PIRKEI AVOS INVESTMENT MANUAL FOR INCREASING SAVINGS

         

            As the story was told to me, one of the richest men in the entire world wrote in his will a request to be buried wearing his socks. The family wanted to fill the wishes of their father but the burial society said that it is impermissible to fulfill this request. To settle the issue both parties went to the Rav of the city who after hearing both sides declared that … .

             Don’t go away, as we will come back to the Rav’s decision later, along with an inspiring twist in this unusual story.    

             Most people live their lives focused on two major financial goals, that of satisfying ones daily needs and securing a comfortable future “retirement”. In Pirkei Avos, which we read this time period between Pesach and Rosh Hashanah, our Sages offer us weekly advice on how to obtain both.

             As most of us our novice investors we should take advice from the most qualified investment experts in the field. Thus let us turn to our Sages, who opening share with us the best possible strategies for maximizing our assets as well as minimizing our loses.]

                  The first of many beautiful metaphors that alerts us the value of daily adding to our “savings” account is in Misnious Peah 1: “These are the precepts whose fruits a person enjoys in this world but whose principal remains intact for him in the World to Come. They honoring your father and mother, acts of kindness, [early attendance at the house of study morning and evening, hospitality to guests, visiting the sick, providing for a bride, escorting the dead, intention in prayer, bringing peace between man and his fellow, and between man and his wife ]– and the study of Torah is equivalent to them all.”

              In Mishnah 20 – Perek 2 Rabbi Tarfon gives us additional far-sighted advice informing us: “The day is short, the task is abundant, the laborers are lazy, the wage is great and the Master of the house is insistent.” He also used to say (2/20-21): “You are not required to complete the task, yet you are not free to withdraw from it. If you have studied much Torah, they will give you great reward; and your Employee can be relied upon to pay you the wage for your labor, but be aware that the reward of the righteous will be given in the World to Come.”

               Rabbi Yonasan reveals to us the secret to true wealth in Mishnah 11 – Perek 4: “Whoever fulfills the Torah despite poverty, will ultimately fulfill it in wealth; but whoever to neglects the Torah because of wealth, will ultimately neglect it in poverty.”

              Rabbi Yaakov then alerts to us the importance of using our time wisely in Mishnah 21 – Perek 4 when he said: “This world is like a lobby before the World to Come; prepare yourself in the lobby so that you may enter the banquet hall.”

                   Ben Bag Bag elaborates further on the value of plummeting the depths of ones abilities in Mishnah 26 – Perek 5 when he said: “Delve in it (the Torah) and continue to delve in it; look deeply into it; grow old and gray over it, do not stir from it, for you can have no better portion that it.” Ben Hei Hei adds that reward and effort have a symbiotic relationship in that: “The reward is in proportion to the exertion.”

             Mishnah 5 – Perek 6: Offers us some sage advice on what to avoid, thereby maximizing our benefits: “Do not seek greatness for yourself, and do not crave honor; lest your performance exceed your learning. Do not the lust for the table of Kings, for your table is greater than theirs, and your crown is greater than their crown; and your Employer is trustworthy to pay you remuneration for your deeds.”

               Then in Mishnah 9 – Perek 6 – Rabbi Yose ben Kisma shares with us invaluable investing strategy when he tells us of a story of a man who offered him vast wealth for coming and living in his city, to which he answered: “Even if you were to give me all the silver and gold, precious stones and pearls in the world, I would dwell nowhere but in a place of Torah…”

              Rabbi Akiva then eloquently sums up our financial responsibilities within this life stating in Mishnah 20 – Perek 3: “Everything is given on collateral and a net is spread over all the living. The shop is open; the Merchant extends credit; the ledger is open; the hand writes; and whoever wishes to borrow, let him come and borrow. The collectors make their routes constantly, every day, and collect payment from the person whether he realizes it or not. They have proof to rely upon; the judgment is a truthful judgment; and everything is prepared for the final festive banquet.”

