“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Z’man Chairusainu
14 Nissan 5774/April 14, 2014
A number of years ago I was in a car with a
friend who was listening to a sports talk show on the radio. They were
discussing a popular power hitter on the New York Yankees who was in a
miserable slump. The host of the show suggested that the player thought too
much. “When he steps up to the plate he’s busy trying to strategize what the
pitcher is going to throw to him. So let’s say he concludes that the pitcher
will probably throw him a sinker. Then when he throws him a curveball he’s
totally off guard. So then he readies himself for a curveball, and then when
the pitcher hurls a slider he swings and misses. When he is convinced he’s
ready for any type of off-speed pitch, the pitcher hurls it down the middle,
and he goes down looking like an amateur.”
friend who was listening to a sports talk show on the radio. They were
discussing a popular power hitter on the New York Yankees who was in a
miserable slump. The host of the show suggested that the player thought too
much. “When he steps up to the plate he’s busy trying to strategize what the
pitcher is going to throw to him. So let’s say he concludes that the pitcher
will probably throw him a sinker. Then when he throws him a curveball he’s
totally off guard. So then he readies himself for a curveball, and then when
the pitcher hurls a slider he swings and misses. When he is convinced he’s
ready for any type of off-speed pitch, the pitcher hurls it down the middle,
and he goes down looking like an amateur.”
The co-host added that the slumping star needed
to be more like a different player (whom he named), who was a great hitter, and
not known to be intellectual. “Yeah, he
probably steps up to bat and thinks, “I like ice cream”. Then, a second later –
BOOM! He whacks the ball into the seats!”
to be more like a different player (whom he named), who was a great hitter, and
not known to be intellectual. “Yeah, he
probably steps up to bat and thinks, “I like ice cream”. Then, a second later –
BOOM! He whacks the ball into the seats!”
A wise friend asked me recently what my goal is
vis-à-vis my children on Seder night. “What is it that you want them to walk
away with?” It’s a good question.
vis-à-vis my children on Seder night. “What is it that you want them to walk
away with?” It’s a good question.
One morning a chossid was reciting Shema
fervently in proximity of the Kotzker Rebbe. Kotzk is legendary for their
abhorrence of externalities and the chossid made the mistake of demonstrating
his intense fervor. After davening concluded the Rebbe summoned the chossid and
asked him what he was concentrating on as he said the Shema. The chossid
proudly explained all of the deep thoughts he was pondering as he said Shema –
the oneness of G-d, the omnipotence of G-d, how G-d rules over all four corners
of the earth, is above the seven heavens, etc. The Rebbe listened patiently to
the chossid’s discourse. When he concluded, the Rebbe replied that he seems to
have forgotten one thing. The chossid was stunned; what could he have forgotten?
The Rebbe poignantly replied, “That there is a G-d!”
fervently in proximity of the Kotzker Rebbe. Kotzk is legendary for their
abhorrence of externalities and the chossid made the mistake of demonstrating
his intense fervor. After davening concluded the Rebbe summoned the chossid and
asked him what he was concentrating on as he said the Shema. The chossid
proudly explained all of the deep thoughts he was pondering as he said Shema –
the oneness of G-d, the omnipotence of G-d, how G-d rules over all four corners
of the earth, is above the seven heavens, etc. The Rebbe listened patiently to
the chossid’s discourse. When he concluded, the Rebbe replied that he seems to
have forgotten one thing. The chossid was stunned; what could he have forgotten?
The Rebbe poignantly replied, “That there is a G-d!”
Sometimes we become so involved and consumed by
the deep and mystical that we forget and overlook the simple integral truths.
There is an endless amount of explanations, ideas, discourses, and halachic
debates which one can study and ponder regarding every passage and law of the
Seder. But when all is said and done, the most important idea that we must
convey to our children and inculcate within ourselves is the most simple of
all: That there is a G-d. It was He who redeemed us fromEgypt
He who punished the evil Egyptians, he who brought us to Sinai and gave us the
Torah, and it is He who runs every facet of our lives and every thing that
transpires in the universe. He loves us and awaits our success, and has much
more faith in us than we do.
the deep and mystical that we forget and overlook the simple integral truths.
There is an endless amount of explanations, ideas, discourses, and halachic
debates which one can study and ponder regarding every passage and law of the
Seder. But when all is said and done, the most important idea that we must
convey to our children and inculcate within ourselves is the most simple of
all: That there is a G-d. It was He who redeemed us from
He who punished the evil Egyptians, he who brought us to Sinai and gave us the
Torah, and it is He who runs every facet of our lives and every thing that
transpires in the universe. He loves us and awaits our success, and has much
more faith in us than we do.
We shouldn’t become so involved in trying to
hit pilpulistic, Talmudic, and homiletical ‘homeruns’ that we become
distracted from remembering the most basic truth of all. Everything else is
just “icing on the cake”, or in (non-gebrokst) Pesach lingo “butter on the
matzah”.
hit pilpulistic, Talmudic, and homiletical ‘homeruns’ that we become
distracted from remembering the most basic truth of all. Everything else is
just “icing on the cake”, or in (non-gebrokst) Pesach lingo “butter on the
matzah”.
Chag Sameiach & Good Yom Tov,
R’
Dani and Chani Staum
Dani and Chani Staum
• (845) 362-2425