The first time...
Have you ever watched a movie, and it was so good, that you wanted to watch it again - for the first time?
I have.
This week, I went with one of my best friends to the kotel, for his first time. To be honest, I was a bit jealous of him. When I was a lot younger, my family went to Israel, but I don't remember my first time at the kotel. I still get a little tingle, right next to my belly button, when I go to the kotel, but its just a tingle. This week, my friend, who I have grown up with, shared many nights, days, laughs and tears with, a person he is practically my brother, experienced the kotel, for his first time. It was so beautiful, that this to, I could share with him.
Just before we walked down the winding steps that lead to the kotel, we stopped for a minute. I wanted to give over some inspirational words, something that would make the exprierence more meaningful. I began talking about how the kotel on one hand, is just a wall, just a remenant of perimeter of a perimeter of the temple. In itself, it practically has no significance. But its deeper than that. I told him how many people have given up their lives to protect this wall. I told him how many people are kept alive by the hope, that one day the will get the chance to pray at this wall. I told him that when he prays here today, he 
connects with the prayers of millions of Jews, for thousands of years. I told him that when he cries here today, he connects with billions of tears. He interrupted me, he was eager, he wanted to go to the wall.
And so, we went, and prayed together at the wall, for his first time. He didn't cry, or become overwhelmed, but he was quiet for about 10 minutes, and that was definitely a first. Something happened that day, when he put on teffilin and touched the wall. Something happened to him, and something happened to me. I don't really know what happened to him, maybe i'll know in a week, or a year, or maybe i'll never know. But for me, i know what happened. For me, on that day, it was like going to the kotel, for the very first time.
I have.
This week, I went with one of my best friends to the kotel, for his first time. To be honest, I was a bit jealous of him. When I was a lot younger, my family went to Israel, but I don't remember my first time at the kotel. I still get a little tingle, right next to my belly button, when I go to the kotel, but its just a tingle. This week, my friend, who I have grown up with, shared many nights, days, laughs and tears with, a person he is practically my brother, experienced the kotel, for his first time. It was so beautiful, that this to, I could share with him.
Just before we walked down the winding steps that lead to the kotel, we stopped for a minute. I wanted to give over some inspirational words, something that would make the exprierence more meaningful. I began talking about how the kotel on one hand, is just a wall, just a remenant of perimeter of a perimeter of the temple. In itself, it practically has no significance. But its deeper than that. I told him how many people have given up their lives to protect this wall. I told him how many people are kept alive by the hope, that one day the will get the chance to pray at this wall. I told him that when he prays here today, he 
connects with the prayers of millions of Jews, for thousands of years. I told him that when he cries here today, he connects with billions of tears. He interrupted me, he was eager, he wanted to go to the wall.And so, we went, and prayed together at the wall, for his first time. He didn't cry, or become overwhelmed, but he was quiet for about 10 minutes, and that was definitely a first. Something happened that day, when he put on teffilin and touched the wall. Something happened to him, and something happened to me. I don't really know what happened to him, maybe i'll know in a week, or a year, or maybe i'll never know. But for me, i know what happened. For me, on that day, it was like going to the kotel, for the very first time.
posted by subjewd | 5:12 AM
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