Calling All Cynics

From: gali wexler
Date: Wed, Dec 3, 2008 at 10:04 AM
Subject: Mumbai
To:

I realize I am sending this email to a bunch of seasoned cynics but what the hell. Perhaps that's just the point.

I talked to my Chabad rabbi today in Williamsburg who knew the Chabad couple murdered in Mumbai.

He was on fire, as Chabad rabbis usually are, but this time it was different.

I asked him all the usual questions one would ask given the tragic circumstances:

"How could a merciful G‑d exist and allow this to happen? And to these people?"

And of course:

"Why? why? why?"

He gave me answers, some better some worse. Usually his best answer was that he didn't know.

Then I asked him: "How, Rabbi Shmuly Lein, do you cope with it?"

His response: "I get stronger. I realize that my friend, colleague and fellow Jew Rabbi Gavriel and his wife Rivka Holtzberg, dedicated their lives to bring Judaism and happiness to people. And when that is taken away from them, I make sure to get stronger because I don't want the murderers to win. I take on where this couple left off and I become responsible in keeping them alive by getting stronger in my faith. We all have a responsibility to them."

That's what he said.

Then he said: "That is my protest, my outcry and my outrage—I get stronger!"

He transformed my why why why to wow wow wow. Turning negative into the positive, up to down, in to out, physical to spiritual—this is the magic of Judaism.

If for just one brief second, you are able to dispel all the negativity and suspicion and numbing cynicism around a long bearded man with "rabbi" before his name, listen to what this man is saying—the FIRE, man! The freaking fire!

I realize this is a strange request and trust me, I am in an awkward position requesting it, and no, I have not become an evangalicizing Jew, but I ask you all to take a moment out of your day and think about these two people—Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg.

Better yet, think about them while lighting Shabbat candles because that was they're life mission and now is a chance, as a protest, outcry and outrage, to prove that it hasn't ended—just the opposite—it has reached those farthest away, emotionally and spiritually DAFKA (on purpose—English translation).

Visit a Chabad House nearest you, show your support for these outrageous people who have cleared out their ego and made space for so much freaking love.

Hell...surprise yourself. You might, G‑d forbid, like it.

Candle lighting time for December 5th in NYC: 4:10pm.