by Reb Akiva @ Mystical Paths
On my way to a business meeting at a coffee shop in the mall in Israel…
Israeli malls have security checkpoints at every entrance. This means an armed security guard, a metal detector and the guard with a detector-wand. All bags are checked, women’s handbags and so forth, and anyone that looks unusual (like wearing a coat in summer) or puffing is closely checked (they might, G-d forbid, be a bomber.)
I arrive at the mall entrance security with my computer bag. I like a big computer bag and therefore commonly use one that rolls. This allows me to haul around the computer, various USB cables that might come in handy, some other computer tools, a business notebook, and more. Kind of a portable office.
Entering a mall with this makes me unusual, worthy of extra security. But it also makes me a pain to deal with as this is a computer bag with various zippered and internal pockets. Security guards want to check a bag in a couple of seconds and be on to the next person, I’m time consuming.
As I arrived the non-religious (or appearing so) looked at me (I look like a religious Jew, and Jews aren’t a security risk as they don’t go around blowing people up), looked at my bag…
He said to me, “And the Hebrew month is…”. I instantly answered, “Elul”.
He then asked, “Ani L’Dodi…”. I instantly answered, “v’Dodi Li”.
Meaning “I am my beloved’s…and my beloved is mine”, a sentence in Hebrew made up of words starting with each letter of the name of the month, Elul.
He then waived me through.
I was smiling through my meeting and the rest of the day. Every Jew, especially in Israel, is filled with mitzvot and Torah like a pomegranate with seeds!
Baruch Hashem.
What a fantastic story. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThank you for increasing my love for the Jewish people. What a mitzvah you have done--It is said of Reb Levi of Barditchev that he built palaces in heaven by increasing ahavas yisroel--you just earned yourself a time-share in one of them, at least.
ReplyDeleteagree real nice !
ReplyDeleteLOVE IT! new to the blog... THANKS!
ReplyDeleteNice story!!
ReplyDelete