While waiting for the bus today, a woman came to the bus stop. Her clothing was immodest. My instant mental reaction was, "This is a spiritual test! Act now!" I casually moved to the other side while lowering my eyes so she would be out of my visual range.
A few weeks ago, I never would have believed that I could guard myself so effectively. But I've been doing some thinking about the "holiness" that Dave says is inborn in every Jew.
That word "holy" sounded so lofty when he first said it. I think of great rabbis and teachers as being holy, not regular people like me. But I was wrong. Dave explained that holy simply means being able to set yourself apart from the world-at-large, able to reach for spiritual goals. He showed me where the Torah says that every Jew can be holy. Even me.
"You don't know your own soul, Steve," he laughed. "You have what it takes to 'be holy' even if you don't think so."
So now I think of these challenging encounters as opportunities to gain spirituality, a chance to use the powers that Hashem gave me. Instead of shuddering when an improper sight crosses my path, a little bell goes off in my head, and my inner voice says, "Here's your chance."
These e-mails are excerpts taken from the book "Windows of the Soul" by Rabbi Zvi Miller of the Salant Foundation.