Closing Message - Rav Ezra
It is not every day that my arm is wrapped twice.
On Sunday, while the marks of my Tefillin were still fresh from Shacharit, I donated bood at the RJC -- receiving a bandage to cover the spot from where blood was drawn. I know that both the mitzvah of Tefillin and the opportunity to donate blood are not always available to or practiced by every person in our community, for all kinds of reasons, nonetheless I would still like to share a word about their connection - and what we can learn from these two incredibly embodied mitzvot.
A feeling that continues to regulalry emerge through this pandemic, is one of powerlessness - the inability to control outcomes, and the inability to help those around us, even as we witness folk's clear needs: economic, shelter, community. Tefillin reminds us of our responsbilities and power in this world.
The Mitzvah of Tefillin emerges as double symbol. The first, perhaps our most common association, is from the "Ve'ahavta" passage, recited in Shema - that we place on the Tefillin on our arms as a sign of remembering, as a way to embrace, wrap ourselves in, and be bound up in God's commandments and our obligations, just like the act of learning Torah, or of placing a Mezuzah.
However -- there is a second association which is drawn from the "Shemot" texts included in the Tefillin -- here, Tefillin is wrapped around the hand as a symbol of God's mighty hand which took the Jewish people out of Egypt. Wrapping Tefillin than represents Power -- specifically Divine Power -- to bring salvation.
Giving blood (which, if you haven't done so in two months, and you are healthy and allowed to give, you can do now!), also binds us to the people around us - literally transfering life-force from one person to another, and is also an ultimate expression of Divine Power, that has been handed down to human beings, in the form of modern medicine.
In a moment where we feel such weakness -- let us feel it in our bodies -- that we are bound up with God, with our fellow people, that for the most part, we can use our bodies, to donate blood, to carry groceries, to lend a physical or metaphorical hand -- and that by expressing power through our hands and arms, and through those of our doctors and medical practicioners, we can invoke God's Yad Chazaka, God's might hand - to bring salvation to the world once more.
p.s. When I sat down to write today's message - it occured to me that I've written a similar message before, the week of Parashat Bereishit-- and yet its so important, I felt it was okay to share again.
Reminder to all to take good care of ourselves and each other. Try to do something specific today that strengthens you, and something else that strengthens someone else.
