« Jihad Jimmy Strikes Again | Main | What is the Seraphic Secret? »
May 22, 2007
Heaven Will Split
“You will see a great miracle.”
“Me?”
My Rebbe nods his head just once, but with perfect conviction.
I am eight-years old, third grade in Yeshiva of Flatbush. One of our Hebrew teachers, a Rabbi, has taken me aside during recess; he is telling me a great secret.
“HaShem makes this miracle happen—but only for special children, good children.”
“What do I have to do?”
“Just stay up all night on Shavuos learning Torah.”
“Golly.”
My Rebbe smiles.
“What will I see?”
“Heaven will split apart and reveal… everything.”
I actually feel a shiver fluttering up and down my spine, like the wings of a butterfly.
I beg my father to take me to the Beis Midrash so I can stay up all night with the grown-ups, and of course witness heaven splitting, though I don't tell him this part. It's my little secret.
“You're too young”
“I'm bigger than last year.”
“Not as big as next year.”
“That's not fair.”
“Who said life is fair?” My father goes Kierkegaard on me.
In my bedroom that night, I sit by the window with a chumash on my lap. I try and learn Torah but my eyes are drawn to the sky, to the stars, to the lemon moon.
I am soooo sleepy.
Heaven will split…
A vigorous shake of the head will surely keep me awake. But no matter how hard I try my body rebels and grows so very weary.
I know, I'll just catch a quick nap, get some rest, and then wake up in time to see the miracle.
There is no way I am going to miss heaven splitting. It sounds better than any movie I have ever seen.
My father shakes me awake for shul.
I actually sit up with tears in my eyes.
“What's wrong?”
“I fell asleep, I didn't get to see the—”
“The what?”
“Nothing.”
Together, my father and I walk to shul. I feel like a total failure.
Now, almost fifty years later, I am still that little boy who believes that heaven will split—if only I act appropriately.
Seraphic Secret will be off-line for Shavuos, the time we set aside to celebrate the giving of the Torah from G-d to the Jewish people. Karen and I wish all our friends a joyous and meaningful holiday.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at May 22, 2007 12:56 PM
Comments
Seraphic Secret is private property, that's right, it's an extension of our home, and as such, Karen and I have instituted two Seraphic Rules and we ask commentors to act respectfully.
1. No profanity.2. No Israel bashing. We debate, we discuss, we are respectful. You know what Israel bashing is. The world is full of it. Seraphic Secret is one of the few places in the world that will not tolerate this form of anti-Semitism. That's it. Break either of these rules and you will be banned.
Thank you.
It is good to try and remember why the heck it is that I am trying to stay up all night.
You have summed it up simply and meaningfully. This is good.
A Gut Yom Tov and may we all see the Heavens split.
Posted by: Moishe3rd at May 22, 2007 02:09 PM
A beautiful recollection.
It reminds me a bit of my son, Avi, who, for a few years was so gung-ho to go and learn with his abba...but fell asleep, a deep sleep, on the sofa ["I'm just going to take a little rest."] before Mr. TorontoPearl even left for shul before midnight. Oh, the disappointment in the morning...
Last year he remained awake and went to learn and listen to shiurim for a couple of hours. This year I think he's planning/hoping to stay for early-morning shacharit too!
Your recollection is a wonderful one to have taken away from your childhood, and one of those father-son moments to hold close, too.
Wishing Casa Avrech a beautiful Yom Tov.
Posted by: Pearl at May 22, 2007 02:22 PM
Moishe:
You're very welcome. Have a lovely yuntif and let me know what the heavens reveal in your part of the world.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.seraphicpress.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at May 22, 2007 04:28 PM
Pearl:
Do let us know how Avi does on this Shavuos. Wishing you and yours a lovely and heaven-splitting yuntif.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at May 22, 2007 04:32 PM
Chag Sameach!
Posted by: Ari Miller at May 22, 2007 07:02 PM
Ari:
Always wonderful to hear from one of Ariel's ZT'L good friends. Chag sameach to you and yours.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at May 22, 2007 07:07 PM
You have my prayers that this year will be the one in which you are finally big enough! VH
Posted by: MAJ Virgil Hilts at May 23, 2007 08:22 AM
Maj. Hilts:
Alas, I fell asleep. Again. The heavens split without me. Again.
I am such a loser.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at May 24, 2007 10:53 PM
I blame K'tonton.
:-)
Posted by: soccerdad at May 25, 2007 07:19 AM
I stayed up all night. But not learning - trying to get the baby to go to sleep (hmmm - maybe she wanted to see the heavens split).
My 2nd-grade daughter wanted to stay up all night. She resigned herself to some "Little Midrash Says" chapters after dinner. (which was actually somewhat inspiring, I have to say)
Posted by: ralphie at May 25, 2007 10:54 AM
Ralphie:
Good daddy :)
Have a lovely Shabbos.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at May 25, 2007 11:28 AM
Shavuos night worked out well this year. I learned with my 13-year-old. He didn't think he'd make it past 1:00 (neither did I), but he did! We took a break at every two dots, and learned till 4:30 AM. Covered four blatt in Kiddushin. He stayed in shul to daven with the early minyan; I went home and slept till the second minyan at 8:30.
Posted by: kishke at May 26, 2007 09:09 PM
Kishke:
Sounds like a wonderful Shavuos night. Did you and your son see heaven split?
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at May 27, 2007 11:02 AM
Did you and your son see heaven split?
No, but we did split lots of hairs. (And I'm not talking split ends.)
Posted by: kishke at May 27, 2007 02:09 PM
Kishke:
Oh good, now I don't feel like such a loser :)
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at May 27, 2007 02:20 PM