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In the above verse, the Jewish nation is instructed to be "holy, for I am holy." Many Biblical Commentators interpret the phrase being holy to mean demonstrating self-control in overcoming natural human desires and instincts. While humans were created with desires and instincts, Hashem commands us to conquer these urges in an effort to attain holiness and connect to Him. In the past few days, more than 6 million Floridians have evacuated their homes in anticipation of Hurricane Irma. Florida Governor Rick Scott warned residents that, "Hurricane Irma will be the most catastrophic storm the state has ever seen," and encouraged everyone to seek shelter before the storm's arrival. Evacuation and self-preservation would be the normal human response to Governor Scott's warning. It is only natural that humans would want to distance themselves from the looming threat of danger. Contrary to this natural human instinct, volunteers of ZAKA, Israel's leading volunteer search and rescue organization, have established command centers in the areas forecast to be hardest hit by Irma. Equipped with generators, sleeping bags, food, water and search and rescue equipment, ZAKA is standing by to evacuate stranded residents, and treat the wounded. As commanded in the above verse, these ZAKA volunteers currently stationed in the USA are representing the Jewish people and the State of Israel in keeping with the Biblical value of being holy by helping those in need rather than protecting themselves. Your support will allow ZAKA to continue their work during this critical time.
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