TESHUVAH - A STORY

Dear Family,

I hope that everyone is well.

Refuah shleimah for Yechezkiel ben Ester.

Mazal Tov to Shmuly and Devorah Leah on their upcoming Anniversary. Wishing you many more happy years together with continued achievements in both gashmius and ruchnius, with lots of nachas from all of your children!

I would also like to welcome Sarita Bassin to our Family email. Sarita has recently turned Batmitzvah and is the daughter of Batya (and therefore my grand-daughter). So nice to have you on the group with us Sarita, and wishing you much success with everything that you do!

This coming Shabbos is Shabbos mevorechim Elul, when teshuvah starts to be felt in the atmosphere. And I heard an interesting story from Rabbi Yehoshuah Gordon ah, on this theme, and which was also linked to this week's Sedra, which I would like to share:

There was a chosid of the Alte Rebbe whose son parted from the way of Judaism, and he got involved in a whole lot of issues, one of which was a passion for horses. His father was upset about the way his son was living, and he came to the Alte Rebbe seeking his help.

The Alte Rebbe advised his chosid to bring his son over for a meeting.

When the son was told about this, he brushed it off with much insolence.

His father persisted, and in the end he reluctantly agreed, only on condition that he meets him while sitting on his horse, and that he is not getting off his horse.

The Alte Rebbe agreed, and on meeting him the Alte Rebbe said " Can I ask you a question?" "Sure he answered!"

" What is the difference between a fast horse and a slow horse?" The Alte Rebbe asked.

The son replied, "A fast horse gets you to your destination quickly, and a slow horse, slowly."

The Alte Rebbe then answered that that was true, but only if they were both going in the right direction towards their destination. If the slow horse was going in the correct direction, and the fast horse was going in the opposite direction, then the slow horse would get to the destination before the fast horse! So it could be that a slow horse is better than a fast horse?"

"I suppose so . This could be, answered the son."

But the Alte Rebbe then replied, "I disagree. If you have a fast horse, even if you have gone far away from the correct path, you can quickly come back to the correct path, after one turns around. But if you have a slow horse, this could take a very long time!!"

It was said that this son digested the message, and eventually came back to the correct path, on his 'fast horse'!

This story was linked to the beginning of this week's Sedra Reeh, where Hashem gives us the choice of staying on the good, well-trodden path of a life of Torah and Mitzvot. Or deviating and worshipping other "g-ds" (11:26-28)

In the fast moving age that we are living in, it is easy to land up very far away with even a small deviation.

But as the Alte Rebbe was pointing out, it is also possible to come back very quickly!

Wishing everyone a Gut Shabbos, a Gut Chodesh, and a kesivah vechasimah tovah for a good and sweet New Year.