Hi,
Hope you’re enjoying the nice weather!
The last Torah Minute was about a yarmulke that blew off.
Today’s is about one that stayed on.
I was checking out at Dominick’s super market yesterday. And the teller asked me…
“Would you like to donate a dollar to cancer research”?
It was a “no brainer”.
It’s not like my cart was filled with absolute necessities!
The cause was good.
And she wasn’t asking for $500!
I couldn’t quiet say, ‘Sorry things are kind of tight right now”!
I said, of course!
And went on to tell her that according to my tradition?
She gets rewarded for enabling someone else to give charity!
… Was she looking at my yarmulke?
Was she thinking to herself, “Let’s see if this guy is for real”?
I don’t know.
But she would have a right to.
And I’m better off thinking that she was.
I need to be reminded that people see me as a Jew and as a Rabbi.
And may expect more from me.
Expect me to be a “light unto the nations”.
It can only help me be better!
… And it’s not only of we’re a Rabbi. Not only if we’re wearing a yarmulke.
It’s enough that we’re Jews!
The people who know us well know that we are.
And chances are that other people do too.
It could be our name. The fact that we’re always worrying about something.
Or we don’t drink at a wedding? But eat much too much!
People know. And they expect more from us.
And they should.
Because we’re supposed to be the teachers of humanity!
… I was once schmoozing with a “kitchen worker” at Mount Sinai Hospital.
And she said to me, “I’m working here for 30 years. And let me tell you.
There’s nothing like those Jewish doctors”!
That’s the kind of thing we should want people to say about us!
All the best,