Jumping Back on the Horse | Rabbi Aharon Pessin

R’ Elyah Lopian, the Mashgiach of Knesses Chizkiyahu, an Adam Gadol, was once standing at a bus stop, waiting for the bus with his Talmid. There were a few other people there, as well. And after a few seconds, this lady comes over and says, סליחה, סליחה, מה השעה? Excuse me, what time is it? R’ Elyah Lopian takes his glasses off, looks at his watch. It's 2:15. The lady thanks him and she steps away. Two minutes later, she comes back. Excuse me, what time is it? R’ Elyah again takes his glasses off, looks at his watch. It's 2:17. -Oh, thank you very much. She steps away. Two minutes later, she comes right back. Excuse me, what time is it? R’ Elyah takes his glasses off. It's 2:19. Well, thank you very much. And she steps away. The Talmid is getting upset. Rebbe, there's no end. How many times is she going to come back and you're going to answer her? How many times? It’s ridiculous. R’ Elyah Lopian looked at his Talmid and told him, And who told you it's the same woman? So you'll say: That's a gevaldiger מעשה, but that's appropriate for R’ Elyah. R’ Elyah Lopian. We’re not at the Madrega of R’ Elyah Lopian. There was once a Chosid who came to visit his Rebbe. He was riding his horse. When he came in, the Rebbe says: So how did you get here? And he said: I rode my horse, as I always do. And the Rebbe asked: So what would happen if on the way, you would fall off the horse? What would you do? And the Chosid said: Rebbe, I would get up, jump right back on the horse and continue riding. The Rebbe continues, And what would happen if you would fall for the second time? And the Chosid says: So Rebbe, I would stand up again, jump on the horse and continue riding. The Rebbe continues, And what would happen if you would fall again, a third time? What would you do then? And the Chosid says: So Rebbe, I would stand up for the third time, try to clean my suit off and jump back on the horse and ride again. And the Rebbe says: What would happen if you would fall again, this time into a dirty puddle? And the Chosid said: What is the Rebbe suggesting, I should stay in the mud? Obviously, I would stand up, try to get back on the horse and continue riding. That is the answer to us. We fell into a dirty puddle. Maybe we’re a little dirty with mud. Should we stay in that mud? We are all בני מלכים. The Navi calls us Tzaddikim, We don't spend time in a dirty puddle. We rise, we stand up, we clean our clothes, and we say, We're ready to ride back on that horse. HaKadosh Baruch Hu gave us a Neshama, חלק אלוה ממעל. We must make sure to cherish that Neshama and to אם ירצה השם be able to be careful to continue to make sure it's 100% pure and clean, as Ribono shel Olam gave it to us.