Our daughter’s medical journey, though not an enjoyable one, has led our family to meet new people and experience situations we would have otherwise not had the opportunity to. One such recent encounter was with a scientist who shared with me a fundamental approach in medicine, derived from the teachings of Sir William Osler, a father of modern medicine. 
When faced with a perplexing set of symptoms, we always seek the economy of diagnosis, meaning, one unifying story that ties the whole picture together in lieu of several diagnoses that invoke a confluence of disparate, unrelated events. 
This reminded me of a method I learned from the Rebbe's teachings about how to best resolve apparent contradictions, complexities or challenges in Jewish thought. When dealing with questions on a passage of Talmud, a halachic ruling from Maimonides, or a commentary from Rashi: if one idea successfully answers more than one question, and especially when the same idea answers multiple questions across various topics, one can be more certain this is indeed a correct answer.
This parallel method to approaching, discerning and resolving challenges, also further demonstrates the idea that embedded in the Torah is the methodology and resolution to every conceivable issue one can face in life. Often we may feel that Torah, modernity and scientific discovery are at odds. In truth, however, the more deeply we delve into it, we realize that there is a true convergence. The only question might be how far are we willing to go. 
Discovering this harmonious balance and holistic approach is what we need as we prepare for Rosh Hashanah. The heightened spiritual awareness we experience during the High Holiday season can not simply be limited to an isolated time on the calendar or the specific location of the Synagogue. We must be able to adapt and live with this awareness year round, wherever we may be. Tapping into this energy, may also be the secret key to unlocking a happy and sweet year for us all.

This week Mussie's extended family got up from Shiva for her maternal grandmother, Devorah Greenberg. 
Mussie's Bubby, or Savta, as she is fondly called amongst her many international grandchildren that speak several different languages, lived a full life of 85 years. She spent her childhood and much of her young adult years in Communist Russia, where together with her parents and later her husband, fought to keep their Jewish learning and practices under the KGB’s watchful eye. 
In the early 1960s, together with her family, she was granted the freedom to leave the Iron Curtain and immigrated to Israel by the grace of G-d. There, she and her husband continued to raise their beautiful family, all of whom went on to lead successful and meaningful lives, becoming Jewish community leaders and educators around the world. 
Amazingly, a portrait with 7 different clocks hangs in her home, so she would be able to keep tabs on the time zones of her children that live on different parts of the globe, including places like Shanghai, Anchorage, Austin, San Diego, New York, Paris, Hannover and Odessa, and I haven't even listed them all. It's a big family. We were happy for her that some of her children and grandchildren settled close to her, in Israel, as well. 
What always striked me as a “married in” grandson, was her ability to be content with little materialism. To feel and act wealthy, when in fact the opposite was the case. What Mussie's Bubby accomplished in the most beautiful and meaningful way possible, was to live and bring to reality the value described in Ethics of the Fathers as, "Eizehu ashir hasameach bechelko - Who is wealthy, one who is happy with their lot.” 
Mussie’s Bubby and Zeidy lived in Israel as immigrants, with hardly enough to scrape together for the very basic necessities of life, but somehow you would never know it. Mussie's Bubby and her home shone with love and happiness, always plenty of delicious food, and although the apartment was smaller than tiny, it was always in perfect shape, and they always seemed to have everything they needed to share with others as well. 
To paraphrase the wise words of Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, who said you often hear the question being asked about someone “What are they worth?” when all that is meant is “What is their net worth.” A person may not always have a high net worth, but living honestly and happily, raising a large and wholesome family, who all went on to live a life of service to others, and doing acts of goodness and kindness as taught by the Torah, are a person’s true worth.
There is so much more to be said about Devorah Greenberg, but I'll leave you with this for now as Mussie and I hope to learn from her and practice this in our life as well.

