A few years ago, a man approached me, introducing himself as a Protestant Christian, and asked to meet with me. During our meeting, he told me the following:
"I got divorced a few months ago. I have a 10-year-old daughter who mostly lives with my ex-wife but also spends time with me. The problem is, I’m religious—and she is an atheist. I want my daughter to grow up believing in the Creator of the world, and her mother is completely opposed to that. It’s already caused a huge conflict between us."
"Can you advise me what to do? It’s really important to me that my daughter grows up to be a person of faith."
So I asked him: "Why did you come to me? I’m a Jewish rabbi, and you’re a Protestant Christian."
He replied: "A Jewish friend told me that for creative solutions, I should speak to a Chabad rabbi."
Honestly, he was right. And I didn’t even have to work very hard, because the Rebbe didn’t leave a single area of life without clear guidance on how to approach it.
I remembered the Rebbe’s long-standing campaign in America to introduce a concept called the *“Moment of Silence”* into public schools—a moment at the beginning of the day where children pause for 60 seconds to reflect on the world, its Creator, and its purpose. The Rebbe explained that this *Moment of Silence* would have a positive impact on the moral, spiritual, and ethical well-being of the youth—and by extension, the world.
I suggested to the confused father that he explain to the mother and daughter that he wasn’t asking them to *do* anything—not even to speak. Just to *be silent*—and only for 60 seconds each morning. To be silent and think about the trees and flowers, the water and the sky; to connect with their surroundings and silently give thanks for the beautiful nature around us.
This requires a bit of "divide and conquer." One must learn to pause and separate for a moment from what we perceive as bad, difficult, or painful—and instead look at the good. Because there’s always good, and it’s a shame to ignore it. When a person truly observes the beauty and goodness, they naturally say "thank you."
In this week's Torah portion, *Parshat Vayikra*, we learn about sacrifices. One of the most unique was the **Tamid offering**—the sacrifice brought at the beginning of every single day. Because the day should begin with gratitude. The phrase we say in the morning—*“Modeh Ani Lefanecha, Melech Chai V’kayam”* (“I give thanks before You, Living and Eternal King”)—is deeply meaningful and essential. The more deeply we live in a mindset of gratitude, the better our day will look—both for us and for those around us. Gratitude brings with it humility, modesty, faith, and a willingness to give of ourselves.
That is each person’s personal daily Tamid offering.
Try it at home.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Zalmen Wishedski