A Picture of the Truth
I once spent the night at the hospital bedside of a man in Argentina. When I stood up from the hard plastic chair where I had spent the night, I turned to open the door of the room to air out the place and stretch my legs a bit. The day was Tishah b’Av, the day we mourn the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash. As such, I wanted to go to the Beit Hakeneset for Morning Prayers, the reading of Megillat Eichah, and the recitation of the kinot.
- Reciting Kinot on Tishah B’Av in the Beit Hamidrash Orot Chaim VeMoshe, Ashdod
Just then, a white-bearded, black-robed priest made his way down the corridor. When he noticed me, he seemed to be startled. After a moment, his stance turned to real fear. I was wondering what he was afraid of. In order to calm him down, I smiled at him and wished him well.
But the priest was going from bad to worse. His entire body began trembling. I stretched out an arm to steady him and keep him from falling. Slowly but surely, he resumed regained his equilibrium. He then began stammering in Spanish. I told him that I did not know the language. I am fluent only in French, English, and Hebrew.
Finally, he allowed himself to smile. I helped him enter the room and placed the chair before him. After a few moments, he told me, “Downstairs, in the lobby, there are various pictures of people of different religions. They sport white or grey beards, which add to them an aura of saintliness. When I looked at these pictures, I remained indifferent. But when I saw you, I was immediately overwhelmed with fear and reverence. Why do I feel nothing toward holy men of other religions, who look similar to you, yet when I see you, I am overcome by fear?”
Since he had initiated this conversation, I decided to turn the tables. I asked what he thought was the answer. He tried to evade responding, but I would not let up. Finally, he spoke. “The difference between Jewish clergymen and those of other religions lies in the fact that the Jews have the true Torah. When the truth stares you in the face, you become afraid.” He then lifted his hems and left the room.
As he left, I was lost in thought. Surely after such an eye-opener, the priest would wish to convert to Judaism. But, on second thought, I realized that he would never convert. His neshamah had never stood at Sinai. There are numerous kings and presidents who seek the blessing of the tzaddik and enjoy listening to the prayers of the Jews, yet they do not convert to our religion. This is because they never received the Torah like Bnei Yisrael at Har Sinai, and they never heard Hashem say, “I am your G-d.”
A gentile who never received the Torah might admire the Jewish rituals. But this admiration does not give him a ticket to join our nation. Conversely, there are righteous converts who join our nation. They contained a spark of a Jewish neshamah. Since this spark stood at Har Sinai, together with all of Bnei Yisrael, after they recognize the truth of Torah, their neshamot bond with the neshamot of our nation, and they convert according to halachah.
