I got on the plane and had an aisle seat. So far so good! But the gentleman sitting next to me was seemingly a big fan of soft drinks, junk food and other weight enhancing foods ["weight enhancing" - I LIKE that term] and I found our closeness a bit much for two people who just met. [Reminds me of the black lady at the checkout counter at the Food Emporium on 68th and Broadway whom I thanked for taking my order and she replied "OK, have a good night sweetheart". And I'm thinking "I don't really think we are advanced enough in this relationship that you should be using such terms of endearment for me".] Also, I had an interaction with him about his bags in the overhead compartment and I found him to be a disagreeable sort and didn't crave spending the next 10 hours and 15 minutes cuddling up with him.
So I searched a different part of the plane for an open seat and lo and behold I found THREE adjoining seats wide open. AHHHHHH! So I sat down and arranged my sefarim, laptop and food I had brought along. Was this going to be a great flight! No internet, no telephone, nobody to talk to [I happen to love talking to people but I also need to learn like an alcoholic needs his fix. An Allycoholic [?]. Just free time to learn. Mamesh shomayim in shomayim.
What a masmid! What a tzaddik!! Shteiging away on a transatlantic flight! I salute myself!! I keep using exclamation points.
!!!
Sorry to disappoint. After just minutes I collapsed from exhaustion due to the lack of sleep I have been suffering from for the last ... 25 years. I did that for most of the flight. Sorry you can't use this story for my eulogy [I should live a long life - as should you]. ".... and then he slept and slept!!" Nothing to get excited about.
I had an interesting question I always ask myself. If you order one seat is it permitted to stretch out on two? I once read that when Rav Aharon Kotler would take the bus to and from Lakewood he refused to use the adjoining seat for himself because he hadn't paid.
I don't think you should learn halacha from stories. Maybe the story isn't true. Or maybe he was being strict with himself but it's really permitted. It's hard for me to believe that the bus company cares if the passengers spread out on an extra seat if it's not being used anyway. Same with the plane. So it would seemingly be permissible.
I haven't seen anything in the sefarim about it and if anyone has any sources I'd appreciate knowing about them.
THANKSSSS:-).
Love and blessings sweet friends.
