Just about every Friday, after dropping the children off at school, I venture on over to my shull where I learn Talmud with a great bunch of guys.  Some of them I see in shull on Shabbos and some throughout the week as well.  When one spends months learning the laws of which came first, the chicken or the egg,  a special bond is formed with one’s study partners (we are currently learning Tractate Beitzah (egg).

This morning I arrived earlier than usual.  Yes, I am always the first to arrive, but today I was especially early.  The doors are usually locked and I wait for the Rav (Rabbi) to arrive with his wisdom and his set of keys.  Today, however, I had a bit of luck when I noticed the shull’s caretaker inside the courtyard.  I assumed he was tidying the place up before Shabbos.  He noticed me, motioned for me to come over and said (in broken Hebrew and Yiddish), “Ah, you are coming to learn.  I will leave it open for you”  (he also mentioned that my beard had become messy and it was  time for me to shave).

The wise caretaker left and I was now inside preparing for the lesson by laying out all of the Gemarot (the books from which we learn) and moving  the chairs to their appropriate places around  the oblong shaped table.

After having arranged everything to my liking, I took my seat and began to study my surroundings.   I was alone in the shull.  No one was around.  The doors and windows were wide open.  My mind began to wonder.  There was a construction site next to the shull.  Construction sites mean Arab workers.  Arab workers this week means stabbings and terror.  Oy!  I am alone.

Suddenly, I remembered reading online this week that some of the big Rabbis in Israel wrote letters to their followers on how to remain safe during these days of terror.  They said one would remain safe by surrounding themselves with Torah, lots of Holy books and by increasing their learning.  Jackpot!  I was seated in a room with a multitude of books, and they were all Holy books!  To add to my mazel (luck), I had arrived early, the doors were open and I could start to learn early!

Having found the biggest, thickest book in the room, I placed it on the table in front of me and sat back with a sense of confidence and security. This book is sure to help me beat the crap out of any would be terrorist.