                    Oh yes, as for the conclusion of the story at the beginning of this article – the Rav told all those present that the burial society was correct and then the Rav then added that the nifter had some time earlier left a sealed envelope which he requested be opened by his family only after his passing. The children immediately opened the letter and read it out loud. “My dearly beloved, by now you have heard the pasak halacha which reaffirms that even if a person were to have all the money in this world, he cannot bring with him even one pair of socks to the Olam HaEmes.  

                This is just as Rabbi Yose ben Kisma informs us in Mishnah 9 Perek 6: “When a man departs from this world, neither silver, nor gold, nor precious stones nor pearls escort him, but only Torah study and good deeds…” Then he concludes: “It (The Torah and good deeds) shall speak on your behalf – in the World to Come. And as it is said: ‘Mine is the silver, and Mine is the gold, says Hashem, Master of Legions.’”                

            May we merit to have our Heavenly bank accounts filled with the rich returns from the Torah, mitzvos and maasim tovim in which we invested in this world.

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

HOW HARD IS IT TO DO CHESED?

 

                                         

The Torah encourages a person to perform kind deeds in order to be rewarded. That is so that the reward will publicly demonstrate to one and all that the bounty one reaps from his kindness is as predictable as the harvest the farmer gathers from his planting. The philanthropist should train himself to feel that there is no loss involved in tithing – it is all guaranteed gain. It is not merely permissible to look forward to riches as a result of charity, it is an obligation! (Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, The Tzedakah Treasury, Mesorah:2000)

 

The crowded bus lurched and swayed through the city streets. David* looked out the window and saw the familiar landmarks of his beloved city passing by, a city of Torah and chessed that he felt privileged to live in. His thoughts turned inward – a place where he did not want to be, because his head was filled with numbers, large numbers – the huge sums he owed to too many gemachim, to friends who now needed the money as badly as he did.

 

His thoughts turned to his wife and young children at home in their small, crowded apartment. He saw his wife cringing each time the phone rang.  She was too embarrassed to answer it any more because she had run out of excuses, and she couldn’t shop in the local stores any longer because the unpaid bills had piled up so high that the storekeepers reluctantly had cut off their credit. Although David had the utmost faith in the Provider of parnassah, he himself was pained and embarrassed that his wife had to endure all this, and he thought sadly that perhaps he just wasn’t meant to continue sitting in kollel and learning. He couldn’t borrow any more money for he would never in a million years be able to pay it back the way things stood. It was likely that his only recourse now was to sell his apartment to pay his debts. With a small sigh, he opened his sefer and lost himself in the holy words.

 

Three months earlier across an ocean:

Moshe Rubin’s* beard was now snow white, though his face still looked youthful and he retained a cheerful, optimistic outlook on life. A phone call had just reminded him of the days when he had struggled to manage on kollel pay, because that’s how he had supported himself and his family during the years he’d sat and learned in Eretz Yisrael.  He remembered the tiny rented apartment, the gemach loans he’d juggled constantly and the way his wife would extend the life of the children’s clothing to last yet another season. How she did it, he still didn’t know. 

 

Wondrously, however, each time there’d been genuine need, Hashem in one way or another provided a shaliach who’d offered support or helped in exactly the right proportion. Moshe remembered, too, the yearning that accompanied his sacrifices throughout all those years to be able, some day, to be on the giving side of chessed.

 

Well, that day arrived when Moshe’s wealthy uncle passed away and Moshe found himself an heir to a substantial sum of money. Moshe set about implementing his longing, and distributed maaser from the inheritance to charitable institutions and worthy causes. He also wanted to do more than that. He wanted to be able to offer a really large loan on favorable terms to a worthy and needy individual, to whom it might make a lifesaving difference.

 

Moshe, of course, had his own large family to consider, and he wondered what he would do if, chas vechallila, the worthy individual would be unable to pay back the loan. After all, he and his married children were still living in rented apartments, he still had children to marry off and he was not getting younger. So, although he could afford to take the risk of making such a loan and supposed that the borrower would have a reliable guarantor, Moshe hesitated. His conscience bothered him, though, because he knew what it means to be on the needy side of the equation, and he finally resolved to offer a long-term loan to the next person he heard about who was in serious debt. At this point he hadn’t yet heard about David.

