Dear Friends,

This week has been humbling. It has taken us all out of our comfort zone. This week has reset all our lives and lifestyles.

Often my students ask me “Rabbi, if there is a G-d why doesn’t He show Himself as he did at the plagues in Egypt, the splitting of the sea, the revelation at Mount Sinai … and then the whole world would have an easier time believing in G-d”?

There are many answers to this question and perhaps in another post I can share them, but today, before Shabbat, one specific answer comes to mind.

To answer the question with a question (the classic Jewish way, of course) I would say to my students, “I challenge you to tell me exactly what would you recommend  G-d do in today’s science minded society while maintaining our free will to show us a sign without showing us G-d?”

Seems anything G-d would do for the good or seemingly bad short of actually showing Himself would initially be met with statistics, scientific opinions and explanations etc. What would it take for G-d to send us a message we can all hear? And recognize?

Today it seems that the Virus has spread almost across the entire earth and what ever message it carries, the message is for all of humanity. We are all in this together.

If there was ever a time to respond in unison as a nation, and for the collective benefit of mankind, it is through keeping Shabbat, as Jews have been doing for 3323 years.  Shabbat is about rest for G-d, rest for the earth, rest for the people.

This Shabbat light the Shabbat Candles, make kiddush, pray, bring light and G-d into your home, for your family, for your friends, for your community, for Canada, for Israel for all of humanity … illuminating the world through candle lighting is contagious too.

#bethelight

Candle Lighting time for Thornhill 7:13 PM

Wishing you good health and a positively contagious Shabbos.

Rabbi Shmuli & Chani Nachlas
Jewish Youth Network

Visit http://chabad.org/shabbat for all you need to know about keeping Shabbat.