Am I - I?

"If I am I because I am I and you are you because you are you - then I am I and you are you.
But if I am I because you are you and you are you because I am I - then I am not I and you are not you."

Holy Kotzker Rebbe

LEHAVDIL! [Between the wise gentiles I am about to quote and the Angel of G-d who inhabited the body of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Morgenstern.]

“Unlike a drop of water which loses its identity when it joins the ocean, man does not lose his being in the society in which he lives. Man's life is independent. He is born not for the development of the society alone, but for the development of his self.”

B.E. Ambedkar [Indian Politician]



"Committing yourself is a way of finding out who you are. A man finds his identity by identifying. A man's identity is not best thought of as the way in which he is separated from his fellows but the way in which he is united with them."

Robert Terwilliger [Don't ask. I don't know either:)]

Shalom again sweetest and most beloved friends!!

A thought or two on the identity theft that took place this week.

A shayne maiseh fun Satmar Rebbe : A chossid asked permission from the Rebbe if he could imitate him. It was Purim and he wanted to entertain the chassidim. The Rebbe agreed. The man stood up on one of the tables and started screaming and crying as the Rebbe did when he davened [ BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRREEEEEEEECHHH AAAAATUUUUUUUUUUUUH......]. He noticed that as he was carrying on to the delight of all of the chevre, the Rebbe was crying. He ran up to the Rebbe with great alarm and said "Oy Rebbe, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt the Rebbe's feelings. That is why I asked permission."

"No, no! You did nothing wrong. Your imitation was excellent. But I was thinking to myself - Maybe, I too am also imitating MYSELF when I daven." [I read the story in one of Rabbi Krohn's books many years ago. You can look it up to see if I got all of the details right.]

So I was thinking: Am I really being me? Or am I imitating Ally Ehrman? [If I am, I do a much better job than the imposter. I thank all of my sweetest friends who told me that when they read the email they knew in a second that it couldn't be me. It is nice to know that people know me well, many just by virtue of the blog. And for those who almost fell for it and wanted to send me money, thanks for caring. In Shomayim it counts. You wanted to help a Jew in distress.] I have a black hat, beard, gartel, and wear a black suit and people call me a name that means a] quarrel b] the name of a anti-virus website c] Rabbi ["Rav"]. So am I really being true to myself and Hashem or am I just putting on a show. So I have to do a serious cheshbon hanefesh [take stock of my spiritual level].

As for my sweetest friends!! I believe each one of you is not imitating yourself or following the dictates of society. But just in case!! It always helps to scrutinize our deeds. Even the tyere, heilige, groise tzadikkim who read Mevakesh Lev. Can you stand before Hashem and say - "Hashem I am 1000 percent with you from the depths of my soul. I don't care what people think or say about me. All that matters to me is the pure unadulterated emes."

SCARY!

Love And Blessings!!

Please daven for the Rebbe Shlita who is suffering from health issues - R' Yitzchak Menachem ben Gittel Mirel Breindel Leah. Here is a great Pre-Purim shiur in English.