JEWISH HOME LA

Dear Readers,

On Wednesday last week, my cousin Moshe Rubashkin came off the bus and saw a lot of people crowded outside his house. Moshe, who has special needs, started getting antsy. Realizing this, his brother-in-law took him aside to explain that his father was finally coming home! What was his immediate reaction? “Oy! What’s gonna be with… and… who are still there?”

That story in a nutshell describes the home of my uncle, Sholom, and his wife, Leah. It is always overflowing with kindness, guests milling about. The other guy is always more important. One might even say my uncle’s heart bleeds to a fault.

To me, the reward of seeing klal Yisrael rejoice in his simchah is middah k’negged middah. His contagious love for his fellow Jew (and fellow human being, for that matter) was palpable. Anyone who visited Postville says the same thing: “The achdus Yisroel (actually, it’s even the name of the shul) they experienced there was something they never saw before.”

The Talmud says that the second beis hamikdash was destroyed because of baseless hate; hating someone just for existing, no reason needed. It follows then that baseless love, loving someone just because they are, will bring its return. Everyone I’ve spoken to says the same thing: they have never witnessed such pure brotherhood and joy in their life.

May this genuine show of unity break down any remaining barrier to the complete geulah, returning us as one family to our home, where will experience the ultimate joy.

Let’s be ready. The very next Whatsapp may say, “Is it true?!” and this time it will refer to the coming of Mashiach.

Wishing you a joyous Shabbos,

Shalom