Who let the dogs out?
This morning I was driving to visit a friend at his home when I see my phone ringing with the friends number flashing up. I got worried that he might want to cancel my meeting. (Shame because I had brought him some rogalach – so he would have lost out ;-). I pick up and he says to me “Rabbi Gefen, could I ask you a question?” I said, “Sure”, not knowing what to expect. He says, “Are you afraid of dogs?” I said “Well.... err.... well...depends on size.” He says back to me, “Fine, I get it, I will put them away while we meet”. I was relieved to say the least. I get there and I see these two huge dogs that were behind a glass door and not allowed out because I had come to the house.
After about ten minutes of chit chat I thought to myself maybe I can use this opportunity to grow, to overcome a fear of dogs that I had since my childhood. So I said to my friend “Let’s go for it”. He described to me what they might do when the door is first opened. They might run up to me, lick me (urgh), smell me (gross) or maybe in a friendly way jump on me (do I really want to do this?).
He opens the door. I’m still sitting and they run over to me and I can feel myself shaking while they sniff around my ankles. Then they lift up their heads higher, open their mouths wide, (thanks for that - as if I wasn’t scared already) and push their bodies against me and keep at it for a couple of minutes. After a few more minutes of this happening I feel myself relaxing and even beginning to enjoy them around me, and believe it or not I stroke the dogs! (My mother would be proud!)
And I walked out of there feeling – wow, I’ve done it. I overcame a fear that has been with me since I was seven years old.
After the meeting, as I was driving back home, I thought to myself this is exactly what Purim is all about.
In the Purim story, Haman has decreed that the Jewish people should be wiped out in nine months.
That’s it. The end of the Jewish people.
Mordechai tells Esther that she needs to go into the Kings chamber and intercede on behalf of the Jewish people. Yet Esther is full of doubts. Will he like me? What will his reaction be? Mordechai tells her this is your opportunity. Remove your fears. Don’t let doubts plague you. This is your opportunity for greatness. And Esthergets that message and takes the plunge. She walks towards King Achashveroshwith courage and strength and asks him to save the Jewish people. The rest as we say is history.
Sometimes in our life there are doubts, fears, low confidence, low self-esteem that plagues us and stops us from achieving greatness and potential. Imagine if we say that today is the day that I can! Let’s open that door and let the dogs out! Let’s see what will happen. Maybe it’s not as bad as I imagined. Mend those relationships; it won’t be that hard as we thought.
Purim is that time where we learn from Estherthat we can leave the fears behind us and reach new levels of greatness.
