Last week had been overflowing, with health challenges on the one hand, but with joy beyond measure by Chagigah radio host Hal Slifer’s presentation at Ruach last Shabbat. It was “Wow” and “Wow”! Not only were we blessed by a wonderfully entertaining event but he, too, felt the love of our community. It was palpable.

So as a result of my attention elsewhere I let slip dealing with the change of password I needed to do in order to do my work. What’s worse I thought even though I hadn’t updated the password for my computer that my work messages on my IPhone were still current. (Stop laughing, Ralph.) So I would check my work messages each day on my cell phone but didn’t notice until right before sundown on Friday that none had updated since Monday (the day of my surgery last week). Not good.

I tried not to worry over the weekend and on Monday morning I contacted the person at my office, let’s call him Moishe, who is an attorney, but also, is our IT guru. It turned out that for me it wasn’t just a change of password, but rather, he needed to update the Citrix application (how I get work emails remotely) on my computer and on my IPhone. Really remotely since I’m babysitting my granddaughter in Denver this week!!

Just to figure out the solution took so much time, for at first, it seemed like user error that I couldn’t update my password like everyone else. It took awhile to realize he needed to actually download some software onto my devices. Moishe spent at least two hours with me, trying different angles, going from one device to the other, downloading special software that allowed him to be on my devices as if he were me, all with only one cell phone on my end since no other adults are here. (My granddaughter is at camp). It’s very hard to give him the verbal feedback he needs over the phone while he’s working on that phone’s software! Ultimately, all updates to my computer and cell phone were accomplished.

While Moishe was talking me through the steps and doing what needed to be done, I thought back to my early years at the law firm when he was an associate who worked on some of my cases. Back then, for me, this relationship was often very challenging. It would seem that no matter how much I would explain something we needed to do, he would have trouble understanding and doing it, let alone, thinking of other ideas about the solution to the case. He would also make clerical errors on client names or addresses. Truthfully, it kind of drove me crazy, and I had to fight frustration and exasperation.

In those days I’m not sure I was as patient as I could have been. Although I didn’t express anger, I’m pretty sure Moishe felt judged and could feel my displeasure at times.

So after his amazing time with me on this IT stuff I thanked him for his kindness and patience. I apologized for how I probably did not act the same way toward him in those early days, now decades ago. I praised him for his amazing expertise and said surely whatever he didn’t know or do back then was not as bad as my complete inability on this tech stuff. I also told him I was impressed with his comments at a recent lawyer meeting we both attended on the subject matter of what we do as lawyers, not just the tech stuff he also does.

He seemed taken aback, actually, not remembering that he felt so bad back then. Surprised and happy he really appreciated the positive feedback, saying he rarely gets it.

The whole scenario felt as a lesson I was receiving from HaShem. Twenty years ago I was in a position of superiority, knowledge wise, and was challenged to work with someone less knowledgeable. Now Moishe was in a position of superiority, knowledge wise, and I was the one even more ignorant on the subject matter. Not only that, I was put in a place to deal with the very person with whom I had had this reverse relationship, now to know what it feels like to be the lesser person in these regards. How truly amazing. . .

The situation reminded me of the Midrash of the woman who had trouble receiving from others only to become disabled later in life and needing to become completely dependent on others for her care. It also reminded me of the documentary about Christopher Reeve that I had just watched two days earlier on the flight to Denver, how he went from being “super” to being completely dependent literally for every breath.

We are given so many opportunities to become more aware of our effect on others, how kindness and patience, Moishe’s treatment of me, are like miraculous love elixirs. These ways of interacting are the tangible means to share the divine love that God has for each of us. On the receiving end, such kindness and patience so deeply touched my heart that it brought forth my confession to Moishe so he was able to feel loved as well. The circle of love was complete – God to us, each to the other, us to God- as I couldn’t stop praising Him for this amazing experience.

He who was the least in my eyes became the first, all as a result of feeling God’s love, of being able to see Moishe as God sees him. HaShem’s divinely orchestrated situation for me to need to work on such a challenging project with Moishe brought forth the deeper revelations, the beauty of humility to open our hearts to be able to love even more deeply, further on the path to be able to love as Yeshua loves us.

We feel so loved when treated with kindness and patience, two powerful blessings we can generously bestow on others through our words and actions. I encourage you to unreservedly share these gifts in your relationships with others for this is a capability each of us has without concern of knowing the subject matter. Just love each other as He loves us. The only knowledge we need is to know His Love, made even more palpable, more intimate, by knowing Yeshua.

Shabbat shalom.

Diane