 

Moshe heard that his rebbi and mentor, Rav Cohen* was in failing health and his family was having a hard time. Medical expenses had exhausted all the family’s personal funds and there were no gemachim left that they hadn’t turned to. The Cohens needed a very large sum of money.  Moshe’s heart went out to his rebbi, but his two yetzers carried on a raging debate within him about making the loan. Should he, shouldn’t he? Could he couldn’t he?

 

Finally, Moshe realized that he had to settle this inner battle one way or the other and, in the face of his fears and trepidations, he strengthened his resolve and made a commitment to loan the money to the Cohen family. He went to his bank and nervously ordered the transfer of the money.

 

The loan, baruch Hashem, accomplished its purpose.  Rav Cohen’s family was able to care for their ailing parent without the specter of debt overwhelming them. As for Moshe, the day after he transferred the money and before he started to worry about the significant hole the loan had made in his bank account, Moshe noticed that his stock-market shares began to increase in value. In just six weeks, Moshe’s holdings increased in an amount equal to the size of the loan! After that, the stocks remained stable without any unusual fluctuation, unlike Moshe’s emunah, which now took a sharp rise, and kept rising.

 

Three months after this inexplicable event, a close relative of David’s told Moshe of David’s plight and asked if Moshe could help out with even a small amount. Moshe asked a few questions and soon understood that David required a bit more than a few hundred dollars to avoid having to sell his home. Again, in a quiet moment, Moshe sat down and battled with himself, wondering whether to give or not to give, whether to worry about getting repaid or left in the lurch. Moshe reminded himself of the chazal that says charitable loans have the most dependable Co-signer in the world, as he had already been privy to see.

 

Moshe made arrangements through the mutual relative, a Rav, to have David sign a loan agreement and turned over the money to the Rav.

 

David got off the bus and plodded slowly homeward. His wife, holding the hand of their youngest child, was half-running toward him breathlessly, trying incoherently to tell him something.

 

“Hurry, David, hurry home. There’s a phone call … Rabbi Levi* … something about a loan, a large loan … your cousin in America … he’s holding on … go answer the phone…”

 

David raced up the stairs and picked up the phone. Rabbi Levi explained briefly that a friend of his had called from the States. His friend was David’s cousin, who had arranged with an unknown donor to loan David a really large sum of money on easy terms and asked when David could come to his house to sign the loan agreement.

 

“I’ll be right over,” he gasped.

 

Once again, Moshe saw the workings of hashgachah clearly. About a week after David signed the loan agreement, Moshe’s brother called him with good news. It seemed there was more to the inheritance they had recently received from their uncle. The accountant and lawyer for the estate had withheld a large amount in reserve to cover taxes and other expenses. When all the outstanding charges were paid, the remainder of the reserve could be paid out to the heirs almost immediately.

 

Moshe’s share (you’ve probably guessed it) was equal to the amount of his loan to David. Hodu laShem ki tov! This really happened.

 

*Names have been changed

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

ONEG OR NEGA – THE “EYE” OF THE STORY

                                     

          Lashon Hakodesh is a holy tongue with profound meaning.  There is a deep connection between words that share the same letters even if, on the surface, the words may appear to be entirely dissimilar. For example, let us examine the words, oneg and nega.  Oneg represents a form of spiritual perfection that is expressed as pleasure. Interestingly enough it is spelled with same three letters as the word nega – the ultimate antonym of oneg.  Nega refers to the symptom of the lowest form of spiritual corruption – tzara’as, which was a spiritual/physical affliction which required its sufferers to be banished from the camp of Israel. 

                Oneg and nega, joy and sorrow, undergo surprising transmutations within the diagnosis and treatment of tzara’as.  The difference between oneg and nega lies in the position of the letter ayin, whose migration from the front of the word to the back, spells the difference between joy and suffering.  It is no coincidence that the ayin is not only a letter but also is a word that describes our organ of sight – the eye.  The Torah admonishes us not to follow our eyes because they can mislead us.  In the diagnosis of tzara’as, as in our own introspective techniques, it is only true spiritually guided vision that is reliable.

