It is just that this post in particular doesn’t strike me as a particularily strong or convincing. If you are going to write posts about how to accept Hashem at least do it in an intellectually rigorous way and give the topic the seriousness it deserves.

  • Dear Ariel,
    Thank you for your comments. Yes, I love Jewlicious for many of the reason you do… and for the reasons that Laya does.
    Jewlicious is many things to many people. You are not required to ready everyone’s posts, especially mine. I am sorry if i offended you or turned you off Jewlicious, even temporarily.

    However your first comment does seems to epitomize the point of my piece. Cynicism has run amok.

    I write my divre torah in gentle terms, and with purpose. They are written to be thought over and read several times, in the context of reflections that one can do on Shabbos. That is my humble goal, I REALLY am not out to prove that God exists. That is SO not my shpiel, as anyone that has been to my home or classes can testify. I just teach, from my heart, from seforim, from my teachers’ teachings. In my opinion belief in God is an act of faith. [Of course I believe that everyone has faith, the question is “in what?”]

    If you need proof that God exists, you can always go to Aish. They love telling people that stuff.

    So please be prepared NOT to read my post tomorrow.

    Thanks and Shabbat Shalom!

  • Personally I think a little torah is cool and all, but is Jewlicious a bit concerned about using uo valuable Matisyahu-ass-kissing space?!