A Soulful Journey

Rabbi David Wolpe tells of the student who asked a rabbi why he puts on  tefillin , and the rabbi says, “You have to put on  tefillin  for a year in order for me to answer that question.”    Being religious means a  commitment by you to God.

Pursuit of such peace and civility does not mean that we can or ought to avoid all controversies. That is generally impossible, and especially so in the context of such a tense and contentious society as that of Israel. (I remember her story my grandfather told me, of a young man who appeared one weekday morning in a synagogue adjoined services but failed to put on tefillin .  He resisted the requests of a gabbai and the president until the rabbi approached him and asked for an explanation. He told Rabbi that his father had died and left a will that he, the son, should avoid all controversies. Since there is a dispute between Rashi and Rabbenu Tam as to the nature of tefillin , he therefore avoided tefillin  altogether...   Rabbi Norman Lamm It is admirable to avoid negative confrontations that have no resolution.  At the same time, it is disempowering to avoid meaningful conversations and decisions no matter how hard they are.

One should not walk in the cemetery wearing tefillin, carrying a Torah or reciting the ‘Shma.”   Anyone who does such a thing transgresses the meeting of the verse, one who mocks the dispossessed offends the Creator, " - Proverbs 17:15. Rabbi Hiyya and Rabbi Yonatan were walking in a cemetery and the fringe, tzitzit, of Rabbi Yonathan was dragging on the ground. Rabbi Hiyya had said to him, “Pull up your tzitzit so that the dead do not say; “Tomorrow they are coming to us but today the insult us!?  - Berakhot 18a

And I will espouse You to me forever. I will espouse You to me in righteousness and justice, and with goodness and mercy. And I will espouse You in faithfulness. Then you shall know the Lord.   -Hosea

"What is holier- Sabbath, tefillin or study?" a Hasidic master was asked.  He answered carefully, "Holy is whatever you are doing at the moment." -Rabbi Harold Shulweis

The Maggid of Dubno, an 18 th century rabbi known for his parables, related: A great ship was proudly sailing the seas.   She carried many important merchants bringing huge quantities of merchandise.   One day, there arose a violent storm and the ship was in danger of sinking. The captain called the passengers together and asked that they throw any extraneous cargo overboard or else they may all drown.   The merchants, anxious to save their lives, began to bring out their precious possessions and toss them overboard.   One of the passengers, however, who was known to have with him considerable wealth, was about to cast over his valuables along with his tallit and tefillin.   His companions protested, “Fool!   Throw the precious gems over because you can do without them, but not those!   They are our life!" Choose values of valuables.  When we think of life like that the choices disappear.  There is only one option.

The town Apikores (atheist) heard about potential competition from a newcomer to town who also had a reputation for heresy.   He went to see the newcomer to judge his competition.   He saw a man wearing tallit and tefillin, davenning. When he finished his prayers he asked, “You are an Apikores?? What kind of Akipores wears a tallit, tefillin and davens? He answered, “I may be an Apikores but I am not a gentile!”   -Jacob Chinitz Even if you don’t know there is still room for doubt.