As soon as a child is born there is a lot of paperwork that parents quickly fill out, like social security, insurance, and birth certificate. There is another form as well that I filled out as each of my children were born, a subscription for them to each own a letter in the children's unity Torah. Hanging proudly next to their beds are their certificates identifying them as an owner of a letter in the Torah written by a scribe especially for them.
In 1981, the Rebbe launched a campaign for Jewish unity, and urged parents to give their children the opportunity to own a letter in a Sefer Torah as the medium to accomplish this. Each Sefer Torah has 304,805 letters, and the simple yet original idea the Rebbe proposed is that each of these letters should belong to one specific child, until every Jewish child has their own letter.
On the surface there appear to be many differences among children; their socioeconomic backgrounds, their geographical distance from one another, their varying degrees of education, talents and skills, and even religious differences such as Kohen, Levi and Yisrael. Nevertheless, despite all this, the Rebbe explained that all Jewish children are truly united as one people, through the Torah that belongs to all of them equally.
When a child has their own letter in a particular section of a specific Torah, whose other letters all belong also exclusively to children, this concept of oneness and unity among them becomes more tangible and practical. The purity and sincerity of a child too, adds even more holiness and makes the "Children's Unity Torah" they own that much more unique.
When the Rebbe launched this campaign it no doubt seemed daunting. That 304,805 children would sign up for a letter in the Torah sounded impossible. Never before in Jewish history had such an effort been undertaken. The closest is perhaps Moses collecting half a shekel for each individual. Yet within a few months, it was complete. And just this week, the 8th such Torah, comprised of letters belonging exclusively by children, was completed in a massive celebration at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
To put that in perspective, by the time the 8th Torah was complete, 2,438,440 Jewish children of every background, had participated in the unity Torah’s commissioned by the Rebbe. With an estimated 16 million Jewish people around the world, and some 6 million in the appropriate age range to participate since the campaign was launched, this represents a staggering almost 50% of all Jewish people alive today within the age of the campaign, have participated in it!
These monumental numbers of historic proportions, which signify Jewish birth, growth, and youthfulness, and express in no uncertain terms Jewish education, pride and unity, take on an even more significant meaning when one thinks that within living memory so many Jewish children were murdered by the Nazis. 
While 2,438,440 is a great accomplishment, there is still much work to be done. In true Chabad fashion, as the ink was drying and the completion celebration was taking place, the first letters of the 9th Sefer Torah were already being written. If your child or grandchild has not participated in any of the previous eight Children's Torah's, they can join the ninth today!

This past Sunday, we celebrated my son, Levi's upshernish. One of the most heartwarming moments was when Levi sang the Aleph Beis and many joined along. You could feel it in the air. As one of our friends told me afterwards, “I don’t think I was the only one who felt, ‘Wow, even in South Dakota, there’s a room full of people singing the Hebrew Aleph Beis.’”
The Aleph Beis are very special and significant. 
Not only are these the letters of our ancestral language, that we have learnt and spoken for millennia, it is a holy language. The 3rd Century Mishnah refers to Hebrew as "Lashon Hakodesh," the Holy Tongue, because this was the language in which the Torah was written and taught, and the letters of the Aleph Beis which G-d spoke during Creation when He said "Let there be Light."
The singing that day reminded me of a very important teaching from the Rebbe, who said that "when you know Aleph, you should teach Aleph."
Sometimes we look at ourselves in the mirror and feel unqualified. We know our failures and our faults, and we don't feel like we could be a role model for others. The imposter syndrome rears its ugly head.
But in reality, each of us has the responsibility, and mandate, to be there for others, and teach whatever we know and share what we do have to share. Even knowing just one letter, Aleph, already qualifies you to teach Aleph. We don't need to wait until we have our PhD in a given field before we can share the knowledge and experience we have already accumulated, and we definitely don't need our PhD in Judaism before we can start meaningfully living Jewishly. 
If you know Aleph, teach Aleph, and start working on learning Beis, and then teach that too. 

​Only in America can one become a billionaire overnight, with no effort. It happened this week when someone purchased the winning ticket for the $1.08 billion Powerball. If you think that's a good deal, last November a lucky fellow walked away with a staggering $2.04 billion!
It is often said that lottery winners squander their prize money soon after getting the lucky ticket. Within a short time they could be back to zero. How sad. Maybe they were not fully prepared for the moment, or maybe they suddenly discovered they had far more “friends and family” than they ever imagined?
Some assume that because the winner invested no effort, no good can come out of it. No pain no gain.
But there are also those who do utilize their newly gained wealth appropriately. They spend wisely, they tithe, give charity generously, make educated and well advised investments, and help others in need. So a big win could make the winner a better person, or allow them to express their goodness in more ways than before.
Neither you or I won the Powerball this time around, but we did hear about it. So there must be a practical lesson it can teach us for our daily life and behavior. Personally, it made me think of a beautiful passage in our daily prayers where we say “How fortunate are we! How good is our portion, how pleasant our lot, and how beautiful our heritage!”
What does this prayer mean?
Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi explains in Tanya that just as a person would rejoice and be glad when they suddenly receive a huge treasure— through no toil of their own— similarly, and infinitely more so, we ought to rejoice over the treasure we as Jews have been gifted; our faith, the Torah and it’s 613 mitzvahs.
Like the lottery winner, we can’t really point to something we have done to make us worthy of this. But with our power of free choice and access to the teachings of the Torah, we can either utilize the immense potential that lies within or let it remain unused and dormant. If we use our inner strength and joyfully apply the beautiful teachings of our faith and sacred tradition in our lives, there is no limit to what we can accomplish.

