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I am very excited for the opportunity to share words of Torah with you. Each week, in this spot, I look to share an idea I've found that speaks to me and that I think will resonate with you as well. This week, I share with you an excerpt from an article by Adam Lieberman entitled "Your Focus is Your Freedom" wondering how the Jewish people could complain about the Man in the wilderness.

While in the desert, God fed the Jewish people "manna from heaven." Not only was this food effortless and plentifully available, but the Sages tell us that remarkably it tasted exactly like anything the Jews wanted it to taste like. Not withstanding all of this, the Jews complained and said: "Who will feed us meat? We remember the fish that we ate in Egypt ... but now ... we have nothing ... but the manna... And the wrath of God flared greatly...." (Numbers 11:4-10)

How in the world could a group of people who had just been freed after years of slavery, been shown miracle upon miracle, and have every one of their needs provided for, still somehow manage to complain about nothing? The answer lies in the extraordinary way in which God "designed" us.

When it comes to our daily thoughts - which are the precursors to all of our actions - God wired us in a fascinating way. Our minds easily and naturally focus on what we're lacking. [...] It takes actual effort for us to think about the blessings of what we do have. Our mind can be likened to a garden. The soil will bring forth most anything you want to plant. But ... if you don't plant anything, you won't have any crops and you'll get weeds growing instead. Without the seeds, the land doesn't just remain barren - weeds will grow in abundance. [...]

The Jewish people had been given everything from God - their lives, their freedom, and all of their physical needs were provided for with little or no effort. But instead of being overjoyed beyond belief, (by focusing on what they now had), the Jews allowed their minds to remain barren whereby they "naturally" complained about all the things didn't have. Because they didn't focus on what they had, God knew that there was no way He could ever make them happy, and the wrath of God flared greatly. There's no amount of blessings that could ever make someone happy if he chooses to not think about them. Everything God gave the Jews made them ecstatic for a day and then their focus switched from elation to what's now lacking. Their entire well-being and attitude diametrically changed as soon as their focus changed.

[...] And this is the powerful life-changing lesson for all of us. For a life of peace and blissfulness, it's absolutely mandatory to take time each and every day to really and truly think about the blessings God showers you with. Remember, a lack of appreciation and awareness is the first step towards unhappiness. [...] Fill your mental garden with only the right kind of thoughts and watch in amazement how you'll have more and more to be thankful for.

Hoping and praying for a Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Davies
Rabbi@SOICherryHill.org

We are excited to be partnering with Mizrachi World Movement to provide their publication of HaMizrachi Parasha Weekly.

Mazal Tov to Shmuel and Sofia Fils,
and big brothers Reuven and Chaim on the birth of a baby boy.

Mazel tov to Paul & Hildy Berlin on the birth of a grandson,
 to parents Ariana & Yoni Ohayon on the birth of baby boy, Eytan Dor. 

 Mazal Tov to Ken and Alise Panitch on the birth of a grandson to Eliana and Amitai Gispan. Mazal Tov to great grandparents, Myrna Young and Rabbi Herbert Panitch.

Thank you to Emily Gevins, Sabra Weinberg, and Rachael Shuster
for helping prepare last week's kiddush, to Vicki Miltz for shopping,
and to Yaeli Sokolic for making cholent.
​​​​​​​
Thank you to Eric Klein, Jonathan Delman, Yaakov Zeffren,
Jeffrey Weiss, Matti Rosenberg, Yaakov Linder,
​​​​​​​and Aaron Yeres for helping with last weeks Seudah Shlishit.

Thank you to The Fellowship (Team 4: Aharon Yeres, Andy Rauer, Noah Botwinick, Shlomo Aronoff), Debbie Fineberg, Chani Wiesman Berliant, Ken Panitch, JFed Security Officer Bill DiCola and Sam Tilonsky for providing security on Shabbos.

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