Matchmaker Devora Alouf
“I bore you on eagles’ wings… You shall be mine own “Segulah” (treasure).”
Exodus 19:4-5

Many years ago, a man was walking in the forest when he found a young eagle. He took the bird home with him and put it in his farmyard. The eagle quickly learned to eat chicken feed and to behave like the chickens on the farm. One day a zoologist happened to pass by. He asked the owner, “How did it happen that of all birds, the king of the skies is in captivity in the yard together with the chickens?”

The owner of the farm replied, “Since I gave it chicken feed and trained it to be a chicken, it never learned to fly.” He added. “It acts like a chicken, and therefore it no longer is an eagle.” “Nevertheless,” the researcher insisted,” it has the heart of an eagle, and it certainly could learn to fly.”

After the two of them talked about this, they decided to examine who is right. The researcher gently lifted the eagle up and said, “Your place is in the skies and not on the earth. Spread your wings and fly!” The eagle became confused, and didn’t know what its identity was. When it saw the chickens eating their feed it jumped down to rejoin them.

The researcher did not give up. The following day he brought the eagle to the roof of the house. Once again he urged it, “You are an eagle. Spread your wings and fly! “But the eagle was afraid of the new identity the researcher attempted to give it. Once again it jumped down to rejoin the chickens. On the third day, early in the morning, the researcher took the eagle out of the courtyard to a high hill, where he raised the king of the skies above his head, and once again encouraged it to fly. “You are an eagle. Your place is both in the skies and on earth. Now spread your wings and fly.”

The eagle looked around, down to the farmyard and up to the skies, but it still did not fly. Then the researcher lifted the eagle up to the sun. The bird began to tremble. Slowly, it spread its wings, and finally, it rose up with a cry of triumph and flew away.

It is possible that the eagle misses the chickens. It is possible that it even visits the farmyard from time to time. But as far as we know, it never went back to live like the chickens. It was an eagle, even though it was raised like a chicken.
(James Agro)

You need to be aware of your own inner soul to find your soulmate. Develop your human potentials and be aware of your unique Jewish identity. Accept yourself, do not blur your identity by comparing yourself to Hollywood images. Develop your own inner vision on life, your own taste, your goals, love and appreciate the whole package even if the wrapping is not perfect. We live in a throw away society, as easily as we dispose of used cars, and other appliances, we dump relationships and loved ones. Singles who want to get married worry about making a first good impression, to dress in order to impress, to have chemistry, instant attraction, they want just to click by some magic power that is easy, wow, fantastic and fun.

Welcome to fantasy land ….Fantasies are not necessarily harmless. The shock of disillusionment can be very painful. You have to drill deep in order to strike pure water.

In the noisy confusion of life, remember to spread your wings, you are Jewish, different, and very special. Climb the mountain, follow the sun. The process might be unfamiliar, yet very rewarding and fulfilling.

“Don’t be afraid of the other person because he is different from you. There is far more in common between any two human beings than there are differences.

As for the differences, think of them as the hooks that hold us together. Differences are the thing we have most in common.”


From ‘Be within, stay above’- wisdom from the Rebbe.
By Tzvi Freeman