This story sheds light on a lot of things we see happening these days. Bochurim and yungerleit, tzaddikim, are engaged in contemporary “card games”, in all kinds of pastimes that don’t appear to contribute to the wellbeing of their neshomos. Whether horseback riding or go-karting etc., it can appear to the onlooker, that these are not the types of activities that they would be engaged in, and it seems surprising that they can be a distraction from the pursuit of nigleh and Chassidus.
But the explanation is now very simple: These bochurim/yungerleit know that there are many young Jews out there with lofty neshomos. In fact, every Jew has a lofty neshomo, being a chelek Eloka mimaal mamosh. But, sadly, so many of these neshomos are lost and confused, and attracted to the empty lure of worldliness. Therefore, just as R’ Simcha Bunim did in his time so many years ago, so do Chassidim today utilize the same ploy. By pretending to share their interest in the meaningless materialistic means of fun that are so popular, we gain access to them, and manage to gain back these lost souls!
And, it is definitely successful: Yesterday, the bochurim from Yeshivas Kayitz (taking place here in Buffalo) spent some time in Niagara Falls, and went on a boat ride. Now, you can ask, what are Yeshiva bochurim seeking in a boat ride, especially when it is named (שמו אשר יקראו לו ..) ‘made of the mist’, which is merely a microcosm of the whole olam hazeh (as we learn in Tanya that all physical existence is in essence “mist” and is in truth a “jug filled with mist” and is destined to become mist sooner or later etc.)?
However, when they returned and shared with me that they had put on teffillin with 2 people there, and influenced a third person regarding neshek, I then understood exactly what they were doing there. The boat trip was merely a means to an end!
Subsequently, I heard an even better story that took place on the very same day and place with a group from Camp L’maan Achai: They, too, were in Niagara Falls, and were scheduled to go on the same boat ride. However, while in line, they encountered 2 Yidden and put on teffillin with them. This resulted in their missing the ride, which was the last departure of the day!
Isn’t that beautiful! These bochurim knew exactly what was the means and what was the end. It was clear to them that all of the trips are merely a means of spreading Yiddishkeit. Thus, when they caught sight of their ultimate goal, they joyfully disregarded the secondary steps that were merely supposed to help them get there. How wonderful to hear! MEIHEM YIRU! ASHREI CHELKOM!
In a more general sense, we are looking not only to inspire other people, but we are attempting to elevate the world itself. Therefore, although we know in truth that “sona’acho” – it is our enemy, nevertheless we feign an interest in worldly matters, in order to develop a relationship, so that we can achieve what we are meant to achieve. As Chassidus explains: just as Yaakov donned the garments of Esav in order to secure the brochos, so too, we need to engage in a measure of deceit and duplicity, to disguise ourselves as something that we – in truth – aren’t, in order to elevate worldly matters.
So we go on our trips and our vacations, to the roller coasters (which eventually your real life ends up being anyway, so there’s no need to seek the artificial ones . .) and wave runners. We make our bar-b-ques (at the poolside of course) and enjoy the raw fish (since the Japanese eat it that way, so why bother cooking it) and the beer (and of course a l’chayim, since after all it’s a farbrengen). We cheer on ourselves and each other in our baseball and basketball games (and that other backwards one that the Australians play . . )
As long as we realize that it’s all a disguise. We profess an involvement in the world, because we can’t disassociate ourselves from it; - our job includes impacting this world and transforming it, and for that, sometimes, we need to involve ourselves with it.
