Stranger No More

By Rabbi Avi Richler

This past Friday I was waiting at the checkout line at the supermarket when the lady behind me, seeing a bearded rabbi, asked me what I thought about the “Tefillin Story” aboard the US Airways flight earlier that week.

As a shliach I am always excited to share the beauties of Yiddishleit with any stranger, so I smiled to her and began explaining how proud I was of that anonymous boy who maintained such a calm and respectful demeanor throughout the entire ordeal.

As the cashier rung up my purchases, my new friend looked at me and said “You know, as soon as I heard the story I quickly called my husband and asked him where HIS Teffilin were. When he told me he didn’t know, I spent the next hour looking for them and thankfully located them this morning.”

Amazed, I told her that she now has to make sure her husband actually puts them on, to which she promised she would do.

The entire Shabbos I could not get this episode out of my head, nor could I stop thinking about how my non Jewish neighbor stopped me during his morning jog to tell me how much he enjoyed learning about the “Taffilin” after he too saw the story break on TV.

I must admit that I too have put on Teffilin on a plane, usually with many curious glances and questioning stares, so I find it amazing that in a mere 10 minutes, a 17 year old by has given us a tremendous opportunity to further the Rebbe’s Mivtzah Teffilin to unprecedented levels.

I can picture the next time I have to put on Tefflin on the plane, and a little boy turning to his father and asking “Daddy, what’s that?” and the father proudly explaining that this is how Jewish people pray to G-d.

It is no longer strange!

One of the biggest challenges in inspiring another Jew to put on Teffilin is the person’s worry of what everyone around him will think.

Yet never in the history of the world have so many people, Jew and non Jew, been made aware of what Teffilin are, and as one reporter put it “that this is what Jewish men do to pray!”

I am sure it is no coincidence that this story happened so close to Yud Shevat, and so we must grab this opportunity to redouble our efforts to ensure that every male above Bar Mitzvah should put on Teffilin.

And in the words of one great author, “if a window of opportunity appears, don’t pull down the shade”.

We have been given the chance where all of the work has already been done for us. We don’t even have to explain what Teffilin are any more, all we got to do is be there to help them put it on.

It is also an opportunity to reach out to our fellow Yidden who do put on Teffilin, yet are hesitant to approach others to do this Mitzvah because they are “worried” about sticking out in public.

Perhaps this is a wakeup call that the world loves this kind of stuff and that there is absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about. In fact not only should we not be embarrassed, but we should be proud to be the focus of the world’s attention to our beautiful Mitzvos!

I am absolutely positive that the Rebbe would be Shturuming aboutthis, encouraging each and every one of us to ensure that NO JEW be forgotten in this holy bond with Hashem.

Let us resolve on this Yud Shevat that all of us, Shliach, Business Man, Bochur, etc… , reach out to every Yid we know to put on Teffilin, and in this Zechus may we merit the coming of Moshaich right now!

Rabbi Avi Richler is the Director of Chabad of Gloucester County, NJ