To
My Dear Students,
This week's Torah Portion, Noach, features
the story of the Tower of Babel. The builders
of this edifice were not content with what they
had - earth - and wanted to conquer Heaven as
well. They believed happiness was
somewhere "out there."
There
is a legend about an artist who became dissatisfied
with his work and decided he could only be happy
if he could paint the most beautiful object in
the world. He traveled far and wide to find
this object. One day he stopped a bride
on the way to her wedding and asked, "Tell
me, what is the most beautiful thing in the world?"
Without
hesitation, she answered, "Love."
So
the artist tried to paint love, but his efforts
were to no avail.
The
he saw a soldier returning from war and he asked
him the same question: "What is the
most beautiful thing in the world?"
The
soldier answered, “The most beautiful thing in
the world is peace.”
Whereupon
the artist tried to paint peace, but the result
was poor.
Then
he met a holy man reciting prayers and asked him
the same question. The holy man answered, “The
most beautiful thing in the world is faith.”
The
artist tried to paint faith but again was unsuccessful.
Finally,
he returned to his home, tired and depressed.
His wife greeted him joyously and he saw in her
eyes the love of which the bride had spoken. He
sat down in his favorite chair in the living room,
looked about him, and suddenly felt the peacefulness
of which the soldier had spoken. He took his children
in his lap and in their eyes he beheld the faith
of which the holy man had spoken.
And
suddenly, the artist realized that he had found
what he had been seeking, not somewhere far away
but in the intimacy and love of his own home and
his own family.
Happiness
is not far off. Our greatest treasures are very
near at hand. If only we would appreciate them!
Shabbat
Shalom,
Your
Rabbi
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