This week I read this incredible piece by Rabbi Nicole Guzik and feel this message to be deeply relevant and important. Please enjoy these words of Torah and share your thoughts with me.

Shabbat Shalom – Rabbi Metz

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In our recent visit to the beach, our children lamented that we had just one boogie board to share among the three kids. Such problems…I realize the sheltered lives they live.

Overhearing our silly conversation was a homeless man, smiling while watching my bickering children. He looked at me and said, “I have an extra boogie board. Take it.” And before I knew it, he wrapped the board’s cord in my hand and smiled an even larger grin.

I said, “Can I pay for the board?” And he responded with the most beautiful words, “Up to you. Now the blessings are in your hands to give.” I gave him something for the board and then, stared at my hands. The blessings are in my hands. The blessings are mine to give.

What a poignant lesson for this month before the High Holy Days. The blessings are in my hands. The blessings are mine to give. We all hold a unique set of blessings to offer this world. Only we can determine what they are and what we will offer. We can choose to close our hands and shut out the world or we can choose to open our palms and let the world experience our light.

Psalm 145 reminds us, “You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.” Perhaps we should reread the verse as follows, “God, you gave US the ability to open our hands so that WE should satisfy the desires of the living.”

God gave you the ability to open your hand. Open it. The blessings are yours to give.