Shabbat

 

And I was fine until ten minutes out from the synagogue when

 there was no way to avoid the puddles and the splashing cars - so I got soaked.

 

But I remembered Florida and a previous hurricane;

The state was shut down on a Friday while my plane was flying into Miami ... but the state had some busses to get us to town.

 

I RAN to find a hotel and a grocery store,

Bought food for Shabbat

Invited a couple of young Israelis who I met in the grocery store.

 

The canals were rising, things were all closing, and I was in a dilemma-

Should I go to Shul Friday night or not? 

Should I be "Stubborn for G-d" or Sane for G-d's Sake?

 

I figured SOMEBODY had to pray - so I got directions to the Lubavitcher Yeshiva in South Beach

and started walking those 3 or 4 miles...

 

The water in the street literally was up above my waist

people shouted from buildings on the street

"Come Up Here or

The alligators will get you! But I (foolishly?) smiled and waived and kept going.

 

Of course the yeshiva building was locked, and the students had been evacuated.

On the walk back the waters had subsided a lot,

 

But I knew I had done something the Almighty would have wanted me to do ...

as one of the 42 steps on my journey (everyone has their journey)

 through "the wilderness"...

to the Land of Israel

 

Chazak V Ematz - be strong and courageous - we say this week at the end of the Torah Portion.