Rabbi's Message
Rabbi Galperin became the rabbi at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in June, 2009. He brings to our synagogue the youthful vigour and passionate beliefs of the Chabad movement. Rabbi Galperin is available to officiate at weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, funerals and other life events.
Challenge of Exodus
Dear Friends,
Once again we prepare to celebrate Passover, the festival of freedom. During the Passover Seder we proclaim: "In every generation one should see himself as if he personally has come forth from Egypt." This obviously begs for explanation. What is the significance of feeling as if I left Egypt when I never did? The commentaries teach us that although we may not have physically come out of Egypt, spiritually, however, we can experience Exodus every day. The Hebrew word for Egypt—Mitzrayim—can also mean boundary or limitation. Exodus from Egypt then means overcoming one’s limitations and inhibitions that don’t allow him to fulfill his potential. Exodus represents freeing ourselves from our own hang ups that distract the soul from its quest to rise ever higher.
As Jews, we all feel naturally connected to our rich Jewish heritage. Every single Jew, regardless of their affiliation or background, feels a deep, inexplicable yearning from within, that reaches out with a longing desire to identify with our religion, to be in touch with what Judaism meant to our parents and grandparents for millennia. We feel a need to engage in Torah study. We want to practice more Mitzvos. Yet, we are sometimes afraid to go ahead and do it. We are somehow trapped and inhibited by our secular thinking: "How can I put on Tefillin?" or "What?! Me, go to synagogue other than Yom Kippur?" We fear that doing a Mitzvah might render us "religious" or "Orthodox", and that would be in total violation of everything that modern society has taught us.
To this comes the challenge of Exodus — the daily, ongoing Exodus. Let us free ourselves from these silly calculations and limitations that smother our ability to relate to our Judaism naturally. Let us nourish our "Yiddishe neshamah" by doing more Mitzvos and cherishing our treasured traditions.
Here at Shaarey Zedek, we are dedicated to revealing this spirit of freedom in every Jew.
Take the Exodus challenge. Join the many that have come to learn and joined our Shabbat services. Give yourself the chance to find out. Our ever-expanding programs and activities are giving many the opportunity to explore their own Jewishness, to learn more about what it means to be a Jew, and to develop a feeling for our sacred traditions. All this, without becoming "religious."
I hope you will join us for our community Seder the 1st night of Passover Monday March 29, 2010 at 8:30PM and have the "Feeling of Home and inspiration of community". Please R.S.V.P. as soon as possible.
With best wishes for a healthy and happy Pesach,
Rabbi Sholom Galperin