Shefa: The Jewish “Secret”

My wife, Shira, always shops for the smallest packages of food to conserve space in our three-shelf pantry. When I find a ten-ounce box of Cheerios, I cringe and dream of buying supersize at Costco. I prefer a plethora of cereal options to mix and match my breakfast. Shira retaliates by purchasing mini jars of peanut butter. My overstuffed closet is another point of contention. I have more than Shira does, and she calls me a packrat. I like having choices, and as long as they still fit, I see no reason to dispose of my favorites. So, too, with my CD collection, the gear in my music studio and my extensive library.

Am I too attached to material things? Yes! But I prefer to give my obsession another name: Shefa.

Shefa (abundance) is one of my favorite Hebrew words. On the basic level, it means having plenty of money in the bank account. Shefa is a full tank of gas, robust health, a beloved job, satisfying hobbies and ample time for family and friends. Having an array of cereal and T-shirt choices serves as my subconscious method of living in a world of shefa for at least some of my day. We add shefa to our lives by celebrating Shabbat and holidays like royalty — entertaining guests in grand style and holding court as the monarchs of Livonia Avenue.

I resonate with living large. I love my king-size bed. I love skiing big mountains, eating overstuffed burritos and sitting on an enormous Relax-the-Back chair. I love epic movies on big screens and multi-day music festivals. Big things give me big joy. I recognize that conspicuous consumption flies in the face of political norms. This is a time when conscientious Americans reduce carbon footprints by bringing canvas bags to the supermarket, driving hybrids and recycling. We must not abandon these astute practices — I am simply suggesting we distinguish between minimizing our consumption and maximizing our joy.

Some believe the drive to accumulate material wealth is at odds with Judaism or liberal values. In fact, all of our patriarchs and matriarchs were loaded! Their illustrious sagas are enshrined in our national consciousness to demonstrate that financial abundance isn’t just tolerated; it’s encouraged. Capitalism is great as long as we use our capital to heal the world and strive to be a mensch. Great wealth brings great responsibility.

The popular new age film “The Secret” echoes a truth that Jews have espoused for time immemorial: words have a tremendous impact. We bring abundance into being by harnessing this source of power. The incantation “abracadabra” comes from the Aramaic “I will create as I have spoken.” Prayer is simply speaking our deepest desires into being. We are God’s partners in creating the world we want. A world of peace and harmony, a world of unfettered joy, loving relationships and monetary success. Ask for your life to be filled with shefa.

Giving tzedakah (charity) is the ultimate shefa “magnet.” If we respond to those in need with our hard-earned cash, clearly God can trust us with abundance. Tzedakah is the quintessential key to the gate of righteousness. But I differentiate between macro and micro tzedakah. The macro-level is supporting the Jewish Federation, Israel, disaster relief and the homeless. The micro-level involves tzedakah in-person, always having cash on hand to dispense on the streets, in the minyan or to aging veterans at freeway exits. Holy generosity demonstrates we are aware of God’s presence, thankful for our gifts and excited to share the bounty.

In order to attract shefa, we must fashion ourselves into vessels primed for ever-increasing blessing. A Bat Mitzvah girl praying for a red Ferrari likely is not ready for such a vehicle. The answer to her prayer, regardless of how earnestly she asks, is going to be no. Over our lifetimes, God gives us challenges to determine how much shefa we can sustain. These tests build us into people who can deal with ever-greater gifts.

In order to attract shefa, we must fashion ourselves into vessels primed for ever-increasing blessing.

Building vessels for shefa is not only a spiritual call to action; it’s also a physical one.  Maimonides, the epic scholar and physician, insists we are fully responsible for maintaining our health so we can carry out God’s will. Once, on a chairlift at Vail, an orthopedic surgeon next to me asked what I do to stay in shape. I mentioned surfing, biking and skiing. He responded, “No, that’s what you do to your body! What do you do for your body?” The right answer would have been yoga, walking, stretching and cardio machines. I took his advice to heart. I’ve been a yogi for over a decade and find it crucial for withstanding life’s shocks and spills. Staying in shape enables the flow of shefa and, by extension, benefits our family, our community and the Jewish People.

Kabbalah describes a higher meaning of shefa: Our God is essentially good and created the universe to extend goodness in every direction. Shefa refers to the flow of God’s beneficence in all forms. Imagine a brilliant beam emanating from a spotlight toward a performer on stage. This is like the divine light highlighting all creation. But in troubled times, we tend to self-limit the flow of God’s light in our lives: We allow economic woes to diminish our outlook, feel beaten down at work and have less time to do the things we enjoy. Living in fear takes us out of the flow of shefa.

How can we pursue our dreams without trepidation, attracting blessings in our income, health and happiness? Maximizing shefa means taking calculated risks, bravely committing to a particular outcome. Courage doesn’t mean the absence of fear — it means “I’m afraid, but I’m committed.”

A few months after the cereal argument, Shira recognized that having variety is an important ingredient in my quest forshefa. Now she not only provides several kinds of cereal lovingly, but she also actively shops for brands I like. Our relationship with our Creator is much like a marriage: success is based on expressing heartfelt gratitude, being sensitive to what makes the relationship flow and rectifying what doesn’t.

God is continuously showering us with shefa. Only we can choose whether to acknowledge it. Shefa surrounds us in the form of every breath we take, our miraculous bodily functions, intelligence, loving relationships, self-awareness and inner peace. And, of course, in plenty of cereal in the cupboard, landing a great gig or the Holy Grail — finding a perfect parking spot. Living a life of shefa is the Jewish “secret,” one we can share with all of humanity.

Sam Glaser is a performer, composer, producer and author in Los Angeles. He has released 25 albums of his music, he produces music for various media in his Glaser Musicworks recording studio and his book The Joy of Judaism is an Amazon bestseller. Visit him online at www.samglaser.com. Join Sam for a weekly uplifting hour of study every Wednesday night (7:30 pm PST, Zoom Meeting ID: 71646005392) for learners of all ages and levels of knowledge.