Over the years my professional life as a Human Resources professional has afforded me the opportunity to regularly visit the culturally-rich cities of New York City and Los Angeles. On more than one occasion I have witnessed energetic, young Lubavitch Yeshiva students standing on street corners, pleasantly asking male pedestrians if they were Jewish.
If the person walking by happened to answer in the affirmative, the boys would politely inquire if they'd like to put on Teffilin. Each and every time I saw this selfless act I was overwhelmed by their obvious passion about the mitzvah of Teffilin. I marveled how much they must love their fellow Jews, to continue to approach people, who many times clearly didn't want to be bothered. No matter how much I tried, I couldn't imagine possessing a tenth of the courage and enthusiasm these admirable young men demonstrate week in and week out on most Fridays before Shabbos.
Recently, I was facilitating a diversity training session at my newspaper in Salem, Oregon. I always begin these sessions by asking the participants to introduce themselves, and while doing so, to tell us something interesting about their names. I started the exercise by introducing myself and telling the audience that my Hebrew name is Shlomo Yakov Ben Moishe Pincus. As in most classes, it served as a catalyst for a very energetic exchange of information between me and the participants.
At the conclusion of the session Jeff Gerson, one of my co-workers, approached me and said, "I didn't know you were Jewish." He told me he was Jewish as well but didn't know much about Judaism. He went on to say that he grew up in Los Angeles but for a number of reasons he never had a Bar Mitzvah and always regretted it.
We spoke for quite a long time about my Jewish background, my experience with Chabad, and how my association with this wonderful organization had set me on a course of study and exploration that changed my life forever. I told him if he ever felt like exploring his Jewish heritage further, I would gladly introduce him to Rabbi Wilhelm, the Chabad Rabbi in Portland.
Before Jeff and I parted company I gave him a copy of a number of essays I had written chronicling my own experience with Chabad and my personal journey of discovery. The next morning I received a beautiful e-mail from him thanking me for the stories and expressing his disappointment about how much he didn't know about his people and faith and how he wished he was younger so he could get answers to his numerous questions.
As soon as I finished reading his touching e-mail I immediately clicked onto the Amazon.com wide site and ordered Jeff, Herman Wouk's extraordinary book, 'This is My G-d.' Mr. Wouk wrote this book over 40 years ago, and for me it is one of the greatest and most instructive guides to Judaism ever written.
To my amazement the book arrived the very next morning. I immediately called Jeff into my office and gave him the book. Two days later he came to see me. His eyes were ablaze with passion and excitement. He said, "Steve, I can't believe a man as learned as Mr. Wouk could write a book that explains the basics of Judaism so simply, clearly and concisely. How could a man who is on such a high level of knowledge, understand what a person like me, with no knowledge at all, needed in a book?" He said, "This is the book I've been looking for all my life."
I told him this is exactly the reaction I had when Rabbi Chuni Vogel, of Chabad of Delaware, presented the book to me five years ago. It is, and continues to be, an extraordinary primer for someone who wants to learn but has never had the opportunity to do so and has no idea where to start. It was obvious that Jeff was inspired to learn more so I asked him if he would like to go with me to the Chabad Shul in Portland and have his first Aliyah, an opportunity to say a blessing over the Torah . With an uncomfortable look on his face he told me that he would love to but he didn't think he could because he couldn't read Hebrew. I told him not to worry, together we would learn the words necessary to complete the Aliyah.
Jeff was so excited he could hardly contain himself. He wanted to know if his wife and son could accompany him. With a big smile I told him he could bring anyone he wanted and we'd even have a big party afterward. We agreed to start studying, and G-d willing, we'd go to Shul for his first Aliyah in January.
As we shook hands I was overwhelmed by the need to ask him a question. With my heart pounding in my ears like a bass drum I summoned all of my courage and said, "Jeff, would you like to put on Teffilin?" "What's that?" he asked. I explained Teffilin to him and without missing a beat he said he would be glad to as long as I'd help him. Before he left we made a "Teffilin date" for the next morning in my office.
When Jeff popped in the next morning he told me that he had called his Dad and Mom the night before and told them what he was about to do. He said they were both very excited for him. In fact his Dad told him that since he was about to take this wonderful step, he'd reward his action by sending him a pair of Teffilin Jeff's Grandfather used daily over fifty years ago!
Over the course of the next few minutes I helped Jeff put on the Teffilin I had brought from home. First he put on a Tallis and said the appropriate bracha. Then I helped him place the first Teffilin on his arm, after which he said the first bracha. Then we placed the second Teffilin on his head, he said the second bracha and then he read the Shema. When I told him he was done it was impossible to tell who had the bigger smile on his face, me or Jeff. We took a photo of him in full regalia, put the Tallis and Teffilin away and then spent the better part of the next half hour talking about the experience.
After Jeff went back to his office I couldn't help but think about what had just transpired. This brief but wonderful moment produced so much positive energy and joy. Both of us were walking on air. It was suddenly clear to me why those determined young Yeshiva students spend their pre-Shabbos afternoons trying to help their fellow Jews. Words are inadequate to express the joy of this mitzvah. Yes, sometimes it's uncomfortable to approach a stranger or an acquaintance and ask if they'd like to perform a mitzvah. But the rewards to everyone involved far outdistance the initial feelings of discomfort. This important, but simple mitzvah has energized Jeff and his entire family, hopefully for years and generations to come.
As you read this, Jeff and I are actively studying the brachas for his upcoming Aliyah. Every time we get together to study he is so excited he can hardly contain himself. When he finally steps up to the bema it will be a moment neither of us will ever forget. And afterward he will discover another hidden treasure I have yet to tell him about, the Rebbetzin Wilhelm's delicious Kugel!
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