            The kohen, who is imbued with spiritual sight, is the only one who could look at a blemished area and determine whether it was pure or contaminated.  Thus, when the Torah speaks about a change in the colors of blemished garments, and dictates which change indicates that purification is taking place, the word “eino” is used to describe the color.  This word too is composed of the same root letters as is the word for eye.   Even the inexperienced will notice that it is this same ayin, whose position in the words oneg and nega makes the difference between joy and sorrow that now is the herald of a change of color – a change of spirit.

            The Ramban taught us that the afflictions of tzara’as are miraculous in that they never occur naturally. When we lived in Eretz Israel and conducted ourselves according to Hashem’s wishes, there was always a radiant shine of holiness upon us. As individuals began to sin, this physical shine disappeared and the tzara’as began to show in their homes, their garments and on their persons.

               The ayin of oneg and nega reflects the All Seeing Eye before Whom all conduct and all motivation is transparent and all spiritual blemishes, visible.  In this setting, only the acknowledgment of error in attitude and actions begins the cleansing process.

                  The diagnosis and treatment of tzara’as when it appears on a Jew is illustrative of this point.   When the tzara’as covered the entire portion of the sufferer’s skin – the affliction was declared to be pure and the person was not isolated. However, when it began healing and the healthy skin appeared on it, that was when the person was declared to be a metzora and the quarantine, the declaration of contamination and the entire process of purification would begin (Vayikra 13:14-15).

              This seeming contradiction is explained by Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch.  He points out that the purpose of the quarantine is to shock the metzora into recognizing his sinfulness and doing teshuva.  However, teshuva is only possible when there is some “healthy” submissiveness to the will of Hashem.   When the moral corruption is so complete that submissiveness is totally lacking, then quarantine will not help the person move toward change and there is no point in isolating him.  He or she is beyond redemption.  

                Nonetheless, this individual is not completely abandoned but is chastised in a different but equally effective manner. Although actually afflicted with tzara’as, unlike his fellow sufferers, he is ignored.  He may thereby experience a terrible spiritual/emotional isolation and a sense of being cut off because there is no social structure in place to help him towards confession and teshuva.  However, if and when this silent admonition prompts him to do teshuva, some healthy skin will appear as evidence of this change of heart and then isolation will help him towards the complete teshuva process.    

               Tzara’as classically was a punishment for the sin of lashon hara which is the tool of the skeptic.  The skeptic moves from oneg to a self-imposed state of nega by casting a baleful eye upon those around him or her.   Consequently, to reverse that process, the individual must change his or her way of seeing the world which can be achieved by judging the person or situation in a favorable light.

                     The blessing of experiencing oneg is a gift that comes through living humbly and righteously realizing that life is an opportunity for proper service in avodas Hashem at all stages, levels and experiences. Every event in life has deep meaning and positive purpose even if we cannot immediately see its relevance or value. The lens of the Torah transforms negative perceptions into positive outlooks.  When we view life through this lens, we are able to see all of creation as emanating from the Divine will. From this perspective we can then merit the true bliss of oneg.

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

BLOOD TRANSFUSION FOR THE SOUL

                                

              Have you ever contemplated or wondered the deeper meaning of the very cryptic Torah portion, which extends for nearly two whole parshas, that describes in detail the spiritual cleansing and atonement process for the metzora? This mystical procedure involves taking some of the blood, from the korbon that is offered, and placing it on the right ear, the thumb of the right hand and the big toe on the right foot. Then the procedure is repeated applying (olive) oil at these very three same places?  (Metzora  14:13-30). Let us ask a few more questions. What could be the possible significance of these specific locations and is there any way to relate to this supernatural “therapy” that not only heals the physical tzaraas but most importantly “heals” the blemish on the soul?

