Rabbi Fishel's Blog

  Sometimes the simplest messages pack the biggest punch --
 
You may have heard about the new book by the inredible Joseph Telushkin called “Rebbe”, which was sold out on Amazon and ranked #15 on both Amazon  and Barnes and Noble within days of publication. When I started reading the book I thought it was phenomenal, not because it told me anything I didn't know, but because it reminded me of the deepest parts of myself that I sometimes forget. The book reminded me of the best version of myself; it will remind you of the innocent place that all of us have deep under the cynicism that sometimes pervades us. The stories which are told are not miraculous in deed but miraculous in perspective. The book reminded me of why I should care about people near and distant, of the importance of my small being and the preciousness of my time here on this earth.
 
When I was very young and had the honor of seeing the Rebbe of Blessed Memory hand out his dollar bills at the traditional Sunday gatherings, I couldn't help but wonder where the money would finally go.  Of course it was meant "for charity" and although I'm sure many of the recipients did make charitable donations, I doubt that they used that exact dollar. I know I didn't, because the very fact that my mentor and teacher the Rebbe had touched it meant something very special to me, and I still carry it  with me constantly. My father would always tell us, "Here is another dollar to give to Tzedakah but the one from the Rebbe you keep --"  in other words, he made sure that we knew the purpose of the dollar we got was to help others.

Have you ever had some kind of token that you considered 'lucky'? I'm not talking about the rabbit's foot that some carry for luck, but rather some object that perhaps belonged to someone very important to you and just having it handy gives you  comfort and encouragement . Perhaps it brings the memory of that person alive and all the good things he represented . It is so uplifting and satisfying to know that something so seemingly small and insignificant  can bring so much consolation and inspiration, and perhaps help change lives for the better.
 
I just like to hold the Rebbe's dollar; it means so much to me. It represents everything about helping others and bringing good to other people. The point of the Rebbe's giving the dollars was so that something good would result for a third party. So this dollar I have kept is  a reminder to me of that special moment I had when I felt personally charged to think about what I could do for others.