MORNING COFFEE

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MORNING COFFEE

Harav Y. Reuven Rubin Shlita

Our shtieble has several customs that may be unique but speak to the whole we aspire to be. One of the newest ones is the full breakfast served every day after davening. I speak not of a piece of cake and perhaps a lechiam in memory of a loved one, but here we are talking of an entire breakfast. Rolls, pitta bread, smoked fish, cereals of various kinds and cooked eggs, all with coffee, tea, juice and more. What started as an experiment, dreamed up by one of our more caring members, has become a permanent fixture, and for me, a singularly positive opportunity to share with the Chevra in their lives. As we smear butter on the rolls, Torah is learnt, and lived in real time. Problems are shared and attitudes examined, needed comfort is amply distributed between bowls of cereal. As the first step into the daily morning schedule of life’s hurly burly, it is wondrous to have an open discussion of life’s challenges and informal discussions of how we can help one another grow in our individual spiritual lives.

This gathering of chaverim speaks to our need for friendship and togetherness. I find it an especially positive exercise in these difficult times. Our world seems so conflicted, challenges abound in every single aspect of our lives. Talking and listening with one another is a gift we can all use. Dark clouds hover over our people, in Eretz Yisroel, war sends our brethren scurrying into safe rooms and public shelters. Yet the air is thick with political disturbances that threaten the Torah community. Here in Britain, antisemitism is celebrated with song and flying flags. It all is becoming a bit too much, and heavy heartedness seems to be the rigour. Chazal speak of such times and we have a long history of epochs where we saw growth and prosperity only to see our glory dashed upon the rocks of inner dissension amongst our own ranks.

Time and again we have permitted the poison of machlokes to seep into our communal lives and wreak its damage to our souls. Senseless hate coupled with our singular insecurities have torn at our togetherness and caused egos to be weaponised.

As we live through yet another period of “The Three Weeks” wherein our golus is meant to be analysed and its lessons learnt, we must all take heed to what is happening in the here and now. Machlokes rips through our most precious Kehilos, Mosdos are crippled by useless intrigues and worst of all, families are becoming disenfranchised over walls built with the bricks of empty hate.

I am old enough to have witnessed the care and concern expended by the great builders of the post Churban Torah world. The efforts they expended in showing achdus in the Torah community was real. Tzaddikim spoke of the brotherhood of all Yidden, it was one of the building blocks of what we have today. As a young asken, I witnessed meetings of Rabbonim of every type of Torah community coming together to solve communal challenges. This was done with derech eretz for one another and respect despite differences of opinion. The current torrent of antisemitism may be the fruits of our crumbling respect for one another, and the cure can only come from achdus.

So, every morning I will share a lovely breakfast with my small band of chaverim, we will talk of our challenges, as a community and personal. We will share a joke or three, and yes, I will share my stories. Torah will be spoken, and Its reality hopefully felt. True, we are just a few fellows in Manchester, but hopefully the brotherhood we share will create some positive strength in these difficult times. May we all be blessed with such moments of friendship, and may this strengthen the resolve of our Gedolim to build a world of achdus, therewith bringing total Achdus with the Moshiach.