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Parasha Insights

By Rabbi Dov Labi
August 7, 2016

MimaamakimKeraticha Hashem. “Out of the depths I cry to you, Hashem” …. Psalm 130:1

There is a story about a father and son who had become estranged. The son ran away from home, and his father set out to find him. The father searched for months, but to no avail. As a last effort, the father took out a full page ad in a newspaper. The ad read:  “Dear Moshe, meet me in front of the Synagogue at noon on Shabbat. All is forgiven. I love you. Your father”.  The next Shabbat, 800 men named Moshe showed up, all looking for love and forgiveness from their father.

How many people in life are walking around looking for love and forgiveness from their Father in Heaven?

If you are like the rest of us, you have probably messed up once or twice in your life. We all make mistakes!  As it say in Kohelet (7:20), “Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins”. However, there is also a danger in thinking that you are only a sinner. Every time we fall, there is the risk that we will be too discouraged to get back up again. The next step after sin is repentance; yet sometimes, we find it hard to move on.

In Tehillim 130 King David exclaims, “Out of the depths I call out to You…”  The Sages explain that the “depths”  King David is referring to, is the depths of sin. Sometimes when we sin, we feel so low and so far from G-d. We feel like we are deep in the gutters of life. How can we possibly climb out? How can we face our G-d again? We feel distant, unlovable, and unworthy.

The Sages caution us, “ Do not consider yourself wicked in your self-estimation!” If we give in to those feelings of unworthiness, we will never be restored to our tru selves. In Tehillim 130 King David reminds us that G-d is forgiving. He implores us to “put your hope in the LORD, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption.” (v.7) G-d is waiting for us, loving us, and anticipating our return so that He can forgive us. We just need to return to Him.

Imagine that you open the newspaper today and you see an ad with your name on it: Dear ____. Meet me in Synagogue on Shabbat. All is forgiven. I love you.  Your  Father.” Believe it—– G-d is sending us this message every day! We just need to turn to G-d in repentance, and He will do the rest.

Shabbat Shalom and may there will be peace to Am Israel and our soldiers. Amen

Rabbi  Lavi

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