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September 9, 2022 (13 Elul 5782) Knock, Knock. Who's There? Dear Holy Friends, I hope this correspondence finds you doing well. Please join us this Shabbat morning at 10:30am for our in-person services which will take place in the sanctuary. The service will also be available on our regular zoom prayer link. This Shabbat we will celebrate the Bat Mitzvah of Ruby Henick. We extend a hearty Mazal Tov to Ruby, her mother Audrey and her proud grandparents Libby and Willy. There was a young Chassid, who was enamored by the many stories revolving around Eliyahu HaNavi (Elijah the Prophet). The arrival of the great Eliyahu to every Jewish home on Pesach was mesmerizing. The young man was intense in his learning and was able to grasp spiritual concepts, drawing them to him like a vacuum, yet he was starving for more spirituality. He asked his Rebbi a question, which he had wanted to ask for quite some time. “Rebbi” the Chassid said “I would like to see Eliyahu. Please tell me, how can I meet him?” The Rebbi stroked his beard and answered the young student. “Well, if you really want to meet Eliyahu, then perhaps I can arrange it. There is a town not far away and, in that town, lives a very pious Jew. Eliyahu most likely will come to see her on Rosh Hashanah. There, you can have a meal with Eliyahu.” The young Chassid was thrilled at the opportunity to meet Eliyahu Hanavi face to face. He cooked for days before the holiday, preparing the tastiest of treats and the finest repast possible. On the evening of Rosh Hashanah, the young man arrived at the address that the Rebbi had instructed. He knocked on the door whereupon he was greeted by a widow and her family. As is the Jewish way of life, the widow happily welcomed the student into her home. She was honored to have company for Yuntif. The widow had three children and was dirt poor. She was wondering for months how she was going to make Rosh Hashanah a festive occasion. Now, this unexpected person arrived. The widow immediately thought, “What am I going to feed him, I can barely feed my own family?” The young Chassid realized the poor condition of his host. Not only did the Chassid assure her that he would eat his own food, but he also offered food for the host and her family, as he had brought so much extra in anticipation of eating with Eliyah HaNavi. Together, they all enjoyed the holiday, the prayers, the singing, and the festive food. However, during the two days of Yuntif, Eliyahu Hanavi did not show up. Upon arriving back home, he went back to his Rebbi’s house, and said in disappointment, “Teacher, Eliyahu did not come.” The Rebbi was surprised. “Are you sure?” The Rebbi suggested that they both go back to the widow’s house the following week for Yom Kippur and get to the bottom of this. The teacher and student set out and journeyed back to the nearby town the following week. Again, the student prepared a massive pre-Yom Kippur feast in anticipation of meeting Eliyahu. As they approached the widow’s house, the student was about to knock on the door, when he heard the children crying to their mother. They were again hungry and not sure what they would eat before the lengthy fast began. The widow calmed her children by saying to them, “Last week I did not know how I would make Rosh HaShanah; I didn’t know how I was going to feed you. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Eliyahu Hanavi showed up with food for us! I am sure he will save us again.” As we enter the holiday season and holy Shabbat, let us see if this year we can become the miracle for another human being. Let us see if we can take on the role of Eliyahu by easing someone else’s discomfort and offering them the best of ourselves. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Eric Wasser, EdD, Hon.DM
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