Nobody Knows, So...

There are two kinds of saints.  Those who are righteous in public, and those who are righteous in private.  And similarly, there are two types of heroes.  Those who win public battles, and those who win private victories. Of course, it is so, so, so much harder to be of the second type of saint and hero.  Because no-one will likely ever sing your praises.  And there might never be a plaque in the town square in your honor. To be righteous in private is measured in how we treat our friends, our parents, our loved ones, and our spouses.  And to win a private victory is to subdue a temptation, to conquer a bad habit, to refrain from yelling at someone when we are angry, or to hold back from making a funny joke when it might embarrass another person.  Even if he or she would never know... It is a funny thing about human nature, but we actually didn't need the Torah to teach us to be public heroes and saints.  Somehow, the world has never been short of people ready to fill those coveted spaces in the limelight. Where we really need the Torah's encouragement, and where we really need to find the greatest resources of personal integrity and honor, is in waging battle to bring out the righteousness within.  We all need to find our superpowers, and become heroes of the secret world of love and integrity. And as we head towards a new year and the birthday of creation, which takes place on Rosh HaShanah (in a week and two days!), and which will culminate on the Holiday of Succot -- we must all know and understand that the perfect world we dream of -- a world of peace and human brotherhood and sisterhood -- can only be made up of individually true and honorable individuals. So that personal battle -- the one inside you -- is the most important one of all.  It is the one that the whole world is depending on. Attached please find this weeks Shu-Shine on the Torah portion of 'Ki Tavo': "Nobody Knows, So...". May we all be blessed to bring honor and integrity to the private side of our lives, and to fill the rooms of our heart with the trophies of love, respect, patience, honesty, forgiveness, and contentment. This weeks shu-shine is dedicated to Michael Boxer, a spiritual man who is asking all the right questions, and to Kate Glass, and amazing Jewish woman who has been on a long journey home. With Love and a Smile, ~Shu