If I were to arrange My Top 3 Most-Boring Things To Do list, it would look like this (not in any particular order): 1. Jury Duty, 2. Jury Duty, and 3. Jury Duty.
I recently paid my civil duty rights and partook in Jury Duty. I had a high number, 3063, and I knew that I would likely be waiting around in the waiting room (because that is what you do in a waiting room, you wwwaaaaaaaiiiiiiitttttt) for a long time. Of course, I did my best to make use of the waiting time, and I learned a bit and was able to get some work done as well.
I am not familiar with all court houses around the country, but the Jury Duty location in Maryland at the Mitchell Courthouse in Downtown Baltimore, has multiple vending machines in the waiting room, which, if you are waiting somewhere for a long time, can become a source of great excitement, not necessarily to purchase goods, but more so to observe others purchase goods. Pretty much all types of feelings and emotions were evoked during the process of observing others at the vending machine.
I felt validated seeing a man staring at the vending machine for like 10 minutes, as he was contemplating, deliberating, and considering what to purchase, only to walk away with nothing, as he couldn’t make up his mind. I felt proud seeing a man purchase a nutrition fig bar instead of the Mike ‘n Ikes box. I felt sad seeing a lady pay for her pretzels, only to watch as the vending machine did not dispense her product.
There was one incident, though, that stuck out to me, that made me feel particularly happy and inspired. A lady paid for a bottle of cold Mt. Dew, and upon being dispensed, she took the soda and started to walk back to her seat, when suddenly, thump! A second bottle of Mt. Dew was dispensed. She returned to the vending machine, happily picked up the second bottle, and once again, started to walk back to her seat, when suddenly, thump! A third bottle of Mt. Dew was dispensed. She returned to the vending machine, ecstatically picked up the third bottle, and again, started to walk to her seat, when suddenly, thump! A fourth bottle of Mt. Dew was dispensed. This time, the vending machine stopped giving her free Mt. Dew, and she returned to her seat with the biggest smile on her face. A victory, indeed.
Besides for being an amusing story, it is very relatable. As yidden, our experience and relationship with Hashem can be somewhat analogous to the vending machine giving out “extra” things. You see, in life, of course we must do our part. We must put our foot forwards and do our basic hishtadlus. We have to “pay” for the “Mt. Dew.” But after that, we leave it up to Hashem to make things actually work out. In His Loving Kindness, Hashem deals with us with mercy that is in far greater proportion to what we “paid.” Hashem goes “above and beyond,” לפנים משורת הדין. Why? Simple. Because He loves us and wants us to know that without any doubt in the world. My friends, this is the deeper secret of why Hashem didn’t just take us out of Egypt, but He did it with great miracles, fanfare, and pizzaz.
Of course, a vending machine that gives out extra product is a broken system. But Hashem, when He deals with us with kindness and goes beyond the letter of the law, that is by no means a broken system at all, rather it is Hashem’s way of showing His deep love and care for us, His people.
Have a holy Shabbos!
If I were to arrange My Top 3 Most-Boring Things To Do list, it would look like this (not in any particular order): 1. Jury Duty, 2. Jury Duty, and 3. Jury Duty.
I recently paid my civil duty rights and partook in Jury Duty. I had a high number, 3063, and I knew that I would likely be waiting around in the waiting room (because that is what you do in a waiting room, you wwwaaaaaaaiiiiiiitttttt) for a long time. Of course, I did my best to make use of the waiting time, and I learned a bit and was able to get some work done as well.
I am not familiar with all court houses around the country, but the Jury Duty location in Maryland at the Mitchell Courthouse in Downtown Baltimore, has multiple vending machines in the waiting room, which, if you are waiting somewhere for a long time, can become a source of great excitement, not necessarily to purchase goods, but more so to observe others purchase goods. Pretty much all types of feelings and emotions were evoked during the process of observing others at the vending machine.
I felt validated seeing a man staring at the vending machine for like 10 minutes, as he was contemplating, deliberating, and considering what to purchase, only to walk away with nothing, as he couldn’t make up his mind. I felt proud seeing a man purchase a nutrition fig bar instead of the Mike ‘n Ikes box. I felt sad seeing a lady pay for her pretzels, only to watch as the vending machine did not dispense her product.
There was one incident, though, that stuck out to me, that made me feel particularly happy and inspired. A lady paid for a bottle of cold Mt. Dew, and upon being dispensed, she took the soda and started to walk back to her seat, when suddenly, thump! A second bottle of Mt. Dew was dispensed. She returned to the vending machine, happily picked up the second bottle, and once again, started to walk back to her seat, when suddenly, thump! A third bottle of Mt. Dew was dispensed. She returned to the vending machine, ecstatically picked up the third bottle, and again, started to walk to her seat, when suddenly, thump! A fourth bottle of Mt. Dew was dispensed. This time, the vending machine stopped giving her free Mt. Dew, and she returned to her seat with the biggest smile on her face. A victory, indeed.
Besides for being an amusing story, it is very relatable. As yidden, our experience and relationship with Hashem can be somewhat analogous to the vending machine giving out “extra” things. You see, in life, of course we must do our part. We must put our foot forwards and do our basic hishtadlus. We have to “pay” for the “Mt. Dew.” But after that, we leave it up to Hashem to make things actually work out. In His Loving Kindness, Hashem deals with us with mercy that is in far greater proportion to what we “paid.” Hashem goes “above and beyond,” לפנים משורת הדין. Why? Simple. Because He loves us and wants us to know that without any doubt in the world. My friends, this is the deeper secret of why Hashem didn’t just take us out of Egypt, but He did it with great miracles, fanfare, and pizzaz.
Of course, a vending machine that gives out extra product is a broken system. But Hashem, when He deals with us with kindness and goes beyond the letter of the law, that is by no means a broken system at all, rather it is Hashem’s way of showing His deep love and care for us, His people.
Have a holy Shabbos!
