One hug too many...

Have you ever been hugged by someone and it been so amazing? like when you bump into a long lost friend unexpectedly one Friday afternoon?

But then again...

Have you ever been on the receiving end of a hug that got so intense, you almost passed out right there on the spot?

Sure, the other person was so happy to see you, and they wanted to express that to you, so they turned a loving hug into a squeeze which subsequently crushed both of your lungs and three of your ribs, till the only way you could stop it was by yelling out

"stop it man, you're suffocating me!"
and then the hugger just looks really hurt and mumbles
"I was just giving you a bit of love my brother..."

Well, that kind of what its like when you live in a Jewish community. Sure, everyone is so be busy giving loving 'hugs' to show so much affection and interest they have in who you are, how you dress & what you are doing with your 'life'.

However, sometimes - their interest (hugs) become so intense, that they begin to suffocate you to a point where you feel like saying

"hey man, can I get some *!@#$%*#* space and just be ME?!"

Its about time us Jews learnt how to tell the difference between a 'hug' and a 'suffocation'!

the King is in the train station!

The most amazing things happen every day, yet, more often than not we (I) pass them off for 'regular' events.
Last week, on my way back from uni, I took a look at the darkening sky and realised, that there was only a few minutes left to daven Mincha (truth is, it was probably too late already!).
I was at Richmond Station platform 2, and my Sandrigham bound train was leaving in 4 minutes. Now, I am a proud Jew, but i'll have to admit, I felt a bit self-concious davening mincha in a jam-packed-peak hour tain station. All of a sudden I had a flash-back of something i saw in Israel: one late afternoon I saw a muslim man lay down a flattened cardboard box and pray to Allah - in front of everyone. So I said to my self (back at the train station) "if a muslim guy is not self-concious to pray in front of eveyone, there is no way that i am going to be!"
So I found a nice (busy) spot and began ashrai yoshvay veysechoh...As I took my three steps back, I made a resolution in my heart, that even if I heard the train coming to the platform (by now i only had 3 minutes), I would not rush to daven Mincha, I would rather miss the train than speed up my davenn'...

Then it happened, my Mincha delayed the train! Just when I was winding up my shmona esrai , An anouncment over the speakers boomed: "your attention passengers, we would like to advise you, that the 6:15 train has been delayed 5 minutes, we sincerly applogise for this inconvience."
I smiled to myself. I was suprised to hear that the train was delayed, i practicaly expected it! You see once i decided that no matter what I would finish my Mincha regardless- HaShem decided He'd let me do both, finish Mincha and catch my train home!
I belive that HaShem wanted to show me that no matter what, nothing in the whole world can ever intefere with a Jew who is occupied in performing a mitzvah.

The reality we don't always see, is that the whole world revolves around the Jewish people. Yes, its hard to explain to people (especially left wing liberal Jews) but, thats what 'the chosen people' means. G-d decided, for whatever reason, that we are the tachlis hakavanah (ultimate intention) of creation.

Who is the king today?

We all know the famous moshel of the Holy Baal Shem Tov;
ELUL is the time when the 'King is in the field' dressed in his 'field clothes', he greets all the 'common folk' with a 'pleasant countenance'. I find it difficult to relate to this moshel. Sure, we have presidents and prime ministers but they are not kings! The only royalty left (in the free world) is the Royal family of England, and even if Queen Elizabeth and all her kids were out for a picnic in the Green meadows Park (showing a beautiful smile), I doubt I'd even want to go and see them!

So perhaps the we could replace 'the King is in the field' with 'the CEO is at the end-of-year party' and use this contemporary moshel to illustrate the Baal Shem Tov's idea.
How so? Well, during the busy office hours of the finacial year, the CEO, who is responsible for the productivity of the entire organisation, is unreachable to the average employee. You see, even to get close to the CEO you have to pass through numerous middle managers and their secretaries, who may (or may not) grant you an opportunity to speak with the CEO's private secretary and even then, you are not guaranteed an appointment with the CEO. And even if you do get an appointment, the CEO is so intimidating! You feel so overwhelmed by a large powerful man, sharply dressed in a suit and tie, sitting behind a (very) large desk and a 20inch computer screen.

But, once a year, at the end-of-year Staff party, the CEO comes down to the local pub without his suit and tie on. In fact he even undoes a his top buttons on his shirt, and with a cheeky grin on his face, has a few beers with the 'regular staff'.

At this time, the 'regular staff' feel comfortable to approach the CEO and express their feelings and reflect about the ins and outs of the past year.

Sure, there are flaws in this moshel but you get the idea. HaShem is kicking back with us, ready to listen to whatever we have to say...

A poem about the Infinte Light

Ohr Ein Sof:

Is this the hidden catch phrase

the source of the infinte

the secret if good and evil

undivisible

combined to form

one clear and illuminating

ray of beauty ?