              Lastly, why does this holistic healing therapy literally need to extend from the “head to the toe” rather than focusing just on the actual place of the physical tzaraas? Perhaps the Torah is teaching us here that “healing” always needs to be holistic for true rebalancing. Here the Torah guides the sincere penitent through a non-invasive esoteric transformation that has the power to not only revitalize the life force of the body but to “heal” the underlying blemish at its root.

               Rav Hirsch explains beautifully that the blood that is placed on these places of the body to symbolize that from now on the metzora must improve himself in mind – which is located opposite the ear, deed – the thumb representing action and effort – the big toe representing forward movement.

                    Perhaps from this we can add the following: The (olive) oil, which alludes to the illuminating wisdom of the Torah, was specifically put at the same place as the blood – which corresponds to the nefesh – to teach us that Divine healing and illumination comes through “applying” the Torah to all of our faculties and phases of life: as it is written “Nar mitzvah – Torah ohr”. 

                Therefore let us take this golden opportunity, of the reading of these two Parshas of Tazria and Metzora to help us to always “hear” our inner calling of what is the best thing to “do” at each “step” of our lives, thereby bringing closer the footsteps of the final redemption. 

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

CONNECTING SHALOM BAYIS AND THE FOUR COSOS OF PESACH

                 

          To give us a glimpse of just how important the drinking of the four cosos is, it is written in the Sulkan Aruk that: “Even a poor man who is supported by tzedaka should sell his garments, or borrow, or hire himself out for the sake of obtaining wine for the four kosos of Pesach” (472-13). Yet the Mishnah Breuer adds that if one only has the means for one of these mitzvos: “(Having) light for one’s home is more important than (having) wine for the four cosos (on Pesach) because it is necessary for shalom bayis.”

       Much ink has been used in discussing the issue of shalom bayis. Its attainment is sometimes elusive, yet perhaps we can derive some very interesting hints which are imbedded in the juxtaposition of these two halachos which will provide an “insightful” beam of “light” into our lives. How is this crucial goal best achieved? Just as the halacha of the financially poor person requires him to sell his garments to fulfill the halaca of the four cosos, how much more so does a person who is “poor in discernment” needs to sell his “outer garments” which can hint to “selling” / relinquishing his yetzer hora thereby enhancing shalom bayis.

                Another alternative is to “borrow” from others, which can mean regarding shalom bayis to go out – to “borrow”/ to get good advice on improving relationships.

      The third option to hire himself out – ie. – go to work which can allude to “working” on how to listen to others which will naturally increase harmony.

                    May we all merit that the “radiant light of shalom” spread out to the whole world thereby bringing peace and blessing for all. 

                                                                            Chag samach

 

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

ARE THE LAMBS STILL BLEATING?

                                        

              Pesach is a wondrous opportunity for transformation. The question is how can we use each detail of the original exodus to extract lessons that we can apply to our lives today?  For example how can we understand the contemporary lesson embedded in the Torah’s command to take a lamb or sheep for each household, tie it to the bedpost for four days, to ensure that it was blemish free and then bring it as the korbon Pesach.

              The Ramban suggests that G-d chose lamb and sheep for this offering because these types of animals were worshiped by the Mitzrim. The Midrash informs us that even though during these four days the Mitzrim heard these animals, who were tied to the bedposts, bleating, however Hashem rendered the Mitzrim helpless. Therefore, lets us try to connect this cryptic Torah section to our Pesach preparations by asking what is the significance of the fact that the lambs were “bleating” and they were tied specifically to the bedposts?

            Pesach is certainly one of those seasons where everyone increases their energy level in preparation for this beautiful holiday. However during this intense period of time, if one is not exceedingly careful, even with the best of intentions, he or she can step over the bounds of positive enthusiasm and be drawn into “blurting out” some inappropriate comment.

