Translation by Yehoshua Siskin
Shavua tov from London. Ever since this past Shabbat began, a thought from Rebbetzin Rachie Binstock has stayed with me.
We were sitting in the living room of Lauren Breslauer who hosted a Kabbalat Shabbat for women. Girls, mothers, and grandmothers from the neighborhood had gathered there to sing all the Kabbalat Shabbat songs. I have been to many Kabbalot Shabbat in many different styles, but had never experienced anything like this: women coming together simply to sing the psalms of King David in those special moments when the six days of the week come to an end and Shabbat begins.
And then Rebbetzin Binstock, who had organized this special Kabbalat Shabbat, shared a powerful message with us:
"We have now lit the Shabbat candles and we see their light in front of our eyes. Our sages say that each mitzvah we perform creates light, even when we do not see it. We need to know that each positive action creates spiritual light. Try to imagine how each good thing that you do -- giving tzedakah, saying a blessing, helping another person -- brings a little more light into the world."
