Gem Of The Day Thursday 7 May

While many are no longer commuting, I am continuing to send these out and hope they help us all get through a challenging time.  As always, feedback is welcome.

This week’s learning is in memory of *Brian Eisenberg, Avraham Ben Aaron z”l*, whose shloshim was this past Friday, may his memory be for a blessing.  To sponsor a week of *Gems for your Journey* please be in touch with me or the shul office – admin@pinnershul.org.

⏰ Coronavirus has thrown out all sorts of challenges for people.  One of the most surprising for me has been the fact that time seems to melt into one long stretch.  I wake up each morning and have to figure out what day of the week it is!

🕯️ One of the most central parts of Torah life appears in _Parshat Emor_, namely the outline of Shabbat and the Festivals also known as the “_Parshat HaMoadim_” since it is the festival leining for the second of _Pesach_ and the first two days of _Succot_ (_Vayikra_ 22:26-23:44).  Among the most noteworthy elements of Shabbat and Yom Tov is that they enable us to sanctify time by giving it structure and purpose.

🚶 In an era of turmoil, routine and structure can empower us to keep moving forward.  This idea is not limited to Shabbat and festivals – the word “_Halacha_” (Jewish law) is from the root “_lalechet_” meaning “to go” or “to move”.  The discipline of this spiritual system of guidance is in fact what helps us to keep going.  Speaking personally, waking up for davening at the same time each morning and maintaining some sort of learning schedule, together with Shabbat and Yom Tov have helped tremendously during the past month and a half.

⌚ Especially at a time like this, the impact of utilising the Torah’s direction to help us create a framework cannot be overstated.  Making daily prayer, weekly Shabbat and regular learning part of what we do not only helps us feel a little more normal, it facilitates our continued growth as productive human beings.

Please feel free to share any feedback you have.  To join other WhatsApp groups visit www.pinnershul.org/WhatsAppGroups.