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I Wish I’d Bought Some Bitcoins!

Thursday, February 25, 2021 - 4:13 PM

I remember the heated conversations 10 years ago during Shabbat kiddush at our shul:

“I’m investing in this brand new cryptocurrency called Bitcoin. It’s going to change the world! Do you also want to invest?”

“How much does it cost?”

“You can buy a Bitcoin for literally a dollar!”

“Um…I think I’ll stick to the dollar bill I know. Or something safe like gold. Not sure I want to risk my money on some craze…”

“Are you meshuggeh? You’ll lose all your money!”

“Don’t invest!”

“I’m investing!”

“It’s so cheap, what is there to lose?”

“It’s going to take over the world markets, I’m telling you…”

And so on…

I remember considering it. After all, it was so cheap and you never know… How I wish now that I had bought even a single Bitcoin back then! Today I could sell it for $50,000! Not a bad investment for a Chabad rabbi. And if I’d bought more…well, then I could’ve bought our Chabad center a Bitcoin building on the Upper East Side.

A few people from our shul did invest, and some of them are millionaires now! Hopefully they’ll remember the warmth and camaraderie (and delicious food!) at our kiddushes, and keep us in mind in their charitable giving.

I’m sure I’m not the only one wishing I’d invested back then.

But in conversation with a friend this week, I said, “Nu, you’re worth so much on paper now, surely you’re going to sell?”

“Absolutely not!” he said. “Rabbi, just Google what Bitcoin will be worth in 2030!”

So I did, and discovered that it’s expected to hit a $400,000 value. Which means that even if you bought now for $50,000, in 10 years you could cash in for $400,000. Still not a bad investment!

“But what if it crashes and you lose all your money?” I asked.

No response. After all, $50,000 is nothing for a product that is going to change the world!

So is he right? Will Bitcoin continue its surge or will it crash, devastating millions of people? No one knows.

But here’s what I do know, and how I can reassure you if you’re having non-buyer’s remorse:

On Rosh Hashanah G-d determines exactly how much each person will earn that year. The exact amount, to the dollar. And there is nothing we can do that will make us earn a dollar (or a Bitcoin!) more than that.

So, should you invest in Bitcoin? Well, if you have some extra money to risk, here’s what I suggest (for Bitcoin or any other investment):

First, pray to G-d, because He’s the one who controls the world and every aspect of our lives. Then make your investment with a promise that 10 percent of your earnings will go directly to charity. And then, well, then I wish you much success!

In fact, this is the story of Purim—the only book in the Torah that doesn’t mention G-d’s name even once. During the happenings in Shushan, G-d’s involvement was not overt. But looking back, it is clear that His hand and presence is reflected in every part of the story.

And that is what we need to do—open our eyes and recognize His presence in every moment and every aspect of our lives, including our investments. So if G-d has blessed your Bitcoin to turn into gold, it surely will!

Take The Mask Off!

Thursday, February 18, 2021 - 6:38 PM

My kids were excited to choose their Purim costumes this week. Zalman decided to be an astronaut and Mussya a ballerina. When they asked me what I wanted, I realized I’d actually love to take off my mask and dress as a human from the pre-covid world!

“Remember how we used to walk around?” I asked them. “When we could step out of the house with no mask at all, when we didn’t have to keep six-feet apart from other people? I would love to dress up like that for Purim. Just a normal human who had never yet heard of covid or social distancing.”

It was exactly a year ago on Purim when the world as we knew it changed drastically. Aside from face coverings becoming the new normal, the world also started wearing a more intense spiritual mask trying to hide its true identity. When you strip off that mask, you see a world filled with G-dliness, joy, purity, good deeds, and kindness.

I wish I could easily hop on a plane to Israel to celebrate my nephew’s wedding this month, but current restrictions don’t allow it. That is the Satan and the world’s mask trying to prevent my happiness.

I wish we could have our popular annual Chabad family Purim party, but social distancing laws are stopping us. That is the Satan and the world’s mask trying to thwart us from fulfilling the mitzvot of Purim.

I wish we could fly a group of wounded IDF soldiers to NYC to enjoy 10 days with our community, but alas, that too cannot happen. That is the Satan and the world’s mask trying to halt us from performing acts of kindness.

I wish we could enjoy a lavish Kiddush in shul this week, but the Satan and the world’s mask are preventing an enhanced and delicious Shabbat experience.

I wish we could host a massive Pesach Seder this year, but it’s looking unlikely. That is the Satan trying to prevent us from fulfilling our mission to bring the Seder to every Jew on the planet.

But on Purim we recognize that that mask, and the Satan’s doings, are just a front. A cover. A distraction. And when we peel that away, we discover the world’s true identity: a place that belongs to G-d and is inherently good and true and holy.

So what do we do? How do we peel away the mask and see the world as it truly is? We have to redouble our efforts to be happy. The month of Adar we are required to increase in joy, no matter what life throws our way.

Is it challenging to fulfill the mitzvah of Purim this year? Absolutely, but it can still be done with social distancing.

How do we make this world a home for G-d? With acts of goodness and kindness. By chasing mitzvot and showing G-d we choose to be joyous despite everything going on around us.

By waking up in the morning and saying “Thank you G-d for giving me life!” By lighting Shabbat candles. By putting on tefillin. By reaching out to friends and family who may be feeling lonely.

Our mission has not changed. There’s just an extra layer we need to peel away as we transform the world into a home for G-d, where His truth and light can shine openly.

Happy Purim!

Rabbi Uriel Vigler

Last Week, I Violated Shabbat!

Thursday, February 4, 2021 - 1:52 PM

I love being mandated to turn off my phone for 25 hours at the end of each week. It’s a pleasure and a relief to take a break from the incessant onslaught of news, email, texts, and social media. As much as we like to think we would be able to disconnect on our own, without Shabbat I can’t imagine we actually would.

Our triplets have recently become enamored with the Naki radio, which comes pre-programmed with a huge selection of Jewish music and stories that they can play themselves. They turn on the music and jump and dance together for hours, as they play song after song.

So when I turned off the phones for Shabbat, I turned off the Naki radio too, but my daughter started to protest, “One more song, one more dance, please!” But it was time to light candles and that was that.

Shabbat afternoon, I went out for Mincha and there was no minyan. So I prayed by myself and then came home. Seeing me back home, my 7-year-old daughter asked, “Is Shabbat over?” and I said “No, not yet.”

Either she heard incorrectly or she really wanted it to be, but the next thing I knew I was sitting on the couch with the music blaring and the whole gang dancing!

She had asked one of the triplets to climb up onto the counter and turn the radio on. I guess she figured in case it was still Shabbat, better to let him sin instead of her!

I blurted out, “Shabbos!” then quickly added, “No, don’t turn it off because that would be another violation.” So we spent the last 10 minutes of Shabbat with beautiful music blaring through the house.

We read every day in our prayers "Serve G-d with joy" To be happy and joyful is something that the Torah demands. No matter what life may throw at us, we need to be happy. There does not exist a human being on earth that does not have tremendous trials and tribulations but we are commanded to face these hurdles with passion and joy. Even when we have sinned, we still need to repent and return to G-d with joy and happiness!

So if we had to violate the Shabbat, at least it was with pleasure and music!

May we all observe Shabbat with happiness and joy, this week and every week!

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Uriel Vigler