The Red "X"

This writing is dedicated to Ross Muller and his wonderful family. May your soul ascend and bask in G-d's presence, and may your family find peace and comfort


Many years ago, there was a land whose king found himself in a very tough bind. His adviser had just informed him, that the land's new crop of wheat was faulty. Those who had begun eating of it had begun to show signs of insanity! What were they to do? It seemed either the people would starve, or they would have to become insane. "Perhaps, my king," said the adviser, "you and I could eat from the kingdom's stored produce..."

"No," said the king. "If so, everyone will be crazy, and we will appear different. They will label us the crazy ones!" After some thought, the king told his adviser: "We too will eat from the new produce. But before we do, we will draw a red "X" on our foreheads. That way, even after we're affected by the wheat, we will know that we are different, that we are crazy. But that this isn't who we really are."

For the last 2,000 years, the Jewish people have been in exile. Our holy temple destroyed, banished from the land of Israel, our ancestors dispersed among the various lands throughout the civilized world. But this change wasn't merely a geographical one, but a spiritual one. When the Jewish people ascended to Jerusalem & its temple 3 times a year for the holidays, the Torah says: "Three times each year... [you] shall be seen in the presence of God your Lord in the place that He will choose." The Talmud teaches: 'The verse can be read in 2 ways: "be seen" or "will see."' Meaning, it wasn't just that G-d Observed his people when they came to the temple. Those that came observed G-d as well! Not necessarily with their eyes, but rather with their mind's eye. They sensed G-d's presence with the spiritual antenna of their souls. G-dliness was palpable, was felt.

But like the villagers in the above story, over the years we have "consumed" foreign influences that have made us feel different to who we are truly. We have been in a long exile; not just a physical one, but also a spiritual one. Today in America, instead of "seeing" a G-dly reality as in days of old, it's more likely we'll see a season premiere of Jersey Shore (if you don't know the show, trust me, you're better off ;) So how can we retain our inner truth? The type of person my soul was meant to express and actualize in my time on earth?
Through the Torah & its Mitzvot. Like the red "X" on the foreheads of the King and his adviser, we Jews have always needed a special reminder of the truth of who we are. No matter how "crazy" - materialistic & shallow - my society makes me, I have the Torah, with its holidays, deeds and wisdom, as an "X" on my forehead to remind me of my essence.
Now all I have to do is look at the "X" as often as I can :)

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel