Musings Of A Shliach From Montana
Farbrengen in Cedarhurst at the home of Chesky & Naomi Newman
Last week I made my way over to the Bozeman Public Safety Center to donate blood. With an O blood type, I generally donate doubles which I’m told are super helpful. I took Zeesy along with me, as I’ve done with my children before, because I think it’s important to tangibly show them what our values are and how beautiful it is to help others. I learned about giving blood from both of my parents. My dad would give blood every six weeks, taking a break from his work in Manhattan to run over and help someone who could benefit from his donation. My mother of blessed memory didn’t go as often, especially because she was diagnosed with cancer at age forty-two, but there was a time in the early nineties that she donated blood for a Lubavitcher child who was having a complicated surgery and it was her blood that was used to save his life and bring him what he needed for long life.
As I sat with Zeesy at my side, I asked the phlebotomist if enough people signed up to donate, and she flat out said, “No.” She then told me that in the more rural parts of Montana, places like White Sulphur Springs, more people show up to donate, feeling more compelled to be there for their fellow citizens. As all the blood donated in Montana stays in state, I think there should be more awareness about how important it is to show up in this way. Chavie said she would join me next time, and so did my sister-in-law, Brocha, so we are making headway.
In our parashah, Chukas, we read about people who lacked the ability to be kind, even acting cruel when there was no loss for them in doing so. Sichon and Oz, two mighty kings, were asked to let the Jews pass through their land. They weren’t asking for food, beverages, lodging, medical care, or anything else for that matter. They were asked for permission to travel through their land and the two kings refused. In halacha there is a term “zeh neheneh zeh lo chaser,” when someone benefits from another person’s property not at the expense of the owner. It should be a no-brainer. Who wouldn’t want to help especially when they are not being asked to do something specific, just give permission for someone to pass through? How could someone refuse an opportunity to be kind, albeit passively? Yet, it seems like agendas, vendettas, rumors, and gossip can cause people to behave in harsh ways without tapping into their basic humanity.
It’s sad when we can’t be kind. It hurts us more than the one to whom we direct our unkindness.
On Sunday, while flying to New York for the Rebbe’s yahrzeit, halfway between Bozeman and Minneapolis, where I had my stopover, just over Bismarck, North Dakota, a woman sitting two seats over from Menny and me started feeling ill. Flight attendants on Delta operated with alacrity, getting Delta’s medical team on the phone, getting two doctors, and one ER nurse that were on board to come and help, and for the next hour all I saw was professionalism and a heavy dose of humanity. Total strangers on a bumpy flight gave this woman medical care and TLC until we landed in Minnesota, where a team of medics awaited her in the jetway.
For all the negatives that we hear about the world, seeing the care of the Delta team and the passengers with medical knowledge was just heartwarming. They genuinely showed up for this woman and her concerned husband, eased her pain and worry, all the way down from 36,000 feet until landing, so she could get the help she needed.
It reminded me of my trip to Moscow in the summer of 2019, traveling to attend the wedding of a family friend. While flying back on Aeroflot, about five hours out of Moscow, a man sitting about three rows behind me had a massive heart attack and slumped over, dead. No warning, no heads up, just dropped dead. We made an emergency landing in Iceland, where they removed the body from the plane before we continued to JFK. I remember the Russian flight attendants crying with tears rolling down their cheeks as the passenger was taken off the plane. It’s important to see the beauty that exists among our fellow human beings.
X (formerly Twitter) and all social media are not a representation of humanity. Most people in our world are still good and there are definitely more of the good people than the heartless vocal minority on social media.
When we landed in New York, it was hot, very hot for a guy who doesn’t like heat. Standing for two hours on line to get to the Rebbe’s Ohel made it even hotter. Menny and I did it, because that’s what Chassidim do, but the weather didn’t make it easy. Yet, there was so much humanity. Women with babies and toddlers going ahead, water being given out along the line, fans to keep us somewhat “cool” and just people being kind to each other in ways that made every shvitzing person on line more comfortable.
I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about my Five Towns friends with whom I had the honor to farbreng on Sunday night. My dear friends Chesky and Naomi Newman opened their home for a men’s gathering to be inspired and uplifted in honor of the Rebbe’s 31st yahrzeit. So many friends who had vacationed in Montana came together, along with people I know from “around” and a few who read my article in this paper each week. One fellow, Simcha, even came just to show a dose of support and love to our Menny, who shares similar experiences as a Jew of color. It was such a beautiful evening of humanity where a bunch of Jews of different backgrounds spent time discussing the Rebbe’s legacy and how to impart his deep Torah analysis and world view in our homes.
I came to uplift but I left uplifted. I came to share the Rebbe with my friends, and was honored that they wanted to hear even more. Let’s all re-dedicate ourselves to the Rebbe’s legacy, including seeing the good, the merit, the beauty, the light, and the humanity in our fellow citizens of the world. n
Rabbi Chaim Bruk is co-CEO of Chabad Lubavitch of Montana and spiritual leader of The Shul of Bozeman. For comments or to partner in our holy work, e-mail [email protected] or visit JewishMontana.com/Donate.
