CLERGY CORNER: To make the holidays really festive Stop being a turkey!

Posted on 21 November 2013 by LeslieM

The first day of Chanukah begins at sundown the day before Thanksgiving this year.

While this is a rare event, please make sure the turkey you eat is not rare, as Thanksgiving tends to be one of the busiest times for Emergency Rooms all over the country.

If you ask people why this is true, they are likely to think it has to do with eating too much food, or that the food is too rich, or, perhaps, as I said earlier, that the bird was not cooked through well enough.

I have another theory, and you are not going to be too happy with me when I share it with you. You see, I believe that far too many people can no longer sit happily, peacefully and civilly with their families without getting their emotions in an uproar. And, there is a good chance that that is going to affect some other part of your body. Your stomach might go haywire. Or perhaps your blood pressure will go up and your heart will start feeling like it is beating a mile a minute.

Just a couple of weeks ago, we were reading the story of Jacob and Esau. They were brothers … twins. And yet, both were very different individuals. This is apparent from a very early age to their parents. Their momma takes a shine to one and their pappa to the other.

Over the course of time, after multiple times of conniving, tattling and blaming one another, these brothers part company filled with such anger and fear that one actually lets the other know that, if he ever sees him again, he will kill him. OUCH! Now there’s every parent’s dream isn’t it? Children who not only feel no love for one another, but who would actually kill their own brother!

Now, I have to admit, especially as the baby in the family, there were probably times way back in our youth when my brothers may have wanted to kill me, but, somehow, they always let those moments go. And, let me tell you something, they must have loved me very much, because there were things I did and times I got them in trouble when they could easily have hated me for the rest of our days.

In the Biblical story of Jacob, we find that Jacob and his brother go 20 years without talking to or seeing one another. Esau remembers Jacob as he was 20 years before. He fails to think for a moment that perhaps his brother has changed, grown and is not the same conniving kid brother.

As the day approaches for them to meet again, there is fear, anger and mistrust on both sides. But when they finally see each other, they don’t get into a fist fight, they don’t start bringing up why they hated each other so badly, no, they choose to hug one another; they embrace.

For those of you who have issues with your loved ones, make this Thanksgiving a time to truly be thankful. Make this Chanukah a time of miracles. Embrace one another, break bread together and light up your homes with peace and love.

Wishing you a very Happy Chanukah and a most festive Thanksgiving.

Shalom my friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is the spiritual leader of Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach. We welcome you to join our warm and caring family for Shabbat and festival services. We’ll make your heart glow…who knows, you might even fall in love with Shul all over again.

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