Chabad of Cobb: It’s Time to Act
By Rabbi Ephraim Silverman | Chabad of Cobb
First, a contemporary New Year’s wish: Almighty G-d, my prayer for 5777 is for a fat bank account and a thin body. Please don’t mix these up as You did last year. Amen.
There is no question that Judaism is action-centric.
Philosophy, good intentions, feelings and identity are all wonderful and important. We should all feel very Jewish and be good people inside, but Judaism demands action.
I hear many people say that when it comes to Judaism and their relationship with G-d, what is important is what is in their hearts: Jewish feeling and identity. What is strange is that with almost every other aspect of life, they recognize that it is the action that counts in the end.
Imagine in a marriage, a man says, “I love in my heart, but I won’t express the love in my speech or behavior.” See how far that relationship goes.
Imagine you tell your boss, “In my heart I felt like coming to work” or “I had good intentions for getting the job done.” Let me know how long you keep the job.
There is an old Chinese proverb: Talk doesn’t cook rice.
Remember, people will judge you by your actions, not your intentions. You may have a heart of gold, but so does a hard-boiled egg (author unknown).
In Judaism, action is the key. During these High Holidays, let us think about new Jewish actions we can take.
Wishing you a happy and sweet new year.
Rabbi Ephraim Silverman is the co-director of Chabad of Cobb.
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