Up to my nose

bs"d

Rabbi Schachter who is quite entertaining, had more to say about the nose. Someone once asked a Tzaddik. People suffer so much with Shidduchim. What can we do to shorten the process. The Tzaddik answered as follows. Shidduchim is Kasheh Kekriat Yam Suf (As difficult as crossing of the Red Sea) What happened at the red sea? Nachshon ben Aminadav jumped in. The water came to his knees, then it came to his waist, then to his neck and finally to his nose. At this point he said Rebono Shel Olam I can't continue anymore. A human being needs air to breathe. It is now up to you. When he put his entire being into Hashem's hands that's when the water split. the Tzaddik said if you want the shidduch to go quickly keep your nose down. Think that you are grateful to settle with someone who is willing to put up with your shortcomings. If your nose is up it will take much longer for the water to get up there.

On a personal note, I jumped into the Shemittah experience like one jumps into water. I had no idea where it would lead me. The revelations were many. What was my driving force? It was the words of this weeks Parsha in Nitzavim. "For this commandment that I command you today - it is not hidden from you and it is not distant. It is not in heaven [for you] to say "Who can ascend to the heaven for us and take it for us, so that we can listen to it and perform it? Nor is it across the sea for [you] to say, "Who can cross to the other side of the sea for us and take it for us, so that we can listen to it and perform it? Rather, the matter is very near to you - in your mouth and your heart - to perform it."

The Torah speaks to each and every Jew. Here I am basically a nobody. If the Torah assures me that it is doable than it must be so. It is Emunah Peshuta, like one of a small child. So in my own naive way I attempted to keep Shemittah. Now I am telling Hakadosh Baruch Hu that it's up to my nose. It's time for Him to reveal the Moshiach! Moshiach who will guide us in the ways of Torah and in the Mitzvoth so that we will be worthy of all the Brachoth.

A Kesiva Vechasima Tova to all.