“RABBI’S
MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh
Parshas Ki Savo
20 Elul 5775/ September
4, 2015
Pirkei Avos Perek 3-4
One night this past summer, camp was graced with a
performance from a professional balloonist/magician. He was not only
spectacular he was also very funny and it was an all-around enjoyable
show. Throughout the show, in between
tricks and sometimes as part of his tricks, he would blow up balloons in various
shapes and sizes and give them out to volunteers, or cast them into the excited
audience.
For his grand finale, he used an electrical blower to
blow up a massive balloon. It was so large that the performer was able to fit
his entire body into it. With his cordless microphone attached to his lapel we were
able to hear his voice, and saw movement inside the balloon, but for a few
seconds we couldn’t see him at all.
Then he popped the balloon and remerged. Everyone
clapped and cheered, and then left and lived happily ever after (until it was
time for curfew…)
It was a funny scene because it was just part of an
act, and it was over in a second. But upon reflection, on a certain level we
all live inside our little balloon and because of that we have a hard time
seeing others from inside it. They hear our voices because we are confident
enough to state our opinions and viewpoints but we often don’t realize that we
aren’t seeing the full picture because we are so full of our own hot air that
surrounds us. It’s not helium which encapsulates us but our own egos.
A Jew once complained to the Tzemach Tzedek of
Lubavitch that he was being disrespected by his fellow congregants in shul. He
felt that they literally stepped all over him.
The Rebbe gently replied, “Perhaps you have spread
yourself out over the entire shul so that wherever anyone steps they have no
choice but to step on you.”
The rule is that an ego that is too big is apt to be
bumped and jostled by others.
I recently heard someone quip that EGO is an acronym
for “Easing G-d Out”. Part of our challenge is that we have a hard time letting
go. We feel that we are in control and that we need to maintain that sense of
control. In truth that attitude only breads anxiety and discomfort.
Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski recounts that someone once
related to him that for years he worried about his business transactions all
night, and had a very hard time sleeping. Then he discovered that G-d doesn’t
sleep. Once he realized that G-d was up anyway there was no use in both of them
being awake, and he began to sleep more peacefully.
Every night we recite the verse “In your hand I entrust
my spirit; You redeem me, Hashem, G-d of truth.”[1] We can only trust when we
allow ourselves to emerge from our selfish bubble.
Perhaps our first step must be to pop the huge balloon
which envelops us so that we can see beyond our own confines. Once we let out
all that hot air we will also be able to accept that we are all within the warm
embrace of G-d.
Shabbat Shalom &
Good Shabbos,
R’ Dani and Chani
Staum