1. When I was sixteen, I constructed an eight-foot tall Big Bird costume for Purim. Thirty years later, my sixteen-year-old son assembled a 3D printer and constructed an Iron Man costume, which he also motorized and lit up with LEDs. What's his sixteen-year-old son going to do in thirty years?! Build a space rocket?!
2. I saw a car which pulled over to the (wrong) side of the street. The kid in the back swung open the door, and it knocked off the wing mirror of a car that was driving past. Horrified, the kid's father jumped out and ran over to the other car to apologize. The guy gets out of the car, gives the man (who was a complete stranger to him) a mishloach manos, and says "Happy Purim!"
3. My car was stopped by a bunch of American yeshiva guys... who were collecting not for their yeshiva, but for Lemaan Achai, an incredible local charity. Kol hakavod! (Later, when I told one charedi guy who was collecting for his yeshiva that I save my money for matanos l'evyonim, he said to me, "What, supporting Torah isn't matanos l'evyonim?!" I don't know who was more mystified, he or I.)
5. A Ukranian woman that we know (a recent convert) told my wife that she wasn't planning on observing Purim, because she is too distraught. My wife pointed out to her that it is davka important to observe Purim at such times. The reason why the Jewish People survived for thousands of years is that during the good times we remembered the suffering, and during the bad times we remembered the times of salvation.
I hope that you all had a great Purim!
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ReplyDelete. . . The reason why the Jewish People survived for thousands of years is that during the good times we remembered the suffering, and during the bad times we remembered the times of salvation.
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Thank you for that. It's an echo of the ring that King Solomon wore, inscribed "This too shall pass."
Or the coin -- heads: "For me, the Universe was created.",
. . . tails: "I am but dust and ashes."
. Charles
You too.
ReplyDeleteI found 2 inspiring; undoubtedly the guy could have given the offender a mussar drasha about safety, and technically he would have been correct. However his reaction was in the spirit of the day.
ReplyDeleteHence my (somewhat hypocritical) issue with 3. You may be technically correct, but it seems to me the spirit of the day - marbeh reius - would mean that for that one day (at least) just giving the guy a few sheckel and wishing him a happy Purim may have been a better approach.
Hope you have a happy Shushan Purim - and wish that you live to see your son's son's son perfecting that teleportation device.
And there I was, hoping for a point 6
ReplyDeleteFollowing R Katz' advice I tried psychedelic drugs, and can confirm to having met Moshiach and Eliyahu Hanovi
Why would #4 surprise you? The custom of burning Reshaim in effigy on Purim is mentioned מפורש in the Gemara as understood by the Aruch. Are you not aware of what Gates has been up to?
ReplyDeleteI heard that he was caught believing in evolution.
DeleteAnd he also ate unstuffed cabbages on Purim Katan.
"Are you not aware of what Gates has been up to?"
DeleteI agree, Windows 10 was quite a disaster. Burning him in effigy isn't enough.
I still haven't forgiven him for DOS
Deleteחייב איניש לבסומא עד שלא ידע בין ברוך סטיב ג'ובס וארור ביל גאטס
DeleteOn Purim I was listening to a recording from Rabbi Wachsman from Monsey about Purim & Achdus. He was telling a story of Rabbi _ from Ohr Sameach taking a taxi ride with a Chiloni driver. They passed by a Chassidic Jew and the driver commented, "He hates me." The rabbi thought for a moment and said, "but if you were ever in danger he'd give his life to save you." The driver responded, "and I would give mine to save him."
ReplyDeleteAmazing! How true! And how beautiful!
(Food for thought for our blog too. מי כעמך ישראל.)