"Let's table the discussion" is a new Adath Israel Shul initiative where a story or thought is presented in order to stimulate exciting and constructive discussion around our Shabbos table or among friends and children.) 

Once upon a time a group of pirate terrorists captured a private yacht and left its owner on a deserted island.

 The marooned mariner saw his yacht disappear from view and got up to survey his surroundings. Clearly, he was surrounded by the water on all sides. He was abandoned and seriously alone. He saw his situation was grave indeed.

  All of a sudden, the man realized that he needed to try. He took a chance and re-examined his surroundings. He approached the ocean because, after all, if he were to be marooned here, he might as well get something to drink. As he entered the water, he thought to himself: “Hey wait a minute – the water is not that deep. And its freshwater!” That thought led him to another reality – that the freshwater signified that he was not as isolated as he might have assumed! He began to look further and discovered that what he thought was a lost case – abandonment in the middle of nowhere was really a trip to a small island in the middle of a lake!

Our once lost sailor was now found! He took a quick dip into the water and swam himself across the lake to civilization and safety.

Rav Naftoli Trop once pointed out that one of the greatest weapons of the Yetzer HaRa (evil inclination) is the power to immobilize a person into inactivity utilizing the person’s fear. The Yetzer Hara works to let people know that there is no hope of salvation – that we are condemned to a life of imperfection and sin. His greatest hope is that we assume that we are marooned in Galus (exile) forever.

A wise person learns not only the weaknesses of his enemy, but also his strengths and how they are utilized.  By knowing the mirage that the Yetzer HaRa seeks to create in order to instill abandon into each of us, we will be able to recognize the optical illusion, and successfully take over our lives.

Didn’t a famous president once tell us that “we have nothing to fear but fear itself”?

What positive steps in YOUR life do YOU hesitate undertaking because of fear of lack of success?

Why would it hurt to try or even try again?

Let’s  “table” the discussion – by discussing it with our children, spouses, families and guests and open an exciting  discussion into our homes and communities.