SHEMOS – PAGING THE SUPPORT NETWORK
SUGARY SAYING OF THE WEEK
SHORT STORY OF THE WEEK
There are times in life when we think that somebody's not going to understand us because we’re not eloquent. Indeed, Moshe said, "I have a lisp; I'm not a great speaker; I'm not a kiruv Rabbi, I don't know great stories, I don't know how to give this over. Maybe they would believe somebody, but not me, as I'm not a great speaker, and they won't listen to my voice. Then they're going to have excuses because I don't know how to grab them or speak to them.”
In response, Hashem asked him: “What's in your hand? You have a staff. What does a stick do? It helps you walk; it gives you support. The stick is there to help you stand strong. Be there for these downtrodden people in that way. When you see somebody struggling, you don't have to be a great speaker. You must love them, care for them, and be the stick for them. Be able to stand up for them.” So, Hashem said “that same stick that supports you, throw it down to the ground, and in a moment, it will be a snake; it will attack you, and it's your enemy.” This terrified Moshe.
However, the moment you pick it up in your hand, Hashem says "shlach yadcha" - two extra words, put your hand, be there for him, pick him up and lift him, All of a sudden in your hand that same person that you thought was a snake, that same person that you thought was your enemy, that same person that you were afraid of, without saying a word will totally metamorphosize into a new being. Yet, when you're there, and you want to support somebody, and you care about him that you're ready to lift him, you don't have to have the voice, you don't have to have the language. One person could have a tremendous lisp like Moshe, but the snake can transform. It wasn't just a trick; Hakadosh Baruch Hu was teaching Moshe Rabbeinu how to be that leader and guide.
The Torah relates the confrontation between Yaakov Avinu and Eisav Harasha. Eisav was ready to fight Yaakov, and just a couple of moments later he came with 400 men to fight him. Suddenly, he hugged and kissed him. Then, he told Yaakov (Bereishis 33:12), “Let’s walk together”. Yaakov replied (ibid. 33:13): “My master knows that the children are tender, and the flocks and the cattle, which are raising their young, depend upon me, and if they overdrive them one day, all the flocks will die.” Eisav is going fast - the media, the technology - there's no way to fight it anymore. They're going ahead, they're speeding up, but there are two choices. Sometimes you think you want to speak to somebody, you want to say something, you're going to do this idea, but Yaakov had his own strategy.
From time to time, you must let the whole world just keep on flying ahead but walk with the child. He said I don't want to push him; on the other hand, you go, "I'm going to walk slowly with them. I'm going to be there for them, I'll support them.” Just the fact that people see that their father, their Rebbe/Rav, is walking with them, is there for them, is the stick for them, the whole world will keep on running, but they will be strong. They'll be supported and be who they need to be.
There was a Jew in Eretz Yisrael in one of the areas that were less frum. He passed a store that didn't really have a good hechsher, and especially there was a problem there of Tevel - of Trumos and Ma’asros. He was very surprised because it was known that it wasn't a good hechsher, and he saw another Jew walking in, his appearance that of a very special man with a long beard and coat. “Okay, maybe he got stuck,” he tried to judge favorably. But as soon as the guy walked in, he observed that he must shop there every day because the owner of the store said, "Oh, Moshe, how are you doing? Shalom aleichem! You want your regular order?" Right away, the guy replied affirmatively. “It’s fresh waiting for you," the owner replied, and he pulled out a two-foot baguette from under the counter and asked, "You want everything?"
He replied, "I want every single thing in the store," and he put in a cucumber, pickles, and every vegetable that was in the diner. Then when the guy was done, he added, "No, you missed the coleslaw.” So, he stuffed that into the sandwich, which was now dripping with every sauce and vegetable. The guy outside was thinking with anger, “This man is like an animal!” Finally, he saw the guy settle down, and he didn't even wash. So, he walked over to him, and he said, "I hope you enjoyed your sandwich here, because definitely up there you're going to be suffering a lot."
Without a word, this guy pulled out of his pocket a small card with Trumos and Ma’asros and said, "Look, I know there are many Jews here that are going to buy from this store, and there's a problem of Trumos and Ma’asros. I could scream, but I'm not going to stop them. I have a better idea: befriend the person and be nice to them. Every day I walk in, and I make sure to take everything he has in the store. And then I sit down in my seat; I make believe I'm eating; I separate Trumos and Ma’asros on those things, and I have in mind for all the foods in the store because I took from each vegetable. Then, everyone who comes in that day will have good kosher food. This way I know every Jew who walks in there will be taken care of."
There are times in life where we think there's a snake, there's a certain person - he's not ehrlich, so I will let him have it. Hashem was teaching Moshe: “Look what's in your hand - there's a stick. A stick is something that could support anybody, no matter how much they're struggling. You could be that person for everyone else. There's no need to bash, there's no need to do flip out; just support the person, and you'll see in moments how the person will turn around. By being supportive and loving, you'll be able to change this person and the entire world. (INSIGHTS FROM RABBI ZISHA KOHN)
