“I’m not closing you out, I’m closing him in.” My co-teacher recently said to a parent who was dropping off her child in the morning. Apparently, another child in our class was seeing this as an opportunity to make an escape down the hallway.
I sat with that phrase for a moment and then realized how well it summarizes what religious rules are for. “I’m not closing you out, I’m closing HIM in.” They are not meant to make us feel restricted, as I so often feel Jewish rules/laws make me feel. Rather they are meant to create an environment that keeps G-d IN our lives.
This interpretation makes following religion’s rules a bit more palatable to me.
Mindful Nuggets 