The MIX - SICHA review..

I learned a short and sweet Sicha this morning. I thought I'd share (with my own twist of course).

This weeks Torah Portion is Jethro. I like saying Jethro. Jethro. Yisro.

We've all seen the guy with the Yarmulka and beard in a place least expected. Girls have a tougher test in life because they don't stick out as much.

There are three basic situations that you spot a Frum person in. The First - the kipa-wearing fella is sticking out, because he's in an inappropriate place. For example, he's in a movie theater or a Vegas venue. The second, he's in a worldly secular environment. For example, a big official office that has its headquarters is in Jackson, Mississippi. And the final category is the natural "Hassidic Habitat." In a shul, school or nursing home.

The natural judgment instinct rings off in my head when I see someone in the first category. Even though I'm in the very same theater, I say to myself "what a hypocrite"!

In this weeks Torah Portion the Rebbe comments on the second and third category. Specifically on the second, gray shaded, area of life.

The 10 commandments start off with "Vayidaber Elokim es kol Hadvorim Ha'Aile, Laymor" (And G-d Spoke all these words, saying.)

The big question that arises, why the double language. It sounds superfluous to add the word "Laymor" (saying.) Why say "saying" when you already said "spoke"?

The Mezritcher Maggid Z"L answers that the seemingly redundant language serves a great purpose. "Spoke" represents the 10 commandments and "Saying" represents the 10 utterances that the world was created with. The purpose - to draw down the former to the latter.

The Rebbe adds that the "10 Utterances" represent this world. Our mission is to draw down the 10 Commandment to this physical world.

Its easy to live the Torah way in our beis medrash or 770. The double language is needed to tell us to act in a Torah and Jewish way in the "market place". All our every day actions should be done in a Torah way. You hear that Mr. Jack Abramoff? OK, that's for a whole other post.

I have a friend that is one of the top executives for a very large firm on Wall Street.

A guy from Far Rockaway went to him for a job interview. The guy was very nervous while waiting for his scheduled appointment. Then the big thought came into his head: "will I have a better chance of getting this job of I take off my Yarmulka for the interview?" At the last moment he sank and put his Kipa in his pocket.

Boy, was this man surprised when he walked into the office. There - sat a proud, card carrying, tzitzis wearing, Cholent eating Jew. On the wall of the large, corner, office was a big picture of the Rebbe. He didn't get the job, but maybe he learned an important lesson.

At least he provided an example for what the Rebbe is telling us in this sicha not to do. Bringing Torah into our "regular" lives may be a lifetime struggle.