              Perhaps the Torah is therefore alluding for us how to subdue even the slightest urge to “blurt out” an angry comment – which is a form of avoda zora. How so? Just like that species of “bleating animals”, which was used for avoda zora, were tied to the bedposts, so one should tie down to the bedpost – ie – put to sleep – any inappropriate thoughts before they are “blurted out” and in turn Hashem will render helpless the power of the yetzer hora, just as He rendered helpless the Mitzrim.    

             May all of our good efforts to bring about a kosher Pesach help us merit once again the korbon Pesach in Jerusalem soon in our days.      

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

PESACH – RECAPTURING THE INTEGRITY OF THE AFIKOMAN

  

 

             It’s the night (lay’l) of Pesach with all the family and guests joined together around the Seder table. After Kiddush on wine the head of the household (Bal HaBais)divides the middle matzah, wraps up the larger piece for the end of the meal (Afikomin) and puts it snugly  behind his pillow.  Later in the evening (seder) someone points to the place of the afikoman and whispers to the child, “Take it now, quickly, while he’s not looking.” The child hesitates, feeling quite shy having been brought up with proper values of respect and honesty. This night everything at the house looks so different. The table is much longer than usual filled with relatives and guests — it’s white and beautiful with lots of shiny glasses, sparkling silver. But then with a little more prodding and a burst of courage he moves closer to the treasured hidden away afikomen, hesitating, until some one prompts him, “Quick, grab it and run.”

  For a second, he feels afraid, but as soon as it is in his hand, he feels an exhilarating surge of excitement and exuberance. Even after hiding it he continues to feel energized and successful. Much later, when the child is asked to return the afikoman, he doesn’t give it right back, being prodded by others to first ask for a nice prize.

    Doesn’t this conduct seem a quite odd?  Here we are seemingly allowing our small untainted children to take something that doesn’t belong to them and on top of that extort a reward for their efforts on one of the holiest nights of the year. How can we possibly understand this conduct?

  Perhaps we can explain this unusual behavior as follows. Usually the selfish inclination (yetzer hara) tries to lure a person into improper behavior through offering feelings of ephemeral thrills and excitement. Even though we want to avoid such conduct, the problem we face is that we simply cannot discard the yetzer hara.  As in the well known book of Medrashim, when the Sages davened to remove the yetzer hara and Hashem answered their tefillos, even the chickens stopped laying eggs. The yetzer hara is necessary but needs to be controlled. The challenge to us is to sur mei ra, avoid evil, yet preserve our enthusiasm and direct it to our ma’asim tovim.  But how do we do this? 

   Perhaps, this is precisely what we are achieving when we encourage our children to take the afikomen.  We are allowing our young pure children to experience the excitement that is usually motivated by the yetzer hara when engaged in risky, dangerous and thrill seeking conduct.  We do this by giving them a controlled dose of the “taste of desire.” As the child grows up, that spiritual inoculation that was administered l’shem Shamayim with love will then continue to act as an antidote against the infectious negative powers of the yetzer hara.  Indeed, that dose of controlled enthusiasm, experienced by the child on lay’l Pesach, will enable him to rekindle those exuberant feelings throughout the year directing them in a positive mode while learning Torah, performing mitzvos and ma’asim tovim.

But how can experiencing this “controlled taste of desire” both act as a vaccine shielding the child from learning mis-conduct, while at the same time inspiring the him with enthusiasm for all things that are Holy? It is because of the setting in which this “taste” is given. Let us remember, the seder night is referred to as – lay’l shemurim, the night of Divine protection – the perfect night for this process to take place as it is a time when negative forces are subdued. 

    You may be wondering, how can this spiritual “inoculation” continue to protect us into our adult years?   Possibly the answer is we use “booster shots”!  Oh, we are not suggesting that this Pesach we grab the afikoman, however we should watch the one who is taking it and allow that “small child” inside each of us to relive and rekindle our own feelings of inner joy and exuberance, thereby rekindling our youthful enthusiasm in the service of Hashem.

May we all merit soon to be able to fulfill the mitzvah of afikoman in Jerusalem at the final geula soon in our days.

