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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 Rabbi Avraham Kovel entitled "Commandments: God's Blueprint for a Flourishing Life" describing in detail how Torah and Mitzvot enhance our lives.
 

[...] In this week's Torah portion, the Torah makes this explicit: "You shall keep My ordinances and My laws, and the man shall do them and live through them: I am God."3 The Hebrew phrase "וחי בהם" (v'chai bahem) literally means "and live through them," indicating that commandments aren't just rules to follow but pathways to a more fulfilled existence. The Torah doesn't just suggest that mitzvot enhance life—it declares that their very purpose is to create life.

As Rabbi Hirsch, the 19th century leader of German Orthodoxy, eloquently explains: "Through [mitzvah] observance, we achieve nothing more and nothing less than life in its most positive form." Put simply, God gave us mitzvos to make our lives amazing. [...] I've seen the incredible fruits of living according to God's commands. The mitzvot enhance every dimension of human experience - from our relationships to our daily routines to our life transitions.

[...] The Torah establishes several key commandments that appear restrictive but actually strengthen marriage. First, the Torah commands that in the first year of marriage, the husband must put the rest of his life on the backburner and dedicate himself to making his wife happy. This correct alignment of priorities—putting one's spouse first—sets the foundation for the entire relationship. Additionally, the Torah prohibits touching someone of the opposite gender who isn't a close family member. This creates clear boundaries that prevent the casual physical intimacy that often leads to emotional confusion and relationship complications. Furthermore, it makes the experience of touching one’s spouse all the more special and intimate. Perhaps most powerful are the laws of family purity. After a woman's monthly cycle, couples separate physically for about 12 days, during which they focus on emotional and intellectual connection. This monthly rhythm creates a natural cycle of reunion and renewal. What initially appears as a restriction actually enhances pleasure. When the couple reunites, they experience the joy of closeness as if it were their wedding night all over again.

[...] The Torah's economic mitzvot run completely counter to Western culture. In a world where accumulation defines success, Judaism mandates giving away at least 10% of one's income to charity, providing interest-free loans to one's fellow Jew, and the prohibition against withholding wages from workers, even for a day! These practices create communities of radical generosity where financial ethics and mutual support form the foundation of economic life. But it doesn't stop there. My first experience with Shabbat remains etched in my memory—complete strangers welcomed me into their homes as family, providing delicious meals and engaging me in meaningful conversations. This remarkable hospitality flows directly from the mitzvah of hachnasas orchim (welcoming guests), so central to Jewish values that Abraham himself interrupted a conversation with God to welcome travelers. The impact of this mitzvah transforms Jewish homes into sanctuaries of giving, where hosts not only provide meals and lodging to strangers but profusely thank their guests for the opportunity to fulfill this sacred obligation. This culture of generosity permeates every observant community I've visited.

There are literally countless examples I could give to illustrate the fact that mitzvah observance leads to the most wonderful life imaginable. [...] The life promised through mitzvos isn't some distant reward—it begins the moment we align ourselves with Torah’s infinite wisdom. Wishing you a week of abundant life!

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.

Join Our Team: Event Manager Wanted!
SOI is looking to hire a friendly and organized per diem Event Manager to oversee and assist with various events, such as Bar/Bat Mitzvot, parties, graduations..etc. This position involves being on-site to ensure everything runs smoothly—from coordinating with office staff and renters to making sure the building is set up and ready before and after each event. You’ll also help with any on-site needs, work closely with caterers, and warmly greet guests as they arrive.
This is a paid position. If you’re interested, or to learn more,  please reach out to Heshy Chaitoff at CoPresident@soicherryhill.org

Volunteers Wanted!

Kiddush: Volunteers wanted to help with Kiddush - preparation, set up, and clean up! Please contact Yaakov Linder to get involved.

SOI Gala: We are looking for volunteers to help with all aspects of the SOI Gala. Please reach out to Ilana Weiss, Avital Zeffren, or Yaeli Sokolic to get involved.

Do you enjoy small fix-it projects or just love helping out? We’re looking for friendly hands to assist with minor repairs, like sealing doors and patching up little gaps. No special skills needed! Just a willingness to pitch in and help make a difference! If you’d like to help, please reach out to Dan Malamud or Oriel Weinberg. We truly appreciate it!

Website Update:
We are pleased to share that thanks to a grant from the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern New Jersey, SOI will be redesigning our website. As a ShulCloud-based site, updates take place in real time. This means that users will see updates to the design, navigation, and pages as they take place in all phases of the project, rather than only once the project is completed. It may take a few months for the website to display in its final form. We look forward to our site being easier to navigate for our members and better communicate what we offer to those seeking information about SOI. We appreciate your patience throughout this process! 

Thank you to the volunteers who helped with last week's Kiddush. 

Thank you to the volunteers who helped with last week's Seudah Shlishit. 

Thank you to Debbie Pester, Jeff Liss, Donna Moskowitz, Shari Solomon, Debbie Fineberg, Sam Tilonsky and JFed Security Officer Bill DiCola.

Volunteers Desperately Needed
There are multiple position vacancies open for people to help with security.  Please contact  Debbie Fineberg dfineberg2@gmail.com or Sam Tilonsky drsamod@gmail.com to volunteer or more information.
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Congregation Sons of Iarael
720 Cooper Landing Road
Cherry Hill, New Jersey 08002