Pre Shabbos Thoughts

In H.S. a Rebbe of mine had a rule for everything (it was a phase). Once we were discussing the classroom prohibition of cursewords. Someone asked, "What about "hell?" The rabbi replies, "If it's said in reference to a place, like Poughkeepsie, then it's fine, otherwise - no." With that in mind I share with you a sign I saw, "Satan Called - He Wants His Weather Back." Indeed.

It's over 100 degrees today. It's so hot that even the most annoying people aren't asking asking anyone if it's hot enough for them. With all due respect to My Father In Heaven, from the POV of this character it seems a bit too hot.

I passed out from dehydration the other day. It was Shiva Asar BeTamuz. It was about 95 degrees and I was participating in burial of an old neighbor of mine, the father of a dear childhood friend. I wasn't thinking about the not eating, or the heat, I was feeling fine - until I wasn't. I walked a few steps from the freshly filled grave to the funeral home limousine and leaned against it. A minute later I saw a cloud of dust and felt everyone look at me as I hit the ground and quickly picked myself up.

There's got to be a respectful way to ascertain if someone is O.K. It feels humiliating to have a stranger talk use your first name and demand answers when all you want is to drink 100 gallons of Gatorade. ("Are you O.K. Neil? What happened Neil? How are you feeling Neil. Where do you live - NEIL?" I was placed in the backseat of the limo and given some liquid, and all I wanted was more and more to drink. I watched the kadish and nichum through the window. The officiating rabbi gave took an ace bandage off his foot and gave it to me. I rode home with my childhood friend and his family (my dad - may G-d bless him - still lives on the block) and drank three large bottles of Aquafina during the hour and a half ride. But enough about me.

It's almost Shabbos. I'm cocooned in the coolest room in my abode. I'm drinking as much as I can. Three days after the fall I saw a doctor about my pained and swollen ankle. He put a soft cast on it and checked it out with x-rays. He's seen worse, and yet it was important that he see it. I need to do R-I-C-E (rest, elevation, compression, elevation). So that's what I'm trying to do.

As Shabbos approaches I'm thinking about shamor and zachor, and how they relate to all of Torah and all of life. There's always the technical side of things, and then there's the spirit. We need to focus on both. And if we tend to one more than the other naturally, we need to push ourselves to properly respect the other side of the scale. This applies to every halachah. As we will soon recite, "Shamor Ve'Zachor Bedibur Echad." Rav Hirsch applies this to every mitzvah, their 2 components were each entrusted to us at once. On Shabbos as we try to do Shabbos and all mitzvot right; it's a good time to work on balance within ourselves. Some of us are Shamors and some of us are Zachors. Some of us want to answer and fix everything. Others want to appreciate the mystery and silence behind all that may appear to need fixing or answering. We all need balance. May we be blessed with balance this Shabbos.

Sun says goodbye every eve, but it's different on Fridays

Here comes Shabbos - it's going to be alright

Another few minutes and the noise will wash away

Both shamor and zachor are providing the soundtrack

Balance is within reach

Open our hearts, dear G-d - please

Shabbos' music is playing closer, soon we'll fly away home