Lost Satellite Reception

For the most part, I enjoy driving and long rides. In fact, as long as there is nothing pressing (read: low gas, imminent Shkiah, etc.), I am even okay with an occasional missed exit or detour.

There is one thing, however, that I have a very hard time with, regardless of how patient I am feeling, or how enjoyable the ride is. I cannot handle losing satellite reception. 

It can happen while driving along an open highway, or crowded city street. Somehow I unintentionally drive out of the satellite's range. Without warning, the navigation app bleeps the dreaded tone, and in its gentle, yet unmistakably serious voice, it announces: "Lost satellite reception".

Panic sets in.

The Elephant in Me - Part 3 - The Washdown

As the supervisor has done in the story, the Yetzer Hara is out to prove that the outer layer of nature - our Kabolas Ol - is not our true color.

Pressures in life, doubts about our Tafkid, or a in cooling our Bitachon, are all experiences that can potentially weaken our commitment to our Tafkid.

Sadly, there are times when our resolve is weakened, and the layer of Kabolas Ol starts to peel. The Yetzer Hara exploits and exaggerates the impact of these cracks, with the intention of washing away more and more of our layer of Kabolas Ol, R"L.

"Kabolas Ol is just a layer!" The Yetzer Hara argues. "It is not the real you. Wouldn't it be better if it was completely washed away so the true you can shine?"

Yes and no.

The Elephant in Me - Part 2 - The Layers

והנפש השנית בישראל היא חלק אלו-ה ממעל ממש

(Tanya Ch. 2)

The essence of every Yid is the beautifully pure Neshama, which is literally a part of Hashem.

The Neshama's only desire is to serve Hashem.

While enclothed in the human body, it disregards hardships from within and without, and restlessly yearns to reconnect itself with its source - Hashem - The Source of all Life.  

When a person is born, a layer of desires and passions is painted on top of this pure soul. This layer is called: The animal soul.

The animal soul keeps us alive, and its desires and passions form our nature, personality and drive. This soul cares only about its self-promotion, gratification and survival. Having been put in charge of us at birth, the animal soul directs our every action, from the very first moment we enter into this world.

The Elephant in Me - Part 1 - The Evolution

Back in the day, having a white elephant was a sign of status and royalty. Being a luxury commodity, bred only in one country, the government imposed a heavy tax on the export of these rare white elephants.

One day, a shrewd businessman was seen parading an inconspicuous band of twenty grey elephants toward the customs checkpoint. After a cursory inspection, and finding everything in order, the clerk waived the businessman through the checkpoint. As he walked away, the businessman smirked to himself, and was duly noticed by the checkpoint supervisor. Before he had a chance to pass the border, the businessman was called back.

As calmly as he could, he marched his elephants back to the checkpoint. A huge water cannon was brought, and the operator began hosing down the elephants. Not being satisfied with a single wash-down, the supervisor ordered the cannon operator to do another, slower wash-down, with a higher water pressure.

And then it happened...

Splinters and Peas

In the days of Noach - before the flood - the world was corrupt with thievery, among other sins. Our Chachomim teach us that thievery was the sin which ultimately sealed the fate of that generation, for which they were punished with the flood.

In describing the thievery, the Medrash relates a typical scenario: A man would come to the market with a basket of peas to sell. The people would then conspire on how to rob him, yet in a cunning way, so that they could not be punished in court for their deeds, as follows:

Each person would take but one pea from the basket, and, before long, there were no peas left for the man to sell. Since a pea cost less than the amount of money which can be litigated in court, the man would be left with nothing, and no legal recourse with which to recoup his loss.

Ready or Not

Recently, my kids were reading one of their favorite books: a book about children preparing for Shabbos.

As they read, something puzzled me.

"Is it Shabbos yet?"

"No," Mommy answered. "We still need to..."

Wait a second.

Is it Shabbos yet? No, it isn't Shabbos yet, because the sun has not yet set. Shabbos isn't something that waits for us to be ready for it. Shabbos comes at a certain time, whether we are ready for it or not.

Perhaps the question should be: "Are we ready for Shabbos?"

Fire Desire

Dedicated in honor of the birth of חנה בת רבקה

When Chana stood before Hashem pleading for a son, Eli, the Kohen Gadol, took her for a drunkard, and criticized her for coming to the Mishkan while inebriated. 

While quite understandable on the surface, Eli's criticism of Chana's behavior had a deeper meaning as well. 

Firstly, when standing before The King, one must be in a state of complete Bitul-Nullification. How can one think of personal needs at such a time? 

Secondly, granted, one is supposed to bring his requests before The King, yet, Eli was disturbed by Chana's incessant Davening. "Ask for your needs, but don't get drunk with you Tefillah for them!" 

A Mother's Prayer

All she wished was to have a righteous and pious son. 

Yet, the odds were neatly and firmly stacked against her.

Nature ruled that she would be barren; the Torah ruled הכל בידי שמים חוץ מיראת שמים, a person's righteousness cannot be destined from Above - a pious lifestyle cannot be foretold.

Thus, the odds of Chana's wish coming true were zero - it could not happen. Not by means of nature nor by the rules of the Torah.

This was reality.

Yet, Chana did not settle with this reality.

She fought to create a new one.

Who's counting?

I was expecting an important piece of mail for a few weeks, and was anxiously awaiting its arrival.

This Shabbos, I was right behind the front door when the mail fell through the mail-slot. One envelope fell onto another. I could not tell if the piece I was looking for had arrived, but another important looking envelope lay on top of the pile. It was from my mortgage bank...

I am set up for paperless billing, and e-notifications, so my heart raced. My bank only writes to me when there is a problem.

I worried that my last payment did not go through. That would mean the check bounced and there would be a fee from the mortgage bank and my regular bank.

Or was it something else?

I had recently renewed the fire insurance policy, and my broker ensured me that all was in order. Was there a lapse? Did the policy expire? 

Hauling Ice Cream

While on a trip this summer, we were driving on a long stretch of interstate highway. These stretches usually offer interesting sights and much time to think about them.

During one particularly long stretch, I passed two trucks that carried ice cream.

One was a long 18-wheeler, and was probably on its way to a warehouse or supermarket, hauling pallets and pallets of yummy, frozen treats.

The other, less intimidating one, was a traditional, city-street ice cream truck, probably on its way back to the garage after a long day's work. 

As I continued driving, I noted another, far more interesting contrast between the two ice cream haulers.