No need to improve......

Hirshel is a curious guy by nature, he likes to find out who people are. Not their finances and family troubles, just the Yichus HaMishpochoh and such. I also enjoy discussing their backgrounds and communities, and I reciprocate by telling them about myself and my background too. So when a young Yeshivish-looking man began to frequent our shul I was interested to know who he was and what he was thinking, and why he'd come daven in a Lubavitcher shul. After all, the fact remains that most Yeshivishe guys would rather walk a few extra minutes than go to a Chabad shul, and vice versa; a Lubavitcher would walk a long way to go to a Lubavitcher shul. Of course the Tzig has no problem davening anywhere at all, from Tunisian to Teimani to Tartikov to Tcharna-Ostroh and everything in between; Hirshel's seen it all, but that's what makes him so special....

It turns out that I didn't need to approach him, since he approached me. We sat next to each other one Friday Night and I hung around after Davenen, while some others rushed home to get home and make Kiddush before Six O'clock. I explained that concept as best I could, and I hope he accepted it for what it's worth. Since then we usually sit and Shmooz whenever we see each other, about different topics and issues, sometimes even at the expense of me getting a Chelek when I get home; Ober Vos Toot men Nisht Far A Bissel Ahavas Yisroel? He's a newly-married Yungerman from a Yeshivishe community who married a local girl and now learns in Kolel here. Now, before you accuse me of trying to "convert" him, remember this: I don't run after him - he comes to where I daven, and I almost never initiate the conversation - he does. I'd say he comes back for two reasons: 1) Convenience. The shul is just down the block from his house, and he can sit by himself and daven quietly. 2) having a bunch of Lubavitchers just down the block piqued his interest; he's only heard about them, and never came in contact with them before. He know wants to see what these people are all about.

Last week we were shmoozing, and the conversation turned to me, and how I got to Lubavitch. I didn't tell him the long Megilleh I told you all here, I just told him that as a young Bochur I was searching for a way and this is what I found. I believe I mentioned my age too, which really shocked him; "how can I decide on my way in life at such a young age," was what he wanted to know. He then went on to tell me about his circles, and that there's basically no such thing as looking for a derech; this is where you are, and this is where you'll be for the rest of your life. Nobody looks for something else, the most you could do is maybe grow bigger Peyos.... Why would you look elsewhere? he says, this is where you are, everything you need is here. I found that somewhat disheartening; why should they not have the will to see something different? I realize that Chassidim BiChlal, and Chabad BiFrat have this notion that everything they need can be found within their doctrine, but at least they changed centuries ago. Here we have thousands of Bochurim who seemingly have no chance to ever see anything but their Daled Amos, and that's just not right, not right at all.