Maintenance Matters

Maintenance Matters The older I get, the more I appreciate the beauty of the Jewish holidays. Indeed, the Torah commands us to observe the 3 festivals (Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot) as a way of getting a spiritual burst -- a booster shot of spirituality -- and a means by which to connect with G-d in an enjoyable, beautiful and meaningful way. Sitting around the table and sharing numerous meals with my family and other guests while leaving behind the technology and daily grind for a week is an immersion in sanctity and inner bliss. This Passover, though, was special. Shortly before Pesach, we received a phone call from my sister-in-law in Montreal that she and my brother-in-law decided to rent a large mansion in Monsey, NY for the holiday and to host my wife’s entire family for the whole week. Considering the size of my wife’s family, this was a tremendous undertaking both in terms of energy and expense, and I can only say that my brother-in-law and sister-in-law are saints of the highest caliber! My kids were thrilled at the prospect of spending the holiday with so many cousins whom they don’t get to see very often and of course, at the thought of staying in a “mansion”! We arrived on Thursday night, and as we pulled into the large circular driveway, we realized that the mansion was indeed a sight to behold. Ornate pillars decorated the front steps and beautiful mahogany doors with stained glass windows greeted us. The kids were giddy with excitement, until we walked inside and headed to our rooms. To say the interior needed refurbishing is like saying the Grand Canyon is a hole in the ground. While it was evident from its construction that the house was magnificent and exquisite when it was first built in the 1980’s, little had been done to maintain its beauty over the past few decades. Paint was peeling everywhere, some walls had holes in them, cabinet doors were falling off and the ceiling had cracks all over. In one bathroom the sink only gave out boiling hot water (it was like brushing your teeth with hot tea). Additionally, the shower came out in a trickle that was slower than my garden hose at home, and the sliding doors to the bathtub were no longer “sliding” and were barely even “doors.” The basement had beds set up like a dormitory, and many light fixtures around the house didn’t work. In reality, this “mansion” was not even on the level of a “man-cave.” Nonetheless, despite the dilapidation, the house was spacious and comfortable enough for our needs. Most importantly, it was large enough for all of our families to be together under one roof enjoying each other’s company. Both adults and children all had an incredible time and it was easily one of our happiest and most enjoyable holidays ever. With the holiday now in the rearview mirror, I had a chance to reflect upon my last week. I thought about the “mansion” that we stayed in. Clearly the house was built as top-of-the-line and state-of-the-art. There was still much evidence left of its glory days from its majestic, tall ceilings with intricate designs to the columned portico overlooking the backyard, and from the many mahogany doors to the large chandeliers that were still present. It made me sad to see what had become of a once magnificent edifice that was now reduced to a shell of its former glory. Upon deeper contemplation, I think the house is a metaphor for life in general, and for this time of the year in particular. We all have moments of growth, times that we were inspired to become better people and that we acted upon that inspiration. Maybe it was because we heard an inspirational speech or were moved by a life event. Maybe it was a book we read or a celebration we were part of. In any event, we took that inspiration and used it as a springboard for spiritual growth. And that growth is indeed a thing of beauty! We have, in essence, built for our eternal souls a gorgeous “mansion” in the World to Come. Sadly, however, we human beings by nature have a hard time maintaining our growth. As my former teachers in yeshiva used to preach to us, “Life is like trying to go up on an escalator that is moving downwards. In order to even remain at the same level a person needs to be moving upwards at a steady pace. And in order to get to the top he has to put in tremendous effort. Without the necessary effort a person will by nature be brought down.” As we climb through the mountain of life we must continue to not only look for further growth but to expend effort just on maintaining the levels we have already attained. The same holds true for the gains we realized through celebrating a holiday. If observed properly, a Jewish holiday is an incredible opportunity to achieve spiritual heights. But how do we lock in that growth? (And I don’t mean the excess weight we inevitably put on – that certainly has no problem staying with us!) How do we not only keep that high level but take it to even greater heights? Fortunately, at least as far as Passover is concerned, there is a mechanism that the Torah has built in. You see, 50 days after the beginning of Passover the Torah commands us to observe the holiday of Shavuot. During those 7 weeks that are between Passover and Shavuot, a time period colloquially called the “Omer period,” we are bidden by the Torah to build upon the growth of Passover and continue to climb spiritual heights. To slowly, yet steadily, ascend the mountain of spirituality until on day 50 we are ready to commemorate and re-live the giving of the Torah upon Mt. Sinai. While there are many ways for a person to go about doing so, the main point is for everyone to choose an area of growth and in small ways to try and improve their spiritual standing during these 7 weeks. Such “maintenance” of our spiritual “mansion” is an absolute necessity and prevents it from decaying. As we move from Passover and head on a 7-week journey to Shavuot, I encourage you to give a thought to something you may have been inspired to work on and build upon it. It should not be too lofty of a goal but something manageable. Maybe it’s choosing to make a blessing on your cup of coffee. Or devoting 5 minutes a day to prayer. Or giving a daily amount of charity. Or lighting candles on Friday night. There are literally hundreds of things you can choose that will keep your mansion looking gleaming and beautiful. In the meantime I think I’ll go make myself a tea from the bathroom sink. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Yosef Koval