Every Jewish Neshama Counts

Sometimes when I visit shuls across the country, rabbis ask me about why I keep telling the Jewish people how special they are. They tell me that we all know that we are chosen, so tell us something new; maybe a new insight on the Torah portion, a novel idea in chassidus or some new story that will inspire the people.

Well most Jewish people don't realize who they are, to whom they are connected and their mission in this world. Some think that it is up to someone else to make this world a dwelling place for HaShem. Someone that is more capable, more scholarly, someone more dynamic with charisma and outstanding oratory skills.

Nothing can be further from the truth. Any jewish person: man, woman, boy, girl, young or old has the ability and the power within to change this world by revealing the G-dliness that already exists here. The jewish people, like all others, find themselves in the everyday routines of making a living, raising a family, getting a better education and sometimes just trying to survive in these times. It is easy to lose sight of the main purpose of being in this world, the reason that we were created, born and are still living today.

Everyone of us is special and precious to HaShem and must be reminded constantly. No matter how many times we hear it, it will never be enough. It must be said over and over again and then even more. We need to encourage, give hope and strength to each other and above all, help and love one another.

How we view ourselves and others is what we will become and it will shape how others will, in turn, view us. When our teacher Moses sent men to spy out the land of Israel, which HaShem gave to the Jewish nation, the spies came back and said "there are giants in the land and we are like grasshoppers in their eyes." Such a negative self-perception put tremendous fear into the entire nation, but two men, Calev and Joshua, spoke up and said "we can take the land." They thereby encouraged and gave hope and strength to the nation.

In the Torah reading for this week, Bamidbar (Numbers), HaShem instructs Moses to count the children of Israel. Rashi, our great teacher and commentator on the Torah, explains that the

reason for the counting is that the jewish people are precious to Him and HaShem counts them all the time. If Hashem counts and reminds the jewish people of how special and precious they are, how much more should we remind each other.

This Torah portion is always read before the feastival of Shavuous, the day on which we recieved the Torah. On Shavuous we read in Exodus 19:5-6, "You shall be My special segulah (treasure)
among all the nations....you will be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." Here, again, Rashi explains that segulah means a cherished treasure, the same as costly vessels and precious stones which a king stores up.

Chassidus teaches that this means that the jewish people will be perceived by G-d not only as something precious, but also as something very special which must be cherished. Here the Torah also states that "You will be to me," describing an essential association to G-dliness, an intense intinsic and ultimate relationship with G-d. This high and lofty status of kings and priests was conferred upon us in order to make this world a dwelling place for G-d, the ultimate purpose of creation.

I am excited about my relationship with G-d, about Torah and good deeds, about being a jew and most of all about being part of the most special nation on the earth. So I will keep on telling you how precious and special you are, who you are and why you were chosen. Each and every one of you have the power to change the world and make it into a dwelling place for G-d.

Learn a little more Torah.
Do one more mitzvah.
Love one another.
L'chaim, L'chaim
r. yaakov ephraim