Thursday, June 2, 2011

BASHERT

While recuperating from my recent illness, I developed writers block. To stop being self absorbed with feeling tired all the time, I started reading my emails from faithful readers. One comes to mind. Her name is Marlene. She titled her email "BASHERT" Marlene mentioned she visited a town unexpectedly, and on the street she met a Chassidic man who approached her. After discussing who he was and where he came from, it turned out he was a grandson of a Cantor she knew in her home town. It was Bashert she took that path on the street to meet someone from Jewish Geography.

BASHERT means “fate” a word most Jewish people use pertaining to fate. When people don't have an answer to why something happened, they say its bashert. Or perhaps a coincidence occurs, they say it is bashert. They romanticize, for example, the whole idea of a guy and a girl meeting. It was fate that put them together. Gentiles also like to think that relationships come from fate, but they don't put quite as much stock in it as Jews do. To find the right mate, gentiles think you have to travel around a lot, meet people, join three hundred singles groups, vacation with Club Med, attend a matching session, go to another group, then to a singles bar. Finally, you meet someone. And they say "that is fate."

We have all heard of Jewish geography. Put ten people in a room, find out where they are from, and mention some people you know from their town and for sure they will know someone.

BASHERT: When I was a teenager, I decided after going to Camp Olympus for seven years I 'd try Camp Na Sho Pa. It was Bashert I picked that camp as that is where I met my husband.

BASHERT: In my previous blogs on Psychics, it was Bashert when I could not go to the beach that warm day and had to finish cleaning my garage. It was Bashert I found my lost diamond ring on the floor missing for several months. (Read my past blog on "HOW I FOUND MY LOST TREASURE." March 6, 2011)

BASHERT: My son did not want to go to college and wanted to find himself climbing a mountain and learn how to survive in the wilderness all for $1000. Although I was against it, my husband said he should get it out of his system. He paid the fee. Worried about what kind of idiots he might meet there, it was Bashert, they were all medical students, chiropractors and doctors. He was the youngest in the group. When they learned about his lack of confidence, they took him under their wing giving him guidance and recommended a school in Wisconsin that would accept him. It was Bashert they influenced him in the right direction where we couldn't. (Read my 2/20/2011 blog on "WHAT ABOUT PSYCHICS, ASTROLOGERS AND SPIRITS OF THE DEAD")

BASHERT: An unexpected force drove me to a nearby office asking for a job. I had no idea they were planning on advertising for someone to bring in more sales. After a few interviews I was hired.

Did fate come into your life? Was it Bashert for you? Please click on the comment box below. Would love to hear other stories.

1 comment:

Marlene said...

hi iris. i sent everthing to the rabbi who sent this email.
Msrlene

From:
Rabbi Chaim L. Teleshevsky

Very nice, Thank you.

I didn't know how to comment on her site so I'll give you my comment...

Bashert means it was meant to be. Bashert is used in marriage more so than other contexts, (to the point that a spouse or fiancee cn be referred to as "my bashert",) because every soul starts off as one whole soul with a male and female part that splits at birth so as we mature be begin our path to finding theone who we "were meant to be" with...

But in truth, notwithstanding the fact that practically everyone has a "bashert story" about their marriage... each moment and interaction in our life is caused and governed by a specific Divine Providence, for a specific reason. The more we look into the details of our life the more we see this guidance as this lady began to illustrate...

Happy Shavuos.

Joy is contagious. Spread it!

Rabbi Chaim L. Teleshevsky
Chabad on Montana
(310)280-6598
RabbiChaim@ChabadOnMontana.com