This past Monday, Mussie and I were blessed with our fourth child. A beautiful healthy baby boy, thank G-d.  
Moments after his birth, one of the nurses put an ankle bracelet on my son. We were told that should anyone try to remove the infant from the floor, the hospital would go into automatic lockdown, alarms would buzz, the GPS tracker would tick and the police would be there instantly. Unfortunately, this is a necessary precaution.
What a grand welcome, I thought, for this precious newborn who just left the comfort and safety of his mothers womb, and emerged into the world.
This is the reality of the world many of us see.
Yet, when the newborn arrives there is so much joy. So much happiness, so much excitement, despite what this pure child may have to face. And the question begs itself to be asked, “why is there such a celebration at birth?”
Also, are we even sure the child will grow up and live a meaningful productive life and not Heaven forbid the opposite?
Perhaps only after someone has accomplished something in life, or once their life is complete, can we evaluate and honestly determine if their life should be celebrated and lauded. Why are we rejoicing on day one?
At the core of the Torah's vision for life is the idea that every individual human being has a soul—a distinct spiritual identity, and a distinct mission in life.
This is what comes into being the day the child is born. Not simply our physical existence, or our vitality, and not even just our potential—which can go either way. The fetus exists, is alive, and feels, before being born as well. But birth marks the point at which our body is fused with our own unique soul, the point at which we attain our independent individuality.
Chabad philosophy explains that a birthday is the day G-d says that "You, as an individual are special, unique, and utterly indispensable. No person alive, no person who has ever lived, and no person who shall ever live, can fulfill the specific role in G‑d's creation entrusted to you."
So as soon as the child is born, it is time to get to work. There is a specific reason he was born, and he must do his part in making this world better. The fact that another team member joined the workforce of billions tasked with perfecting G-d’s world is a reason for all of us to rejoice.

One of the most fascinating parts of the Seder is the topic of "The Four Sons;" the wise, the wicked, the simple, and the one who is completely apathetic. 

Several days before Passover in 1957, the Rebbe wrote a letter that in many ways reframed the core purpose of the Seder ever since: To find and invite “The Fifth Son” to the Seder: any Jew who “is conspicuous by his or her absence from the Seder service.”

The Rebbe explained that while each of the “four sons” differ from each other in their reactions to the Seder, they all have one thing in common: they are all present at the Seder. In the Rebbe’s words “even the so-called ‘wicked’ son is there, taking an active, though rebellious, interest in what is going on in Jewish life around him.” 

But unfortunately, the Rebbe added, there is also another kind of child: “the one who isn’t at the Seder.” This is our Jewish sister or brother who has no interest in Torah and mitzvahs, or who may not even be aware of the Seder altogether.

“This presents a grave challenge, which should command our attention long before Passover and the Seder night. For no Jewish child should be forgotten and given up. We must make every effort to save also that 'lost' child, and bring the absentee to the Seder table. Determined to do so, and driven by a deep sense of compassion and responsibility, we need have no fear of failure.”

Putting these words in context, written only a few years after the Holocaust, we learn something not only about our responsibility to each other, but we are also empowered with the best tools available to ensure a vibrant, active and enthusiastic Jewish continuity. Not through crying about the past, but by living the present and actively forming the future. 
​
Today we have the moral responsibility to our people, to see to it that every Jew should celebrate Passover and attend a Seder in a meaningful, kosher, and dignified way. Every individual deserves to experience the freedoms, traditions and rituals that have been part of our story for millennia.

​Several months ago, during Sukkot holiday, I traveled to Rapid City to bring the seasonal observances to my brothers and sisters and spent the day visiting Jews at their homes or places of work with a Lulav & Etrog and our portable Sukkah.

