After the devastating attacks in Paris last Shabbos, there is much heated debate about whether or not to allow refugees into our country. Freedom for all or freedom for ISIS is the burning issue. Do we provide safe haven for helpless and persecuted refugees or will they take advantage of us and use our kindness against us as they did in Paris?
I can personally appreciate the passion of this debate, having become a naturalized citizen of this great country after years of patience and hard work. Indeed, the Torah portion this week, speaks of Jacob escaping from Esau who is trying to kill him, making him the first refugee in the Torah.
There is a touching chassidic tale of a man who travelled a great distance to see a sage. When he finally met him, he was struck by the simplicity of the sage's home. When asked where his furniture was, the sage responded with the same question: "I don't see your furniture either! Where is yours?" Naturally the visitor responded that he was but a traveller and therefore had no need to carry all his possessions with him when he travelled, to which the sage replied: "Well, I am just like you! I too am a traveller in this world. All my possessions and valuables are spiritual in heaven. In this world, I prefer to travel with only my basic necessities."
You can watch this story as performed by "8th Day", a Chassidic Rock Band, in a music video here: https://youtu.be/
With his poignant analogy, the sage made a very powerful point: None us truly belongs in this world. We are here on a brief mission for 70 or 80 years until we return home. Indeed, we all are refugees.
A parallel truth is the theme of our soul stirring JLI Course: "The Journey of the Soul" during which, much to the surprise of the students, I emphatically declared, "The Torah teaches us that we don't have a soul!" The reason is that we are a soul. We have a body, but we can't have something that we already are!
Whatever side of the refugee debate you are on, most concur that measures should be put in place to ensure that refugees are not dangerous and that they won't become a burden on society.
Let us practice what we preach. Since are souls are also refugees in this world, let us meditate upon this point and recognize the purpose for which we have arrived here. Let us make sure we are not squandering our time in this world but rather living spiritually productive lives that benefit the wonderful world in which we live!