There is a Hasidic story of a man who was befuddled because he could never find his clothes in the morning. As a result, he feared going to bed because of the trouble he would have in the morning. The man became resolute and decided to overcome this problem by carefully recording on a piece of paper every item of clothing as he undressed and noted its location.
The very next morning he was very pleased with himself. The panic was gone. The piece of paper was in his hand and he read: “trouser-dresser,” “shirt-closet.” He then read the last item on his list, “self.” Opposite the word was a blank space. He paused, thinking about the empty space and wondered: “Where Am I? Where in the world am I?”
Are we in the same predicament as the man in the Hasidic tale? Everything is in its place. The sun rises in the morning and sets every evening. Just as there are immutable standards in our cosmos, so also are the moral standards in our Bible that are fixed. Life moves slowly and steadily upon its course. The only question that remains to be answered is: “Where in the world am I?”
An anonymous poet gives us the answer: “Your task is to build a better world,” God said. I answered, “How? It is so complicated now; and I am so small and useless. There’s nothing I can do.” But God, in all his wisdom, said: “Just build a better you.”
The better we become morally and ethically the more we will influence others to take the proper action. The better we become the more we will be able to rebuild our structures and restore integrity and honesty to our country!
With warmth and affection,
Rabbi Sally
