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Thought for the Day: Redemption Begins with Respect

Moshie recently started davening with us at the vasikin minyan. I'm not great at guessing ages, but I'd guess he's eight or ten. The kind of kid it is hard not to like. Davening is obviously important to him -- he's is there with the rest of us before 6:00AM, even on Shabbos. He loves being there and -- being a kid -- is not embarrassed to come up and tell you he loves you. We are always happy when someone joins the minyan. After all, ברב עם הדרת מלך/the glory of the King is enhanced with a multitude.  We are all there because davening is important to us and doing things in the best possible way is important to us. We wouldn't be getting up "in the threes" during the summer to daven unless that were true. Moshie's in that mold, as well. He is a beautiful addition to our minyan.

One more thing about Moshie. I said I am not good at guessing ages. It's even harder in Moshie's case. The 8/10 number I guessed is his mental/emotional age. I'm guessing that physically he is mid twenties. That makes him even more impressive to me. I know how to drive a car, but I'd be scared and clumsy in an 18 wheeler. But that's what Moshie experiences every day of his life. He has this big, powerful body with all sorts of drives and levers that he doesn't understand; but that's the job HaShem has given him. It's amazing how well he handles himself. We feel very fortunate that he has chosen to daven with us.

Apparently that feeling is mutual. Moshie went to the emergency room a couple of weeks ago with asthma. No one likes being in an emergency room, no one likes being poked and prodded. A little boy hates it more. A little boy in a man's body can be very hard calm down and get his cooperation. What was his major concern? It was Thursday and he was worried he would miss vasikin on Shabbos. They told him that as long as he did what the doctors told him, he'd be home for Shabbos and be able to daven at the vasikin minyan. He did, he was, and we got to daven with him.

What is respect? It's judging others by how that handle their situation, and not by what they do. I never talk during davening. Moshie does talk once in a while; he's a little boy... we should be worried if he didn't forget himself once in a while. We give him a gentle reminder and he composes himself. Sometimes he'll come up an give you a hug. That's another nice thing about Moshie, he doesn't feel embarrassed about expressing his love for everyone.

I am able to learn more gemara and halacha than Moshie. I have no idea, though, if I use my abilities and overcome my challenges any where near as well as Moshie does. I know one thing, though. When I am being judged this Rosh HaShanna, I am glad that I have "davening with Moshie" on my curriculum vitae.
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