“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Devorim/Chazon
5 Menachem Av 5784/ August 9, 2024
Pirkei Avos – Perek 3
FORGE ON
A few weeks ago, here at Camp Dora Golding we had a special event packing
boots for Israeli soldiers. It was under the auspices of a program called Boots
for Israel. We were graced with a visit from Yakir Wachstock, the founder of
the program.
Yakir related the story of how he became involved in this project. He is
an occupational therapist by trade and works with several yeshivas in Queens
where he lives. During the Covid pandemic, schools were closed and he needed to
find alternative work.
He has a brother who quit dentistry to become an Amazon reseller, and his
brother helped Yakir learn how to do Amazon reselling as well.
At 2:30 am of the night of October 11, 2023, just 4 days after the
horrible carnage of October 7, Yakir received a WhatsApp phone call. The phone
rang and rang until Yakir finally answered. The caller said, “This is Major
Daniel Jacobs from the IDF. Can you help us get army boots?” At first Yakir
told him he called the wrong number. But Jacobs persisted, “We heard you work
with Amazon. We are about to go on a special mission. Maybe you can get boots
for my soldiers through Amazon. We don’t know where else to turn.”
Yakir sat up in bed in a deep sweat. His mind was racing. How could he
not help but what could he do? He thought about his friend Avi who sells shoes
online and thought maybe Avi would have an idea. When Yakir told Avi about the
situation, Avi replied that just a month earlier he came across an amazing deal
on strong boots from Italy and now he would pursue it. Avi then donated 88
pairs of boots. They were able to get the boots to Major Jacobs a day before
his battalion went on their mission.
Since then, Yakir has spearheaded sending over 60,000 boots to IDF
soldiers. It’s a process to remove the boots from their boxes and casing and
retie them in a way that preserves as much space as possible.
One of the campers asked Yakir why they specifically pack boots, if there
are so many other needs that soldiers require. Yakir explained that at the
beginning of the war, many soldiers were wearing boots that were in terrible
condition. Even if a soldier has the equipment he needs, if his boots are worn
out it can slow him down and have grave consequences. A soldier must always be
able to move quickly and be able to get around with ease. There is also the
added benefit that we can be involved in helping our soldiers in their vital
efforts.
This week our campers went on divisional trips - roller skating, bowling
and SkyZone. I found it interesting that all 3 trip locations require specific
footwear. Roller skates or rollerblades are needed for roller skating, bowling
shoes for bowling, and special socks must be worn to jump at SkyZone.
We often don’t think about or appreciate our shoes and/or sneakers. In
fact, most of us in America have multiple pairs of shoes and sneakers. (This is
even more true of the female contingent of the human race who seem to have an
endless need for more footwear….) Our feet, quite literally, carry us to
wherever we need to go. If our feet aren’t adequately protected and prepared,
our ability to accomplish our goals will be severely hampered. This is true for
soldiers in combat, and for us in our daily lives.
One of the restrictions of Tisha b’Av and Yom Kippur is that we don’t
wear leather shoes during those days. In light of the above, strong shoes
symbolize our ability and effort to proceed and accomplish. During these two
unique days we stop our perennial quest forward in order to focus on the past.
We don’t like to focus on our shortcomings or on the sad moments of life.
Truthfully, it is unhealthy for a person to get mired in his past. Such focus
can lead a person down the rabbit hole of depression and despair. However, when
the ultimate goal is to proceed forward, periodic focusing on the past is
necessary to help a person learn how to grow from past failings.
On Yom Kippur we focus on our sins so that we can expunge them. On Tisha
b’Av we allow the melancholy of our suffering and anguish to envelop us. We sit
on the floor physically and emotionally, allowing ourselves to confront the
national and personal pain we have endured. We remove our shoes to symbolize
that we aren’t running from our past or the pain it conjures up.
But an equally vital part of Tisha b’Av is when we rise from the floor at
midday and begin to accept a modicum of comfort. We don our tefillin and recite
Nachem at Mincha and read the haftorah of a regular fast day calling for
repentance. Then, when the day ends, we not only break our fast, we also don
our shoes.
As we usher in the saddest day on the Jewish calendar we remove our
shoes, symbolizing that we are about to stare in the face of all the tears and
sadness we try to bury throughout the year. But when Tisha b’Av ends, we place
our shoes back on, symbolizing that we are ready to forge ahead - not despite
our pain but because of it. We view our suffering as part of a bigger picture
and that despite it all, it is our privilege to be part of the greatest story
in the history of the world.
We do not move on from the anguish of Tisha b’Av; we move forward!
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Shabbat Shalom
& Good Shabbos,
R’ Dani and
Chani Staum