Sunday, November 13, 2005
Moshiach

If my Rebbe had an agenda, that would be it: Moshiach. Every fiber of his being was dedicated to making Moshiach a reality.

One thing my Rebbe wanted was for us to reach out to other Jews. To encourage Jews to do mitzvos, to bring them closer. I try to talk to Jewish women when I see them. Sometimes I get a feeling that someone is Jewish, and I ask them. Other times I get into casual conversation with someone, and then I sneak it in. Sometimes I really have to push myself. Those are the days when I just want to buy my groceries (and not talk to the lady in the cereal aisle).

This type of outreach is not limited to Jewish people. If I was really savvy, I would talk to non-Jews too. There are the 7 Noahide Laws that apply to gentiles, and I could talk to them about that. But then I'd NEVER get out of the grocery store. And I don't know how to approach a non-Jewish person. It's hard enough to muster up the courage sometimes to talk to other Jews.

One thing that my Rebbe wanted was to connect other people to the idea of Moshiach. This was a very hard thing for me to do for awhile. How do I tell somebody about that? It's one thing to talk to a Jewish woman about lighting shabbos candles, but Moshiach? Last shabbos I was talking to someone about it. I decided that every Jewish woman I spoke to this week I would bring up Moshiach. I said "Lighting shabbos helps bring Moshiach closer." Or, "Lighting shabbos candles helps bring the light of Moshiach into the world." I would always mention my Rebbe along with it.

I don't know if I'm ready to talk "details" about Moshiach - that's daunting. Every Jewish woman understands shabbos candles to some degree. But not every Jew consciously understands Moshiach, or has even heard the concept. It's easy to mention Moshiach briefly, but to talk about the third temple? Could I tell someone to listen for the call of the great shofar? Could I say that someday, soon, G-dliness will be as apparent as that box of Cheerios? You know why I can't say that? Because I haven't fully integrated it!

G-d, please send Moshiach soon. Show me what You really mean by all this.


2 Comments:

  • At 8:43 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    WHOA, DUDE! RIGHT ON!
    YOU HIT THE BULL'S EYE!
    Love,
    you' lil' pally -wally

     
  • At 3:37 PM, Blogger Philly Farmgirl said…

    Good stuff, Maven. May Moschiach come speedily in our times!

     

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