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   The attribute of exuberance and excitement was stolen by the yetzer when Adam and Chavea did the sin. On the night of Pesach we are able to re-capture our inheritance and return it to be used in the holy service of H. Since the yetzer took it through theft we re-capture it, through an act that looks like theft, at a time when the forces of evil are subdued.

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

CHECKING IN – PESACH STYLE

                                                 

                     It’s just a just time before takeoff, friends have dropped off packages of gifts for their loved ones. We wondered how we were going to fit them all into our bulging suitcases. Before we knew it the car service driver was beeping. We quickly stuffed our cases closed and hoped the zippers would hold out. At the airport, bags in tow we followed an interminable line weaving towards the ticket counter. Upon reaching what was to be the first of many checkpoints the flight security attendant said with a polite, but serious smile:  “How are you today”? Passports and tickets please! Where are going? Is this your first trip there? Where will you be staying? Do you have any relatives there? Oh yes, who? Where do they live? ” He made light conversation but all the while his eyes were locked on ours without a flicker. They felt like x-rays and we got flustered. Somehow we even hesitated over the names of the places are relatives lived.  

As the grilling continued all  that was needed was a strong white light focused in our eyes to turn  it  into a full blown interrogation. “Tell me, did any one pack your bags for you? Do you have any electronic equipment inside your bags? Where did you get it? Did you take it from a shelf of the store by yourself or did someone give it to you? Was the package torn? Did anyone give you anything?” 

After the initial screening the security officer directed us over to yet another line to have our suitcases ex-rayed in what looked like a giant MRI machine. After our bags came out unscathed with a negative diagnosis, we proceeded to the check in counter. As we struggled to lift our suitcases onto the scales, they seemed to feel quite a bit heavier than they did at home – maybe it’s the gravity at the airport we chuckled. Miraculously the employee did not impose a fine for being overweight and with a sigh of relief we set off to scale our next hurdle.

             Moving further along the assembly line we were required to place outer garments, hand bags and all metal possessions on a rolling conveyer belt which passed them through another x-ray machine. Now, hatless, shoeless, jacketless, feeling slightly vulnerable and somewhat intimidated, we walk through the metal archway, which will determine whether we will be “pat searched”. We fortunately passed with good marks but we couldn’t help but notice another frum passenger who was sent to the side for a full blown pat down. Admirably he never lost his pleasant smile as he chatted cordially with the officer, adding after he was exonerated his appreciation for the fine work that the security personal provided. This was a real Kiddush Hashem that both we and that guard will never forget.

          Since everything that exists in the world is founded in the Torah, where can we find a Torah source for the interrogation and search of travelers? Yes. The first such search was conducted by Lavan – Jacob’s father-in-law.  When Lavan saw that (Ya’akov) Jacob has taken his family and left , he  chased after them,  bombarded them with a barrage of questions  and then, unsatisfied with the answers, made his own intrusive and thorough search of their possessions – (Parshas Vayeitzei). Some years later, the sons of Ya’akov are subjected to an interrogation and search at the hands of the second most powerful man in all of Egypt, not realizing at the time that that imposing personage was none other than  their brother (Yosef). (Parshas Mikeitz).

What lesson could we possibly learn from these two similar events?  Perhaps the key lies in the intentions of the searchers even more than the search itself. Lavan is the prototype of a clever swindler whose expertise lies in appearing to be superficially (lavan) pure even while his intentions were self-serving and even nefarious. We of course should do our best to steer clear of such people but when unavoidable we should always make the best out of the situation as our forefather Ya’akov did in the house of Lavan.

Of course when well intended loving relatives, true friends and dedicated people “question” our intentions and “search” into our motivations, like Yosef had done with his brothers, we should not resent but actually cherish their words and actions. Now also before Pesach, while we are checking very closely our homes and possessions, let us also check (bodek) every “nock and cranny” of our attitudes for any “leavened” behavior that has become “chumatz  or saor”. This vital search and removal mission is one of the hallmarks of the Pesach transformation that helps free us from the bondage of corporeal constraints and limitations thereby allowing us to travel vertically up the Pesach “ladder”.

 

 

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