Have you ever felt lost? Not physically lost, but unsure of your place, where you should be, where you should go?
My mother used to tell me to put things away. Everything has its place, and when we put things away, then the room is neat.
We also need our place. We need to feel settled and secure. But unlike the clothes, items and accessories in our home, that have a permanent place where they really belong, our place moves constantly, depending on our circumstances.
Rabbi Efrem Goldberg often says – you are where you are meant to be. Stuck in traffic? Meant to be. Still stuck in the same job? Meant to be. Stuck talking to someone you don’t really like? Meant to be.
This doesn’t mean that we don’t make efforts to change. It means that we can ask ourselves – what can I learn from this current experience now? Hashem put me here for a reason.
This week, we will be celebrating Shavuot. The momentous day when we, the Jewish people, and Hashem, made a Covenent to be faithful to each other, forever. This is when we became Hashem’s people. We committed to keep the Torah and Hashem committed that we would be His special children.
In that incredible day – our ancestors, refuges from Egypt, gathered around Mount Sinai. There was thunder and lightening – the people were afraid.. they took a step back.
The Torah writes “and Moshe brought them to their place at the foot of the mountain” (Exodus:19:17).
Each person has a place. Each person has their moment. Yes, we are one people, and the Torah was given to us as a community, but we cannot get lost in the crowd. Someone else will do it. Someone else is more talented. Our tradition tells us that not only our ancestors were there, but each of our souls were there too. In their place.
We may not like our current place. We may feel that someone else would be better suited, or we’d be better off somewhere else, but if we embrace our current reality and ask Hashem to direct us in how to fulfil our individual mission right now, right here, then we will hopefully feel more “grounded”, and accomplish great things.
You are where you are meant to be. Shabbat Shalom and Happy Shavuot.
Shuli
P.S. Click below for the link to our Shavuot book with a few more details about this special day: