Part II. Noticing The Others
The Tragedy of Ignoring
Now, all this seems like just words to people; it’s not taken seriously because everybody has his cares, his ambitions, his petty and not-so-petty dreams, and they think therefore that this subject is perhaps an exaggeration, a poetic attitude. Is that the achievement of life? No, they think; it’s not serious talk. It’s Rabbi Miller talk, that’s all. That’s what people say.
And that's a great tragedy; I might say it’s the tragedy of life. Because the gifts that Hakadosh Baruch Hu is giving are not only for this world. If it was just that, then how important could it be? It’s not permanent anyhow. In a few years you’ll be ָטֵלּבּע וֹבֵר ו anyhow, you’ll have your foot in the grave, and so how important could the happiness in this world be? It’s a fleeting thing; eighty years, ninety years.
But actually, happiness with every detail of what Hashem gives you is the greatest achievement of mankind; because from gratitude to Hashem you can become the greatest tzaddik. From happiness you come to awareness of Hashem and love of Hashem. And there's nothing greater in the world than to love Hashem.
Ahavas Hashem is the top of the ladder. Of all the great achievements the very top is love of Hashem. And the way that leads there most effectively is when a person becomes aware of great joys, the fun that he is being given in this world.
Frum Fun
Now, maybe some tzaddikim will bridle when they hear that word ‘fun’ but it’s the plain truth. A frum Jew is expected to learn how to enjoy life. It doesn’t mean he pursues pleasures in the distorted and crude manner of the hedonist, no. But the frum Jew enjoys the world in the delicate and transcendental manner of someone who understands the happiness of living peacefully and healthfully in this world. And he understands that he should utilize the joys of life, the fun and happiness of life, in order to become a better servant of Hashem because of what He’s doing for him.
And because it’s so important, Hashem, in His kindness, sends you messengers all the time to remind you of your good fortune. That’s what we’re studying now. There are no accidents. It’s a message. It’s messengers and messages.
The Blind Show the Way
And so when you see a blind man, it’s a golden opportunity. Here’s a man tapping away with his stick. Hakadosh Baruch Hu is fulfilling His function of yoreh chataim baderech. He's teaching you a way of life. How reckless it is to ignore that opportunity!
And don’t say it’s heartless, that it’s not right to think that way. Absolutely it’s right. More than right; it’s an obligation. Nobody can be happy if he doesn't have a counterfoil to contrast his happiness.
And so, when you see that blind man you’re thinking, “If that man could only open his eyes again and be able to cross the street unaided how happy he would be. Oh, how fun it is for me to cross the street with my eyes instead of a white stick!”
If he could come back to the company of normal mankind would he make a brachah without any feeling in the morning? Just to rattle off, Baruch atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech haolam pokeach ivrim? Oh no! That morning he'll make a brachah that will raise the roof: ְרִיםּפּוֹקֵחַ עִו – You give sight to the blind! Ay yay yay! He would cry in happiness. He would dance around the bimah!
The Gift of Eyes
And that’s why he’s there; he’s a messenger, an agent, a shaliach Hakadosh Baruch Hu sent to cross your path that day in order to make you wake up.
You know what it means to wake up? Of course, the first thing is to help. If he needs help crossing the street or whatever it is, you help him. But you should also wake up and realize that you have eyes. It doesn’t have to be that way! Eyes?! Oh ho! To have healthy eyes!
And the next day in the morning when you make that brachah, make it slowly and put some heart in it. But don't wait until the next day for the technical brachah. The brachah should come from your heart immediately. And whenever you have the opportunity, remind yourself. Whenever you cross the street – I can’t say every time; I wouldn’t demand that of you but at least once a day you think of that man walking in darkness. How happy I am that I can see.
That's happiness! That's enjoying life! That’s fun! It's a great happiness when people learn to enjoy their eyes. Such a great happiness that it becomes the catalyst for gratitude and greater service of Hashem.
Accosted on Ocean Parkway
Now, we have to keep our eyes open always for these messengers. I was walking yesterday on Ocean Parkway. I was minding my own business and then I see, Hashem sent me a package. A boy in a wheelchair; his parents are pushing him, trundling him in a wheelchair. Ah rachmanus. Immediately you can see the face, that he’s not well; a big boy of sixteen. And he's looking around, like this, his face, his eyes, to the side. Oy, a rachmanus on everybody concerned. You come to tears with such a sight. Oy, a pity!
But the greatest pity is on you. Because that boy must exist in the world; it’s a chessed Hashem to teach us how to enjoy our normal children, how to be happy with our normal minds. And if you walk away and don't utilize that scene then you’re the loser. He’s not the loser. You must know Hakadosh Baruch Hu is not going to do injustice to him and when his time comes in the Next World he's going to be compensated for doing his job. He worked faithfully all his years in acting his part.
As he was riding down the street in his wheelchair and he was turning his head from side to side, and his lips were opening wide, he was teaching us a lesson that we should not have failed to learn. So Hakadosh Baruch Hu is going to reward him. He'll get full pay. In the Next World, he'll be rewarded like a tzaddik. Because he is; he didn’t sin. And he was useful. The pity is on us because we will be called to task for not using that messenger.
Shake A Leg
I once was walking in the street with a man, a man from Bangor, Maine. We were walking in the street and he was limping. He told me, “You know what happened now? My hip is becoming fused together with the pelvis. The body is depositing calcium so the thigh and pelvis are growing together.”
Eventually, one day, he won’t be able to move his foot at all. A terrible thing.
