Message of the Dove
"... The White Dove landed in the Bet HaMidrash of HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita. He held the dove with both hands and stroked her lovingly, and said "Dove, what do you ponder and what about do you wonder? ...Let it be HaShem's will." And then in the view of all present, the dove flew away and did not return.
This happened Friday, Erev Shabbat Rosh HaShana and the story spread like a wildfire. Is it a coincidence that the dove gave the message on Friday, and the Pride Parade is also scheduled for Friday? Nothing happens without a reason. What message was the dove bringing from HaShem?
The most "famous" story of the dove was in the time of Noah, zs'l, when he sent out at the end of the GREAT Flood a dove to determine if dry land had reappeared. "The dove came to him in the evening and behold, there was an olive leaf torn off in her mouth". (Genesis 8:11)
Rabbi Avahu, zs'l, asked, "If the dove brought the olive leaf from the Garden of Eden, could she not have brought something exceptional as cinnamon or balsam? Rather, it was a hint which she gave to Noah: Rather that my food be bitter as an olive but from the hand of God than as sweet as honey from the hand of mortal men." (Midrash - Genesis Raba 33:9)
The dove's message to Noah was: Don't forget what led to the downfall of mankind and brought on the Flood! It was man's insatiable need for physical pleasure, as if such pleasure was a goal unto itself.
The goal of creation is to be close to God, to be like Him, even if it means sacrificing physical comfort and pleasure. Physical pleasure is a wonderful by-product of living in this world, but not the goal.
It is the relationship to God that counts in the end, and a person has to be willing, in this world, to suffer discomfort sometimes to enhance it. We do it all the time as humans relating to humans; we have to do it as well as Jews relating to God. It is for this that we are rewarded in the World to Come and even in this world.
We achieve this by graciously accepting and loving the Almighty's three gifts to the Jewish people: Torah, The Land of Israel, and the World to Come. And above all, making our relationship with Him the top priority of our personal and national agendas.
It is only this that will save us from any further travail, as we experience the birth pangs of Moshiach. Our attitude can determine whether we bring him earlier and in peace, rather than at the last possible moment, through war and suffering.
War Against the Sitra Achra
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This happened Friday, Erev Shabbat Rosh HaShana and the story spread like a wildfire. Is it a coincidence that the dove gave the message on Friday, and the Pride Parade is also scheduled for Friday? Nothing happens without a reason. What message was the dove bringing from HaShem?
The most "famous" story of the dove was in the time of Noah, zs'l, when he sent out at the end of the GREAT Flood a dove to determine if dry land had reappeared. "The dove came to him in the evening and behold, there was an olive leaf torn off in her mouth". (Genesis 8:11)
Rabbi Avahu, zs'l, asked, "If the dove brought the olive leaf from the Garden of Eden, could she not have brought something exceptional as cinnamon or balsam? Rather, it was a hint which she gave to Noah: Rather that my food be bitter as an olive but from the hand of God than as sweet as honey from the hand of mortal men." (Midrash - Genesis Raba 33:9)
The dove's message to Noah was: Don't forget what led to the downfall of mankind and brought on the Flood! It was man's insatiable need for physical pleasure, as if such pleasure was a goal unto itself.
The goal of creation is to be close to God, to be like Him, even if it means sacrificing physical comfort and pleasure. Physical pleasure is a wonderful by-product of living in this world, but not the goal.
It is the relationship to God that counts in the end, and a person has to be willing, in this world, to suffer discomfort sometimes to enhance it. We do it all the time as humans relating to humans; we have to do it as well as Jews relating to God. It is for this that we are rewarded in the World to Come and even in this world.
We achieve this by graciously accepting and loving the Almighty's three gifts to the Jewish people: Torah, The Land of Israel, and the World to Come. And above all, making our relationship with Him the top priority of our personal and national agendas.
It is only this that will save us from any further travail, as we experience the birth pangs of Moshiach. Our attitude can determine whether we bring him earlier and in peace, rather than at the last possible moment, through war and suffering.
War Against the Sitra Achra
Labels: Teshuva
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