The Chabad tradition is to eat and drink exclusively in the Sukkah during the seven days of the holiday. Not even a drink of water outside of it. That meant no snacking in the car for the long drive back to Sioux Falls. Setting up my portable Sukkah and taking it down every time I wanted to snack would lengthen the trip, valuable time that I could be spending bringing the holiday mitzvahs to others, but sometimes you just need to stop and eat.

It must have been about 1AM when I exited the I90. The streets were dark, and naturally I was a bit nervous. I felt even more uncomfortable as I pulled into a gas station parking lot and only saw a run down looking car.

As I walked into the gas station I was mortified to see only one other person in the entire store, staring at me intently, pointing in my direction while mumbling words. A part of me wanted to run. But that is not the Jewish approach to life. So I decided to pay attention to what he was saying.

 ”Numbers?” “Numbers 15!” “ Deuteronomy 22!” he kept saying while pointing at me excitedly.
I finally understood why he was so excited. “Yes” I called back, as I began waving my tzitzis (fringes worn by Jewish men on the corners of their garments). This fellow had read the Torah and knew of the commandments written in those verses to wear tzitzis but he had never seen anyone actually doing it. When he saw me walk into the store that night he was so excited because “the Torah had become alive,” he told me.

I learned several things that night. We are told to never be afraid, because G-d is always watching over us. Indeed, I had no reason to fear. Also, I should not have assumed this person had any ill intentions towards me as a Jew. In fact, as I quickly learned, he loved Jews and was familiar with Jewish teachings. 

Most importantly, I experienced first hand how wearing my Jewish attire proudly and in the open brings more education, goodness, kindness, and light into the world, and gave me another opportunity to fulfill the words of Isaiah to be a “Light unto the nations.”

Pesach is just around the corner and we are delighted to once again be able to share a gift of matzah with every Jewish home across South Dakota. 
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Like those our ancestors ate during their Exodus from Egypt, these are handmade, baked with only flour and water, all within eighteen minutes, ensuring that the dough has no time to rise.
The Zohar teaches that matzah is “bread of faith and healing.” The spiritual benefits of having matzah on Passover are immeasurable. As you connect with our heritage this holiday, know that you are an integral part of the Jewish story. Your Passover and your mitzvah is so meaningful and important for the past, present, and future of Judaism and our holy traditions.
Each year as I bring matzah to friends around the state, I am encouraged and inspired by the stories you share with me. It is an absolute honor and privilege that Mussie and I have, to be part of such a wonderful community and to be able to share this gift with you.

Chabad is here because of you, and for you. For every Jew in South Dakota, equally. Chabad is not here “for the Orthodox” alone. In fact, as the Rebbe taught, at Chabad we do not use terms like “Reform,” “Conservative,” “Orthodox” or “Unaffiliated.” To us, these are artificial and imagined terms with no bearing on who you are and how Chabad sees you as a Jew.

From our perspective it is very simple; You are a Jew. So you belong!
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At Chabad you will always be welcomed unconditionally, and embraced with open arms. There will always be a seat for you at the table - including the Seder table!

Pesach is just around the corner and we are delighted to once again be able to share a gift of matzah with every Jewish home across South Dakota. 
Like those our ancestors ate during their Exodus from Egypt, these are handmade, baked with only flour and water, all within eighteen minutes, ensuring that the dough has no time to rise.
The Zohar teaches that matzah is “bread of faith and healing.” The spiritual benefits of having matzah on Passover are immeasurable. As you connect with our heritage this holiday, know that you are an integral part of the Jewish story. Your Passover and your mitzvah is so meaningful and important for the past, present, and future of Judaism and our holy traditions.
Each year as I bring matzah to friends around the state, I am encouraged and inspired by the stories you share with me. It is an absolute honor and privilege that Mussie and I have, to be part of such a wonderful community and to be able to share this gift with you.
Chabad is here because of you, and for you. For every Jew in South Dakota, equally. Chabad is not here “for the Orthodox” alone. In fact, as the Rebbe taught, at Chabad we do not use terms like “Reform,” “Conservative,” “Orthodox” or “Unaffiliated.” To us, these are artificial and imagined terms with no bearing on who you are and how Chabad sees you as a Jew.
From our perspective it is very simple; You are a Jew. So you belong!
At Chabad you will always be welcomed unconditionally, and embraced with open arms. There will always be a seat for you at the table - including the Seder table!