Shoeshine Encounter
November 17, 2023
Was scheduled for an important meeting out of state. Woke up bright and early one morning, quickly davened with a Minyin, grabbed a bite and headed to the airport.
After check in, I noticed that my shoes were unpolished. Being presentable when meeting business people, especially those unfamiliar with our culture is important. As the saying goes, “a first impression is a lasting impression.” Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a shoe shine stand. Quickly approached it and asked the Hippie operating the stand for a shine. He got straight to work, eyeing me all the time. After he finished, I thanked him, stepped down, payed, tipped and started on my way. All of a sudden he stopped me and said, “Rabbi, may I ask you a question?” “Sure”, I replied.
“Tell me, why do some Jews dip their fingers into the wine plate Saturday night and put wine droplets on their eyes, behind their ears and in their pockets?” Was stunned to have such an odd question presented to me by a shoe shine man, who hardly looked Jewish, was dressed as a Hippie, long hair, beads and all. Obviously, I whispered to myself, there probably is a lot more to this story then meets the eye. Feeling that my answer might have important ramifications for the man in the future, I silently asked Hashem to please provide for me an answer, that would touch the heart of this seemingly lost Jewish soul.
I said to him, “the ceremony at which these acts are performed is called Havdolah, which means separation. It’s a solemn time, when Jews seperate from the holiness and tranquility of the Shabbos and get ready to enter the mundane weekday world. At that time, we are reminded to take along with us the sanctity and inspiration of the past Shabbos, to insure that it lasts throughout the upcoming week, till the following Shabbos arrives. As a reminder, we place some droplets of wine on our eyes, to remind us to only look where it’s proper to look and to refrain from looking where it is improper to look. We place some droplets of wine behind our ears, to remind us to only hear what is proper to hear and to refrain from hearing what is improper. We put some wine which symbolizes happiness and prosperity into our pockets, as a good omen, that all our business dealings be blessed the following week.
The Havdolah ceremony also reminds us, that we must live on a higher level then the other nations of the world and conduct all our dealings according to Torah Law. Not to heaven forbid desecrate God’s Holy Name, who’s banner we Jews carry. That we are different and have an obligation, when we are out of the sanctity of the Shabbos to maintain ourselves appropriately. Not to look like them, not to think like them, not to talk like them, not to hear like them, and not to see like them. To behave like a Jew and sanctify God’s name wherever we may find ourselves.”
Why I had to be there at that exact time and at that specific place, I will never know. No doubt, Hashem sent me there that morning, for him to hear this message. Perhaps he happened to remember something he saw in his past that intrigued and puzzled him. Now the question he had been carrying around, had an answer that may have been the fuel Hashem sent, to energize his Jewish spirit and send him on a search of his Jewish heritage.
In שיר השירים we read “קול דודי דופק.” Sometimes Hashem who is referred to as דודי, my beloved, comes knocking on the door of a Jewish heart, to wake up the sleeping spirit of his soul.
We never know why we are, where we are. Why certain people cross our path in life unexpectedly. Maybe Hashem sent us as a trigger, to inspire them to learn from us, by the example we portray and live. Therefore, it is important to be cognizant of our actions everywhere, all the time, for one can never know what example he is publicizing that may be scorned or emulated. May it be that we merit to be a positive influence in the life of all those we meet.
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