I was a Canadian citizen up until five years ago, when I became an American citizen. My upbringing in Montreal was wonderful. I became proficient in French, and I had an excellent Hebrew education where I studied Jewish texts at a young age. And the old-world charm of Montreal is still impressive every time my wife Peggy and I visit. But the United States, with its tremendous freedom and great love for pluralism, won me over.

I think that both political parties in America are strong. The Democrats gave us the New Deal, the War on Poverty, and who can't help but feel inspired when we see President Barack Obama? Less than 200 years ago, his forebears were shackled in servitude.

But I can't deny my affinity for the Republican Party, with its emphasis on the strength of the individual and its philosophy that there is nothing more powerful than the dedication and hard work of the individual. To me, the efforts of one person are more inspiring than the intervention of government. It is this philosophy that inspires me enormously. One man, John McCain, was able to stand up to his Vietnam torturers and today he sits in the Senate and even ran for president of the United States. This man, I believe, was able to inspire G-d's blessings on him.

These blessings from G-d are available to each one of us, if we accept the teachings of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotz (the Kotzker Rebbe) as he interprets our scriptural text for this week. Rabbi Menachem Mendel lived in Poland from 1787-1859. His commentaries were published in "Ohel Torah" and "Emet Ve'emunah." He brought great spirituality into his teaching, and he taught that G-d was the only reality.

The Kotzker Rebbe embraced the teachings of Kabbalah and explained them through the Torah narrative. He, like the Chasidic rabbis before him, sought to teach that every Torah text is really not only a one-time historical happening but a call addressed to every person. Here the Kotzker Rebbe shares this week's teaching from G-d, as found in this week's Torah narrative, Ki Tissa. "That which does not come about through our own effort does not last."

In this week's Torah portion, G-d tells Moses to recreate the Ten Commandments: "Carve two Tablets of stone like the first, and I will inscribe upon the Tablets the words that were on the first Tablets, which you shattered."(Ex. 34:1) Rabbi Menachem Mendel then asks us to consider Midrash Tanhuma Ki Tissa 31, "Carve for yourself-and be ready by morning." (Exodus 34:1-2)

When the Tablets were given by G-d to the Jewish people for the first time on Mt. Sinai, Scripture reports, "There was thunder and lightning and a dense cloud upon the mountain and a very loud blast of the horn; and all the people who were in the camp trembled. Moses led the people out of the camp toward G-d ... " (Ex. 19:16-17)

But after Moses destroyed the first Tablets because of the Golden Calf, G-d commands Moses to again ascend Mt. Sinai and carve the Tablets again. In this instance, the instructions that followed were "(no one else shall come up with you) And no one else shall be seen (anywhere on the mountain, neither shall the flocks and the herds graze at the foot of the mountain.)" (Ex. 34:3)

According to Midrash Tanhuma, the first Tablets were given in public and therefore the evil eye had control over them and they were ultimately broken. When the second Tablets were given, the Holy Blessed One said to Moses, "There is nothing more perfect than privacy, as it says, 'What does YHVH desire of you? Only to do justice, love mercy and conduct yourself in private ways.'"(Micah 6:8)

Rebbe Mendel interprets this midrash, saying "Regarding the first Tablets, because they were given in public, their sanctity was established by G-d more than by the Israelites. Therefore they do not last since their holiness was not due to the efforts of the Israelites. That which does not come about through our own efforts does not last. That is why, regarding the second Tablets, what was required was that they came about through their efforts, that they sanctify themselves even more. That is the significance of the teaching 'There is nothing more perfect than privacy,' as it says, 'What does YHVH desire of you? Only to do justice and love mercy, and conduct yourself in private ways.'"

When the Tablets created by G-d were given in public, they did not last. Yet when G-d's intervention was not so manifest, when Moses carved the Tablets, the holiness of the Tablets was stable and they were not destroyed.

The Kotzker Rebbe is teaching the Kabbalistic principle of itaruta dele-tata, arousal from below, over itaruta dele-eila, arousal from above. The former inspires more energy and directs the flow of Divine blessing more powerfully. That which comes about through our own efforts lasts and lasts and lasts. The Kotzker Rebbe embraces the power invested in the individual. Every person, through kavanah, hard work and dedication has the power within him or her to inspire blessings from G-d.

It is this principle that we embrace monthly at our Kabbalistic Shabbat services, held on the second Saturday morning of the month (March 13 this month). The oldest Hebrew word for "prayer" is avodah, which also means "to work." At our Kabbalistic Shabbat services, we do Lurianic meditations and "work" with kavanah, so that we, like the Kotzker Rebbe, can inspire Hashem so that we can receive His Divine Shabbat blessings. What can be better than that?

Rabbi Douglas Goldhamer is the founding rabbi of Congregation Bene Shalom (Reform )in Skokie. He is also the founder and president of Hebrew Seminary of the Deaf, where he is also professor of Jewish Mysticism.