The Talmid Masorti

I am a Talmid.

For those of you who are not Jewish, the best way I can explain what a Talmid is goes like this.

The Jedi has a Padewone learner. The Jedi is the Rabbi and the learner is the Talmid.

I had my first lesson with the Rebbe last night. I learned more than I bargained for. I learned that I do not know anything at all. Sure, I can argue the mishna with anyone you put in front of me. I can confound the Rabbi of your choice with questions and questions pertaining to the spaces between the Aleph and the Bet on the holy text. Shoot, I can tell you the Jews accepted Torah because HaShem held a mountain over our heads! But his lessons, they were about me. How I spoke to G-d. What learning means to me. How will my walk with the Creator of the Universe has improved with my studies. I learned that I have amazing knowlege, but little faith.

My Rebbe teaches from the House of Hillel. He is warm, caring, loving, and always brings a smile to the table. He is truly annointed. His Rival, though unintentional, is a Rabbi from another shul. The very definition of Shammi flows from this rabbis words.

The two Rabbis were once close and worked in the same shul. No one knows exactly what happened, or why, but my Rebbe was told to leave. It was interresting. The man had very little, if anything, to do with the chaos going on at the time. However, he went on to start the Shul I attend now.

When I look at these two great minds, and I see the two houses flowing from this small community, I am reminded that our G-d is a G-d of justice and balance. The house of Shammi could not exist unless Hillel was there to counter it. The split that occured after my Rebbe left was hurtful to many, but necessary for the cause and the greater good.

That brings me back around to my point. I pray for an understanding between the two houses. Our community is too small for that nonsense to occur. However, I have given up hope on the two houses coming together. There has to be balance. Without Hillel there can be no Shammi. Our G-d is a just and fair G-d, very balanced.

HaSatan exists to give humanity a choice to follow HaShem or not to follow HaShem. The rain exists so the Desert remains dry. Pain exists so we, as humans can know what joy is. Hatred and indifference for love. Truth for lies, the list goes on. Everything is balanced in the universe He created.

Even my situation. A Man of G-d can not exist in a Den of sin. There is no balance there. It is a very toxic situation that HaShem delivered me from. Though I still feel the pain and fear of what happened, the world looks a bit brighter knowing our just G-d is still in control. That he will maintain balance in the universe. And, if I let him, in my life.

Thanks for reading,

The Masorti