Rabbi's Message

Dvar Torah for Parshas Ki Sisa

Did you ever find that you are driving a car and you know something needs to be repaired, that sooner or later it is going to break? But, defying all logic, you hang in there anyway because you don't have the money to fix the item, hoping everything will work out just fine. And yet, you that know sooner or later something will go wrong. Sure enough, as you are driving along, what you feared most suddenly happens: Your car stops running. You pull over to the side. Your car isn't going anywhere. You don't know what to do. You beg mercy from the car, but it doesn't help, of course. Your current plan is certainly not going to work. You can beg mercy all you want, but you've gone too far. You are in trouble now.

Yet, in this week's portion we find out, even if someone has done the most egregious sin, even if you have really been bad, even when the Jews sinned so badly that they built a golden calf, the worst possible sin, we can call to Hashem. If we call to Hashem and ask for forgiveness, for mercy, it's going to help. Hashem's rules are vastly different than human rules. The most wondrous thing that Hashem has created is Teshuva, meaning that if we can find it within ourselves to recognize when we were wrong, and ask for forgiveness, we are saved. That's all we have to do. This is what is so totally amazing about this week's portion. One of the secretes of G-d's world is finding out what really matters. This is so amazing. This is what Hashem wants of us. It's truly a blessing. This week's portion, Ki Sisa, means to lift up the hopes and aspirations of our people. Just realize that all it takes is a concerted effort on our parts. All it takes is a realization that it is never, ever, too late. The greatest spiritual connection is never too far away from us.

Good Shabbos!