This article first appeared on meaningfulminute.org I vividly recall a conversation I had with a student many years ago. We were discussing the lack of passion in his Yiddishkeit. Like many of us, this person felt like he was going through the motions, but there was no real feeling driving his avodas Hashem. I remember this particular conversation because of a specific phrase the talmid used. “Yea, I wrap straps every day, but it doesn’t mean anything to me.” I had never heard anyone use that terminology before, and I have never heard it since. Wrap straps. There is something so soulless about that phrase. I used to get frustrated with some of my Rabbeim. Especially those who would give us Mussar about sports. I understood that we spent too much time on it and that there were more important things we could do. What bothered me was the way they gave the Mussar. “Imagine ten people dressed up in pajamas who throw rocks into toilets that are hung ten feet in the air. Would you all clamor around to watch these rock-throwing toilet ball players?” Being the brazen kid in the class, I proudly answered, “Yes!” “In fact,” I continued, “if these were the best rock-throwing toilet ball players on earth, millions of people would watch them play. They would faithfully root for their favorite rock-throwing players and watch their toilet ball teams whenever they got the chance. They would pay hundreds of dollars to see them play in magnificent sold-out arenas, and they would develop fantasy
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