Chabad of Cobb: It’s Time to Act

By Rabbi Ephraim Silverman | Chabad of Cobb

First, a contemporary New Year’s wish: Almighty G-d, my prayer for 5777 is for a fat bank account and a thin body. Please don’t mix these up as You did last year. Amen.

There is no question that Judaism is action-centric.

Philosophy, good intentions, feelings and identity are all wonderful and important. We should all feel very Jewish and be good people inside, but Judaism demands action.

I hear many people say that when it comes to Judaism and their relationship with G-d, what is important is what is in their hearts: Jewish feeling and identity. What is strange is that with almost every other aspect of life, they recognize that it is the action that counts in the end.

Imagine in a marriage, a man says, “I love in my heart, but I won’t express the love in my speech or behavior.” See how far that relationship goes.

Imagine you tell your boss, “In my heart I felt like coming to work” or “I had good intentions for getting the job done.” Let me know how long you keep the job.

There is an old Chinese proverb: Talk doesn’t cook rice.

Remember, people will judge you by your actions, not your intentions. You may have a heart of gold, but so does a hard-boiled egg (author unknown).

In Judaism, action is the key. During these High Holidays, let us think about new Jewish actions we can take.

Wishing you a happy and sweet new year.

Rabbi Ephraim Silverman is the co-director of Chabad of Cobb.