By: Michael BergThursday December 18, 2008
The Open Door
A kabbalistic lesson on how to care for the souls that come into our lives
Those of us involved with teaching others – and all of us are teachers to one degree or another, whether it’s for our children, friends, or colleagues – have a great responsibility in our hands. We must remember that at all times we are dealing with souls.
The other night I was studying with my son David, and we read a story I’ve read countless times, and yet it spoke to me in a new way. I share it with you now because within the simple story is a great awakening for the potential we have to save – or harm – someone’s life.
The story is about a well-loved kabbalist and one of his closest students. As was his custom, the student spent every holiday beside his beloved master. However, one year, as the holiday of Passover approached, the kabbalist pulled him aside and said, “This year you will not be spending the holiday with me.”
Distraught, the student circumvented his teacher’s wishes and appealed to the kindness of the kabbalist’s wife (who was unaware of her husband’s wishes), ingratiating himself to her by becoming indispensable in the cooking, cleaning, and preparation for Passover.
The day before Passover, he dropped a subtle hint of his predicament, and the wife took the bait and lobbied her husband on his behalf.
The kabbalist responded, “If he is that important to you, then, yes, he can stay. But the truth is I fear he will create tremendous havoc for me.”
The student showed up the day of the big holiday, feeling tremendously pure and spiritually elevated. He secluded himself in the prayer room and began to pray. Suddenly, a vagrant appeared, seeking a blessing from the great kabbalist. The student smelled the stink of the man, both physically and spiritually, and shooed him away, without so much as lifting his head.
Moments later the kabbalist appeared, inquiring whether anyone came looking for him. “No, not a soul.” Again he asked, this time more insistently, “Has anyone come looking for me?!” “Well, there was this one filthy man who wanted to see you, but I know you don’t want to waste your time with such an insignificant person on such an important day.” The teacher turned to his student and stated with utter conviction, “If you do not bring him to my house now, I swear you will never see me again!”
Desperate, the student ran all over town, and only at the last minute did he locate the man in a tavern, three sheets to the wind, as they say. The man refused to acknowledge the student, so he threw the man over his shoulder and carried him to his teacher’s house. The teacher not only accepted the man, but he spent the entire holiday right beside him. The student, on the other hand, was made to sit way, way, way in the back.
After the holiday, the kabbalist called the student into his office. “Fifteen years ago this man was one of my closest students. There was a moment in his life when he did a terrible action, and he fell. And as often happens, he continued falling, spiritually and physically. I’ve been in pain all these years, praying and begging that something would open within him. Two weeks ago, I received a message in my prayers that he had created a small opening and had promised to himself, “I will reach out to my teacher one last time. If he accepts me, then I will know there is hope. If he rejects me, then I will have no more hope.”
I didn’t want you here this holiday because I know how ‘righteous’ you are and that you would close the door on him. The last door. You almost killed all hope for that man!
The lesson we learn from this, and may we all have it seared into our consciousness, is that when we are dealing with friends, spouses, children, students, and strangers, we never know the consequences and long-term effects of our words and actions. How many times are we too busy, too angry, or simply too preoccupied to answer our spouse, child, or friend with care and compassion?
This week, let us all awaken – and strengthen – our appreciation for how tremendously significant and delicate the souls are that come into our lives. May we awaken ourselves always to be concerned, aware and to always ask, “What is the best way to care for this soul?”
We want to ensure we are always opening doors for other souls to enter and elevate so they can become the best versions of themselves.
