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The Short Vort- -“Why?” (7/7/10)
The Short Vort
Good Morning!
Today is Wednesday the 25th of Tammuz 5770 and July 7, 2010
Why?
He was never too successful in school.
Being in a yeshiva where the boy who chapped the Gemara the quickest was rewarded with a dollar, he was considered below the poverty standard.
In a yeshiva where the boy who was able to anticipate the question Tosfos would be lauded with praises and accolades, he remained in the back of the class, quietly and sometimes not so quietly day dreaming of the day when he too would be appreciated by others for what he was and not chided for what he would never be.
At recess he was not too athletic and unfortunately his rebbe seemed more interested in schmoozing with the other rebbeim than with engaging him in conversation; so he mostly sat by himself watching the large trucks go into the warehouse across the street from his yeshiva.
He somehow made his way through the yeshiva and began to attend a yeshiva high school where his type of boys went.
When he came back to his old stomping ground, the administration said hello, however, he knew he would never be their poster boy as some of the boys who were now in the real Mesivtas were.
After a while, he began to dress in a way we would call ‘modern’ or ‘non-Yeshivash’.
He found davening difficult. He never really learned what the words meant; he was just told to daven and to turn the pages. He found it difficult to concentrate and his attendance in shul began to lessen.
Finally his mother said to him, “Chaim, why not at least go to daven maariv tonight?”
There are so many different maariv minyanim, no one will bother you, go and daven.”
Reluctantly, however, still eager to remain with the ‘frum-crowd’, Chaim made his way to shul for what he assumed would be a new start; a maariv which perhaps would be the beginning of fresh start.
He arrived in shul with a smile on his face and a siddur in hand.
He did not wear a hat and jacket; that was no longer part of his repertoire.
He did not even wear a white shirt and dark pants; he wore a colored shirt and khaki pants.
As he entered the shul it happened.
I know what you will say, “rabbi, don’t make such a big deal about boys and their pranks. Boys will be boys you know”.
Perhaps, perhaps.
Chaim enters the shul and the first boy- a nice frum bachur- says to him,
“Chaim, what the matter, you couldn’t find your clothes before you left to shul? What happened?
Have you borrowed clothes from the Mexican who does your gardening?
You really aren’t going to daven that way are you?”
Maybe I am overreacting and maybe Chaim and his mother are oversensitive; maybe.
Chaim went home and cried himself to sleep; promising himself and Hashem that he would never return.
At the end of 120 years when the frum bachur comes to the heavenly tribunal what do you think they will say to him?
1- “Great job, Mr. Kannai (zealot) you really put that renegade Chaim in his place. Good riddance to him and his ilk. Thank you for doing such a great job in getting rid of ‘off the derech’ kids like Chaim.”
2- Mr. Kannai you are responsible for the 8,987,688,000 tefillos which Chaim could and should havedavened if only you would have gone over to him and said, “So great seeing you Chaim. It’s always great to have you with us.” However, since you rebuffed him, we are taking away all of your tefillos.”
Nu, what do you think will be the greeting received by our zealous Yeshiva bachur?
Why, why do we hurt those who need our love and acceptance more than anyone else?
Why do we think that he who looks different than us is a threat to us?
Why is Chaim no longer to shul?
Why?