Fire up the passion!

Rabbi Fishel Zaklos

One of my favorite childhood memories is on Lag B’Omer, when our community would celebrate with the traditional huge bonfire. Okay, even today, it’s still one of my favorite things. There’s just something about fire that completely draws our attention in and fascinates us humans. We could sit and stare at it for hours.

On Lag B’Omer [literally, the 33rd day of the omer] we commemorate the passing of the 2nd-century sage, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. Rabbi Shimon had specifically asked that this day be marked with celebrations and joy. That’s where the fire comes in. Rabbi Shimon was a sage of fierce passion, which his students described as a powerful raging fire.

This past month, my wife, Ettie, and I were privileged to travel to Israel with a group from our Chabad of Naples community. One of our very first stops was up north in Meron, at the resting place of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. The fiery passion of Rabbi Shimon still lives today and, especially in Meron, we were moved to be able to feel it.

Chevron Torah celebration

All throughout Israel, we were blessed to experience the fire and excitement of Judaism. In Hebron, after visiting Marat Hamachpela, which is the holy resting place of our ancestors, we got to join an enthusiastic celebration welcoming a new Torah scroll. We danced in the streets with the local residents and felt an extra excitement and joy.

In a few more weeks, it will be Shavuot, and we will celebrate receiving the Torah well over 3,000 years ago. Every year we celebrate anew, full of excitement (and ice cream and cheesecake) and gratitude as if G-d has just given us this gift for the first time.

Passion and warmth keep people alive. When you’re excited and care about something, you want to keep making it even better and greater.

When our children see our love for Judaism, kindness and mitzvot, they want to continue it.

The truth is, we all have a little flame inside of us — or sometimes just a small spark — but it’s there, waiting for us to find it and fire it up into something big. Everyone finds their fire in a different place, whether it’s in collecting for the local food bank, lighting Shabbat candles, visiting the lonely of our community or opening a Torah book to learn something new and interesting.

At Chabad of Naples, we like to rally around this flame, or spark, a lot. It’s there in you and will only bring you joy when you find it. Start with something that you connect with and bring it into your home! Whether it’s holding a Friday night Shabbat dinner, hosting a Torah study session or setting up a charity box on your shelf.

Today, when the Jewish nation is spread out around the world and facing all kinds of existential threats, it’s more important than ever to find that Jewish passion and keep it burning.

As it says in the foundational Shema prayer, “You should love G-d … and you should teach it to your children.” When our children see our love for Judaism, kindness and mitzvot, they want to continue it. It becomes that mesmerizing fire that everyone loves to stare at for hours on end.

So, this Lag B’Omer, while you stare at those mighty flames, think about your passions. What good deeds will you show excitement for and captivate the next generation with? How will you show the joy and love of Judaism more than the oy and fear?

Wishing you a very happy Lag B’Omer and Shavuot!

Rabbi Zaklos Fishel serves at Chabad Jewish Center of Naples.