Question of the Week:
Rabbi, what is your wish for the New Year? What does a rabbi wish for? Do you want to become the Chief Rabbi or something like that?
Answer:
No, I am happy not to be chief rabbi. I would like to continue doing what I do, but perhaps with a bit of a new spin.
People usually turn to a rabbi when they are having problems. In the year that went by I met many couples who are having relationship issues, I spoke to people who are losing their faith in G-d, and I faced confused souls who question whether their life has any meaning. As a rabbi, one of my main roles is to be there for people in distress.
In the year to come I hope to meet many more people in distress, who are having relationship issues, losing their faith in G-d, and who question whether their life has meaning. But next year, it should be with a very different twist. Here are the only questions I hope to receive:
Marital Issues I Wish to Hear:
"Rabbi, we've been married for three years, and what can I say, we are really happy. We communicate well, have a good understanding of each other and a deep respect. Like anyone, we have the odd disagreement, and sometimes we say things in the heat of the moment that we shouldn't, but we deal with it maturely, recognise where we went wrong and in the end it brings us closer. Rabbi, we have no major problem, we are just hear to ask you: Is there any way we can make our marriage even better? Can we improve on what we have?"
Crisis in Faith I Wish to Hear:
"Rabbi, I am struggling to believe that G-d really exists. I used to have faith, but my experiences of late have made me doubt that there is a just G-d. I just landed a dream job with a great company, I am healthy, I met a wonderful girl, my phone bill went down this month, and my football team won the grand final. Rabbi, WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE ALL THIS? If there is a G-d, why did He choose me of all people to shower with so much good?"
The Meaning of Life Question I Wish to Hear:
"Rabbi, I feel that my life has no purpose. Ever since the Messiah arrived there are no more wars, terrorism has been defeated, poverty abolished, all sicknesses cured, lonely people have all found love, the oppressed have been uplifted. So what's the point of life? What am I needed for? I used to be able to help people. Now there are no problems in the world, I have lost the meaning in my life. What should I do?"
I know this is all just a dream. At the moment the world seems far away from such a blissful state, where the biggest problem is that there are no problems. We still have a lot of work to do. So let's do it. Where there is pain, let us all be healers. Where there is loneliness, let us be a friend. And let's thank G-d for all the amazing good that He has blessed us with.
Maybe then we will ourselves create a Messianic world, together we will bring on the dawn of a new era, an end to all suffering and sorrow, when the only battle to fight is an inner battle, and there is no evil - just good and better.

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