For the past three days, I have been taking part in the Selah Leadership Conference, a training for Jewish leaders interested in exploring the intersection between Judaism, justice, and leadership. Last night, after an engaging day of learning, I returned to my room, put my earphones in my ears, and distractedly hit play on my iPod. I was ready to listen to the Idan Raichel Project and lose myself a little. I hit the button again, but still no sound came out. Disappointed, I shifted the tiny wonder box to see what the problem was. A message had flashed onto the screen: “No battery power remains. Please connect to power."
“Yes!” I said to my iPod.
No battery power remains. Please connect to power.
Please connect to power.
There is deep truth in this instruction.
In this week’s Torah Portion, Parashat Terumah, God says to Moses, “Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart so moves him.”
From Torah this week, God is affirming a number of significant truths. Each of us has gifts. Each of us has a heart that can move us. And, it is up to us to access our hearts and feel moved to share that which is inherently present in us.
In my recent learning, I heard an instructor address a room with a simple statement: “don’t hide your light under a bushel.” In Parashat Terumah, God shares these sentiments with us. Bring your gifts forward to your community. But…
No battery power remains. Please connect to power.
It is easy for us to feel our own “battery power” drained by our world. We need only open a newspaper, go online, or turn on the radio to be bombarded with messages of a world in turmoil. It is easy for our battery power to feel drained. It is easy for us to lose touch with our hearts and that which moves us. It is easy for us to forget that we are all connected to power. It is easy to slip into states governed by fear, worry, and despair.
I took my iPod, connected it to my computer through a USB cable, and instantaneously, it was ready to play again. Like the iPod, we need to connect periodically to that which energizes us. For me, my battery connection looks something like a daily walk, some study, meaningful conversation, prayer, and (if I’m being honest) a strong cup of coffee. It means recognizing that the power I gain from these practices of personal ecology is connected to the Power that animates all life.
On this Shabbat, I invite you to take stock of the power to which you need to connect. What gives you the power to access your gifts? What gives you the power for your heart to be moved? What gives you the power to live your life grounded in gratitude, generosity, and joy? This week God has asked us to bring forth our gifts. What might you bring to the meeting?
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