I spent this past Tuesday with tens of thousands of Jews who had gathered in New York in observance of the 30th yarzheit of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneersohn of Righteous Memory.
It was truly surreal to see Jews from all walks of life and from the four corners of the world wait for several hours in the hot sun to spend a couple moments of prayer at the Rebbe’s gravesite.
It reminded me of the comment of a non-Jew witnessing the event some years prior. As I was walking down the block then, a police officer stopped me. He said, “Sir, I’ve been stationed here for a few hours now and I’m still trying to understand what’s going on. I already asked someone and was told that people are waiting in line for so long just in order to say a quick prayer at the Rabbi’s grave. But as I stand here on duty, I’m beginning to realize they must have been pulling my leg. What’s really going on here?”
I explained that, indeed, the flocks of people were simply eager to say a prayer at a holy place.
“Impossible!” he exclaimed. “These people are standing so patiently for so long. When they come out I see that there’s a calm and peaceful expression on their faces. They must be getting something there.”
Yes, I continued to explain, they are connecting. They are connecting with the Rebbe, with themselves, with generations of Jewish souls and with G-d.
“Wow,” he continued to shake his head. “I don’t get it, but I see it. It’s real.”
Sometimes, we are so caught up in something that we fail to see the beauty and wonder that it truly is.
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In this week’s Torah portion, Chukas, we read about the ashes of the red heifer, which were used for ritual purity. It is considered a chok, a supra-rational law of the Torah. We cannot comprehend why ashes of a bovine bring spiritual cleanliness. But, we observe these laws as part of the package.
Sometimes the fact that we cannot wrap our intellectual arms around something is an advantage. It gives us a refreshingly simple perspective. Instead of being caught up with why it is, we can see it for what it is. The what often gets lost in the why.
In life, there are certain moments when we need to let go of our stubborn perception and just allow what exists to continue existing.
The officer was right. We may not always get it. But don’t let that stop you from experiencing it.
Whether it’s the joy from doing a mitzvah that seems so old-fashioned, the inexplicable bond one feels when walking through the streets of Jerusalem, or the uplifting spirit of a visit with the Rebbe – don’t mistake your mind’s absence for an empty experience. You may have just gone where your mind cannot take you.