“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh parshas Bereishis
25
Tishrei 5780/October 26, 2019
Mevorchim Chodesh Cheshvan
“GOTTA HAVE HEART”
What a beautiful Yom
Tov season. I can’t believe how much I’ve grown in these last few weeks. Now I
have the whole winter to try to undo all that growth. Well, at least until the
latkes and donuts in a few weeks. I’m jealous of little kids whose parents get
so excited and make a grand announcement - “look how beautiful he/she is
eating!” I eat better than all those kids combined and no one ever compliments
me on my eating...
On a separate note,
Arnold Fine a’h is renowned for his running column in The Jewish Press,
entitled “I remember when”. It is composed of his memories, many nostalgic and
humorous, of yesteryear and his life growing up. Since his passing a few years
ago, the Jewish Press has been printing archives of columns he wrote decades
ago.
I was thinking about
the column recently because I was thinking about my own experiences of “I
remember when”.
As a child, I remember
when Gameboy first hit the scene. Until then my peers and I played individual
hand-held games likes Donkey-Kong and Zelda. But when the Gameboy came out it
was all the rage. It came with Tetris, but you could buy many other games and
insert them in the back of the Gameboy. The most popular game was undoubtedly
Super Mario.
I also remember that
throughout my youth esrogim were wrapped in brown sandpaper-like hair. Removing
your esrog each day of Succos was an experience. You had to take it slow, so
that when you finally unwrapped it enough it didn’t fall out and drop onto the
floor. Then afterwards, you had to wrap the esrog until it was sufficiently
covered, and quickly put it back in the box before the whole thing unraveled and
you had to start all over. Even worse, were the strands of esrog hair that got
all over the place, especially all over your suit. But today that’s all
changed. I haven’t seen esrog hair in years. Now esrogim come wrapped in their
own private tempur-pedic foam casing, that conforms to the contours of each
esrog.
The one thing that has
not changed is how careful we are and need to be when handling an esrog. The
Medrash relates that the esrog symbolizes the heart, which reflects our
emotions. We always have to be vigilant and mindful of the feelings of others,
and we also need to be cognizant of, and honest about, our own emotions.
Rabbi Elimelech
Biderman relates that there was a Rebbe in the Gerrer yeshiva who sold esrogim
before Succos. In order to do so, he would take off the month before Succos
from teaching so he could dedicate that time to selling esrogim.
One year, he came to
the Gerrer Rebbe, the P’nei Menachem, to receive a beracha that his esrog
business be successful. The P’nei Menachem replied that the rebbe was actually
an esrog dealer all year long. He explained that the students he taught
throughout the year required the same tenderness and attention that he devoted
to each esrog. Just as he was so careful when handling an esrog to ensure that
he didn’t scratch it or leave any marks, so must he be careful not to leave any
negative marks or impressions upon the hearts of his students. If there is a
blemish on an esrog, he would be extremely cautious, to ensure that he doesn’t
make it worse. That is the way he must relate to the shortcomings and
“blemishes” of his students as well.
The things that excite
us and cause the blood in our hearts to pump faster, is constantly changing.
The Gameboy that excited my generation would hardly generate a yawn from my
children. Conversely, I couldn’t imagine the graphics in today’s PS4 games that
my children enjoy.
Human emotions however, never change, and never cease to require tender loving care. Perhaps the casing for the esrog has changed, but the idea that an esrog - symbolizing the human heart - needs protection, has not and will never change.
Human emotions however, never change, and never cease to require tender loving care. Perhaps the casing for the esrog has changed, but the idea that an esrog - symbolizing the human heart - needs protection, has not and will never change.
Learning how to be
sensitive to the feelings of others is something that constantly needs chizuk,
especially with those we love most. That’s one area in which I truly would like
to grow!
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos,
R’ Dani and Chani Staum