I was lying down for a shabbos nap when I heard the walls of my home shaking. My wife screamed as half of our tree was ripped off by gale force winds and slammed into the street below. The neighbour’s tree was uprooted entirely and we stood wide eyed as rain pounded our window, wondering if the worst was yet to come…
Incidents like the storm of last week are often covered in insurance policies as “Acts of God.” That’s right, there is even a legal definition to the phrase “Act of God” for such purposes, because even companies and legal structures with no religious affiliation whatsoever have to call it like they see it. Sometimes it’s just obvious that God wants to have a word.
The Jewish response to these sorts of world shaking events, after of course helping those most adversely affected, is introspection. How can we improve? How can we use this event to spur ourselves to become better people, a better community?
It’s clear as day in this week’s Torah portion; if God is sending us this type of message, it’s because we collectively need a wake-up call. Something we are doing is not on the right track.
I don’t claim to be on the level that I can identify what it is precisely that we need to work on. But the good news is, I don’t have to. Every person reading this, if you are being honest with yourself, has at least one thing that you know that you are doing wrong in your life, or at least not up to the standard you could be at.
So, work on that thing.
Most of us don’t have the power to making sweeping changes in government policy or societal culture, but what we do have the power over, is our own thoughts, words, and actions. And don’t underestimate the power that that is. Those are the things that the Torah asks of us. Those are the things that help God determine if He should send a storm.
We, as a community, apparently merited this storm. But God doesn’t want to send storms, He wants us to do better so that we can merit better. He wants us to do good so we can earn good.
And we should not forget the other part of the Torah portion, the promises God gives for when we do follow the straight path. Peace from war, bountiful food, healthy children, safety and security. Lest we think that those things are not also Acts of God.
Let us all focus our efforts on self improvement so that, in the future, we merit to see Acts of God that we can sing about and not, heaven forbid, the opposite.
Good shabbos,
Rabbi Altonaga
