In this week's Parsha we have the first Parsha of Shema which also has the Mitzva of Tefillin.
Rabbi Shabsai Yudelevitz zt"l, on one of his trips to the USA arrived in a City a few days before the President of the Shul was making a Bar Mitzva for his son. He asked Reb Shabsi if he can prepare the Bar Mitzva boy for his great day. The family wasn't too religious but Reb Shabsi agreed.
Reb Shabsai told the boy a story that happened with the Alter (the 'Elder' as he was known as) from Novardok. A family went on vacation and took basically everything they owned with them on vacation. Bedding, pots, dishes, cutlery, clothing, you name it, they packed it; besides their fridge, only because in those days they weren't refrigerators. Only one thing stayed behind, the Tallis and Tefillin. The Alter decided to teach the man a lesson. He followed after them to their place of vacation and knocked on the door. He asked to speak to the father.
"I passed by your house and heard crying," said the Alter. "I knocked and knocked, until a neighbor came out and told me that no one was home. But the crying continued. I tried opening the door. It wasn't locked so it opened. After all why the need to lock a house that was empty. I followed the crying till I reached a closet. I opened it and saw inside your Tallis crying. It told me that everyone had gone and left it behind. I tried to comfort it and told the Tallis not to worry. Right now, your owner has left you behind, but the day will come, when he moves on to the next world, Olam Haba, he will leave everything behind and only take you, Tallis!"
Reb Shabsi continued and told the boy that he was becoming Bar Mitzva to do Mitzvos. However, if he only wears his Tallis and Tefillin once and then they stay in the closet, that's not a Bar Mitzva but a Baal Aveira - a sinner.
The boy who understood that only if one wears Tallis and Tefillin every day is called Bar Mitzva, came home and asked his father, "Dad, when are you having Bar Mitzva?" The father was very angry at Reb Shabsi, but couldn't say much.
At the Bar Mitzva ceremony, which took place in the boy’s home, after the boy gave his speech, Reb Shabsi helped him put on his Tallis and Tefillin and then asked to speak. He addressed the crowd and told over the words of Chazal, that in Olam Haba the walls of a person's house will say testimony how a person behaved. The table, the knives and forks will say witness how a person behaved during meals, made all the Berachos the way one should, ate only Kosher, and said Birchas Hamazon. Similarly, the walls of our bedrooms will say testimony how we behaved, the walls of our offices, the furniture will say testimony on our honesty in business.
One of the listeners started laughing at Reb Shabsi. Reb Shabsi decided to teach the crowd a lifetime lesson. He picked up a spoon from the table and announced, "can everyone here see this spoon? This spoon will testify if our Bar Mitzva boy will put on his Tallis and Tefillin tomorrow or not." With that Reb Shabsi finished his interesting speech, sat down and slipped the spoon into his pocket.
Everyone started laughing and were rather amused at Reb Shabsi's strange speech. The next day Reb Shabsi received a knock on the door where he was staying. It was the Gabbai of the Shul. "I am sorry to disturb you, but last night after your speech, you mistakenly put the spoon into your pocket. The spoon is actually a very expensive spoon and has sentimental value to its owner, the President."
The Gabbai was sure he would receive an apology from Reb Shabsi for accidentally taking the spoon. "Yes, you are right, I did take the spoon. If you remember, I told you that the spoon would testify if the boy puts on Tallis and Tefillin? Well I asked the spoon and it told me that today, one day after his Bar Mitzva, the boy never put on his Tallis and Tefillin."
The Gabbai left, only to arrive back an hour later accompanied by the boy's father. "How dare you accuse me, of course my son put on his Tallis and Tefillin." Reb Shabsi turned to the father and said, "maybe I am mistaken, I will ask the spoon again, but if you are lying, the spoon will say testimony on many other things you and your family did."
The father started shaking and admitted that Reb Shabsi was right, the boy hadn't put on Tallis and Tefillin that morning. Reb Shabsi told the father and the Gabbai that tomorrow morning the boy should come to Shul for the reading of the Torah. The spoon not only can talk, it has legs, it can even walk itself. Tell everyone that tomorrow the spoon will arrive on its own in Shul. The shaking father and the Gabbai left.
The next morning the Shul was packed like never before. Even on Yom Kippur there wasn't such a turnout. Everyone came to see the walking spoon. Just before the reading of the Torah, Reb Shabsi called over the boy to the Bima and asked him to put on his Tallis and Tefillin. As he took out his Tallis, there was a big bang, the spoon landed on the floor. Everyone was taken aback.
Reb Shabsi took the opportunity to repeat his words and warn everyone that one must behave correctly at all times and even behind closed doors. "Remember, the walls, the dishes, the cutlery can and will witness and say what we did, just like the spoon." Everyone was very moved from the events that took place and Reb Shabsi's lecture left an amazing impact on the community.
After the Prayers, when everyone left, the father of the boy came over to Reb Shabsi and asked for an explanation. Reb Shabsi who knew that the father had learned his lesson told him what happened. "After my speech, your boy put away his Tallis and Tefillin. When no one was looking I slipped the spoon between the folds of the Tallis. When the Gabbai knocked on my door the next morning, I knew that your son hadn't put on Tallis and Tefillin, otherwise, he would have found the spoon."
During the weeks of vacation, especially when we are not at home we face so many challenges, many, that during the year we wouldn't loosen our behavior, but somehow on vacation, we fall in. Our prayers, our Kashrus, our way of dress, our behavior, what we see and read, and so much more. But let us not forget that our vacation homes, our cars, will all be witnesses to our behavior. We may face great challenges, but let's not forget that we are always being watched. We must remember that when we behave properly, especially in areas that Jews aren't there all year round, we leave such an impact on everyone around us and the Kiddush Hashem is so great! All the fun we have will remain behind, only our Tallis, the Mitzvos we did and the Kiddush Hashem we made, will always remain with us.
