Recently, a very special person, a Jew, by the name of Richard Albert, also known as Ram Dass, passed away. Ram Dass helped many, many people through his three word motto “Be Here Now.” However, this is not Ram Dass’s chidush.
When we go into this week’s portion, Parshat Mishpatim, Moshe is told by Hashem to “come up to the mountain,” “עֲלֵ֥ה אֵלַ֛י הָהָ֖רָה.” However the pasuk ends off with two profoundly important deep words, “’וֶהְיֵה־שָׁ֑ם,” “and be there.” Why did God have to tell Moshe to be there if He already told him to come up to the mountain? The Divrei Yisrael, the Modtitzer Rebbe, explains that many people attend services. They go to shul, to temple, to synagogue, they’ll go to classes. They’ll show up at events they know they should be going to, but are they there? So, God was telling Moshe Rabbeinu to let all of us know that when it comes to allowing Hashem to be in your life, and for you to connect that which is most important to you, your Godly spark within, it’s not enough to just show up, you also have to go deep inside and be present.
And just be there.
And be there now
עֲלֵ֥ה אֵלַ֛י הָהָ֖רָה וֶהְיֵה־שָׁ֑ם
This coming Shabbat we all be observing Shabbos, we’ll be showing up at shul, at the Shabbos table, but are were there? This Shabbos let’s raise that awareness and consciousness just a bit more.
Have a wonderful Shabbos everyone.
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