The moshiach man

Amongst all the hustle and bustle, and jostling and shoving, that comes with a typical shopping trip to the mall, I heard it. One voice a little louder then everyone else. So familiar, it made my head turn. There he was. The moshiach man.

Typically dressed, in a black suit, white shirt, (no tie) slightly smashed up hat, he was out amongst the masses, doing his stuff.

'Moshiach! Moshiach is coming! Yehudim! Put on tefillin! Do a good deed, moshiach is coming!'

He was doing his rounds, and I was doing my shopping.

He seemed to be following me. Every store I found myself in, there he was, trying to get another Jew, and yet another, to put on tefillin, while spreading the word that yes, moshiach is coming, and we must be ready.

I had a half smile on my face, a kind of grin. It was nice to see a 'familiar' face amongst all these strangers. He was 'mine', we were part of the same family.

And yet, there he was, doing something good, helping other people, doing something the Rebbe not only asked, demanded of each of us. And what was I doing? Browsing, shopping, filling my cart with personal items for me, all about me.

I wasn't out there doing mivtzoim, giving out candles, telling everyone about moshiach, like I should have been doing. I was thinking only of me. How selfish.

So what right did I have to smile when I saw him? How could I even identify with him, while we were so different, worlds apart in our missions?

It gave me something to think about. Yes, I still get a warm feeling when I see a fellow Lubavitcher 'spreading the word', doing their stuff. Because we are one, and it makes me happy to see someone doing the right thing.

The moshiach man is somewhere out there, still doing his stuff, and sending out the call, the wake up call, for all Yidden to get ready, cuz moshiach is coming soon.

And next time I go shopping, I will try to do my part too. I will put some candles in my bag. Thats the first step. Whether or not they see the light of day (no pun intended) is yet to be decided.

But at least I can smile when I see the moshiach man again. Because we have the same mission, him and I. We are working towards the same goal.

Wake up Yidden. Moshiach is coming!