Unplugged

“Electricity is pulsing through our veins, a charge is racing … energy, filling the ominous void within you; no need to live your life in that gap; got what you need right here on lightning tap, so charge me, charge you” (MH)

Are you sure you're plugged in?

Something's wrong. People sense it. The Jewish world feels it. And although we may live in an age with a unprecedented, powerful Ba'al Teshuva movement, we lose countless people each day to assimilation and intermarriage. Yet, besides the staggering number of disassociated, unaffiliated Jews throughout the world, we recognize a growing presence of religious Jews that lack feeling and emotion towards their daily observance of Judaism. You can almost sense people davening, saying brochos or wearing tzitzis in a completely unattached manner.

Like a body without a soul.
Why? Why are people not feeling the fulfillment and sense of spiritual achievement when performing mitzvos?
We know that the Torah and mitzvos have infinite power with which they are designed to infuse us with overwhelming joy and ecstasy.
But why do so many people not feel it? Why aren't they charged with positive energy from learning and doing mitzvos?

The other morning, after I got myself ready for davening, I slipped my Blackberry onto my belt and ran out to the car. When Shachris was over, I sat back in my car, took out my Blackberry to check my emails and texts (of course only after davening!), and noticed my battery nearly drained. 
"Funny," I thought to myself, "I know I charged it last night."
When I returned home, I went to take a look at my charger, and I quickly realized what went wrong. Although I certainly did plug the charger into my Blackberry, I didn't recognize that the charger wasn't plugged into the wall. My phone may have plugged in, but it still didn't charge. Even though the phone was plugged in, the plug wasn't! 


It is true. Torah and mitzvos are designed to charge us. Give us life. But we may think that as long as we plug them into ourselves we will feel charged. Unfortunately, this is not enough. The Torah and mitzvos themselves have to be plugged into the Source. When we learn and fulfill mitzvos, it does not suffice to do them with an empty mind and a severed heart. If we are not fulfilling our job with the understanding that we are working to be attached to - plugged into - the Source, Hashem, then we will not walk away charged.
Keeping Shabbos is not merely a mitzvah - it is a way to connect to Hashem. Tzitzis is not merely a four cornered garment - it is a way to wrap ourselves with holiness, thus coming that much closer to our Father. Yet, because people often do not comprehend this concept, Shabbos, wearing tzitzis, and any other mitzvah for that matter, becomes meaningless.
Becomes a body without a soul.
Even if people fulfill them - they have the charger plugged into them - the charger isn't connected to the Source ... and their energy and soul will soon run out of battery power. They will continue through life drained of spirituality and religious fervor.
It is, therefore, our most vital duty as Jews to make sure that when we fulfill a mitzvah, daven, or learn, that we are truly charging ourselves. That we realize what and why we are doing each particular action, and remained plugged in - to Hashem, lest we stop functioning as another 'cell' of His great and most powerful army.

Who's in charge here?
Be charged. Be super-charged.

Say to yourself ten times today:
"Hashem, please help me remain connected to You - always!"