wielding feathers with utmost intention

The Rebbe m'Komarna relates a story about his holy uncle Moshe (both in Notzer Hesed 1, and in the Ketem Ofir 1:1 his commentary on Megillat Esther) who asked his holy uncle Zvi about an unusual experience: Every time he would come home from town (and the work he did there) and pray minha, he felt such amazing wonderment that he would almost cease to exist--he was concerned that perhaps this experience was telling of some flaw in his soul, but the holy Ziditchover Rebbe (Zvi, the Komarna Rebbe's uncle) told him that it was no flaw, instead it was his holy thoughts, his holy devotion, on the way to and from his labors, that would attract lost souls in the fields. When he would go to pray, these lost souls would become so excited to be reconnected with their creator, it would overwhelm him.

The Notzer Hesed teaches from this story how important such holy intentions are, even during the most worldy tasks. In the Ketem Ofir (1:1) he actually says that such holy yichudim are called adorning the Shechinah with jewelery she didn't have. Whereas holy kawanoth (yichudim) in prayer and Torah learning are called adorning the Shechinah with her own jewelery.

Last night instead of my normal chevrutah with my friend Oren, we got together and spent the time whittling turkey feathers into scribe's quills, so that he could continue with his holy craft--he's a sofer stam by trade. (His site is still under construction but I linked it--hope he won't mind) It was amazing to be involved in something so special, it's been so long since I formally learned sofrut, (having only learned and never practiced) that it was nice to be once more in the midst of such hands-on labor. It's similar (l'havdil) to how much I love building the canvas before I paint it. There's something pure about simple manual labor. When that labor is also a labor of kedushah, it's extra special.

On the plus side, my arvith tefillah last night was out of this world, (transforming feathers into pens whose might is well beyond swords --describe it however you might-- it's not of this world) on the minus side, we didn't get to learn any Likkutei Halachoth this week.

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