As a rabbi, I've learned to appreciate the unexpected lessons that come from everyday encounters—of which there are many! This week was no different.
When I listened to a voicemail message left by Jessica,* a very determined woman, I was both astonished and amused. Jessica had been trying to reach me and her exasperation was palpable. “Hi Rabbi, this is Jessica,” she said. “I have a million dollars to donate to your organization but you don't seem to be calling me back. Ok, thank you.”
Regretfully, the demands of my job and my schedule often prevent me from getting back to people as quickly as I wish I could. I feel bad when it happens, but the delay is usually unavoidable.
After listening to her message, I found myself in a quandary. If I call her back now, she’ll think I’m only calling her about the money! But I try to get back to people as soon as I can. So should I call back so I can get back to her quicker, or put it off so it’s clear I’m not responding just because she mentioned a donation?
Fortunately, I didn’t have to think about it for too long, because the same day—while I was at an event—Jessica called back. I answered and she said, “Rabbi, I had a million dollars to donate to your organization, but since you didn’t call me back, I already donated it elsewhere.”
Well, I thought to myself, that was pretty fast to find another organization and give away all that money, but it is what it is.
The Baal Shem Tov teaches that everything we see or hear in this world can teach us a valuable lesson, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized my encounter with Jessica is exactly what the Baal Shem Tov was referring to. In fact, my entire interaction with her may have happened solely for me to learn this lesson:
So, what can I learn from Jessica? Jessica is persistent. Determined. Demanding of immediate action. Imagine if we were all like that! Imagine if we all demanded that G-d listen to our prayers and respond to us immediately.
How many times have we left messages for Him that seemingly go unreturned? How many tears have we shed? The time for patience is over. We need to be more like Jessica!
G-d, we want to live in peace! Please, let there be no more antisemitism, no more Jews being beaten up in the streets of LA and NY. This is the biggest crisis facing the Jewish people today. Please, G-d, bring it to an end. Not down the line. Not some day. Now! Immediately!
We demand an immediate end to this exile with the coming of Moshiach, and the Ultimate Redemption, which will usher in an era of peace and serenity across the globe.