Dear Friend,

As we come out of the uplifting days of Pesach, filled with a sense of freedom, miracles, and a deep connection to Hashem, we carry that inspiration with us into the weeks ahead.

In this week’s Torah portion, we read about Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aaron, whose souls were so deeply drawn to G-d that they brought a “strange fire” into the Mishkan, entering a place they were not commanded to go. Their longing to unite with Hashem was so intense that their souls departed from their bodies.

Their story is both powerful and tragic. It reminds us of the deep pull every soul has toward something higher, something beyond. Yet it also teaches us an essential truth.

We are not meant to escape the physical world, but to elevate it.

As Jews, we are made up of both body and soul, light and vessel. The soul yearns to rise, like a flame reaching upward, but it is specifically within the body, within our daily lives, that we fulfill our purpose.

Pesach lifts us. It gives us a taste of redemption, a sense of clarity, faith, and connection. But the real work begins now, as we return to our routines and bring that inspiration into the physical world.

Our mission is to take the light we experienced over Pesach and infuse it into how we live, how we act, and how we interact with those around us. Through mitzvot, through kindness, through living with intention, we transform the ordinary into something holy.

In this way, we become true beacons of light, helping bring healing to the world and moving one step closer to the era of Moshiach.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Zushe Cunin