[RBS] OT: What I learnt form Golan Azoulai

[Phil'n'Chanie Rosenfelder]

Last night, Golan Azoulai performed at the RBS matnas.  We had never
heard his music or seen him act before, but my neighbour runs the
matnas, so we go  to most cultural events that she organizes.

Golan is a very talented actor, singer, songwriter, etc.  his
impression of grade 1  children learning English from a Russian Olah
Hadasha  was too funny .

But the lesson I learnt from his life story is very special, so i
decided to share it .

(gilui na'ot: i have very little patience for "sippurei tzadikim"
where someone decides to keep a mitzva and , poof, everything works
out for them.)

When he was early in his teshuva process, Golan still had  a contract
to perform on stage on Shabbat.  He tried to get out of it, but his
bosses made it clear to him that if he wouldn't perform on Shabbat,
they wouldn't give him any decent parts.  He tried to do as little
hillul Shabbat as possible,but he didn't feel ready yet to give up his
parnassa completely, and throw his lot in with Gd.
And then, the Big Break came along.  Steven Spielberg wanted Golan to
act in a movie he was making - filming would be two days, in Malta,
and pay enough that he could quit teh Tel Aviv commitment.  Golan said
yes.
BUT, and there is always a "but", the filming was  not being done in
Israel, and so, unlike Israeli convention, the two dates they wanted
him were two successive friday nights.
After the initial shock, and fight with Gd, Golan realized - this
wasn't a case of "keeping Shabbat saved the day", but rather,
something much more mundane, much more real - this was Golan's chance
to make the decision.   Do I keep Shabbat, or do I put my carreer
first.

I am guessing that like me, most people have an issue that we are not
100% settled about.  And we want a Bat Kol to come down, or an
opportunity to knock, that will make it so easy for us to do the right
thing.  But I guess that in real life, what knocks on our door is the
opportunity to look ourselves in the eye and choose what we know is
right, even when it means giving up on some of our material dreams.

Thank you, Miri, for once again, bringing talent and Torah together at
the RBS Matnas (and complicating my life:-) by reminding me that I am
the one who has to choose good)