Y Not I

In the movie Aladdin there is one theme of trust. Early in the movie Aladdin asks the Princess if she trusts him and when she says that she does indeed trust him, then he asks her to jump off the roof. Later on in the movie, Aladdin, posing as a prince again uses the same phrase when inviting Princess Jasmine on the magic carpet, and they go off and sing “A Whole New World.”

Thinking about this reminded me of what trust is, which is putting your faith in someone or something. In the movie the Princess trusted Aladdin enough to follow what he said even if it didn’t make sense to her, even if it went against what would be “conventional wisdom“, even if it meant possible death.

When then thinking about my faith and if I really am putting all my faith in G-d and trusting in him with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my strength (Deuteronomy 6:5). Certainly I think when it comes to thinks like eating Kosher, like observing the Shabbat, that I do these things not to make myself good, not to earn something from G-d, but because He asks, actually commands us to do these things. Following the commandments of G-d seem to be more of an act of love, than a work (1 John 2:1-6). I could write love letter all day to my wife, but if I do not treat her in a loving way, then what love do I really have?

I think I have a long way to go. I fall so far short so often. Even in the Torah, which obviously I hold in such high esteem, I do the simple things like the Holy Days and eating biblically Kosher. Certainly there is so much more in Scripture, in Torah for me to learn and to see how I can incorporate these things in my life.

I really think we all need to look, and use our faith in G-d more than our mind when trying to determine how to follow G-d. I think simple faith says, G-d’s Word says it, I believe it and so I will do it. Obviously, each of us needs to take things in the context of how they were written and understand the reason and the rationals and not misuse the Scriptures. So, the simple faith plus a mind to put in all in a Biblical perspective helps us to walk our faith each and every day.

So let me encourage you, and remember myself to have a heart ready for G-d to work with and put my total trust in G-d and just like Jasmine trust enough to jump when G-d asks me to jump.

Baruch HaShem.