From Down Under - Sydney, Australia
I hope that this letter finds you well. Thank you so very much for the Tefillin that you sent me recently. It is something that I never thought I would do but now that I am, it has given me another fantastic reason to smile in the morning.
I must admit that for some reason I have been excitedly awaiting the Tefillin. Despite keeping a kosher home, going to synagogue on Shabbat etc, I have never done Tefillin - not even when I lived in a yeshiva in Jerusalem for 4 months! I would probably attribute this to the fact that my Dad never did it, the set of Tefillin that was passed down to me from my grandfather (who died when I was 1) were no longer kosher and the idea that doing Tefillin took ages to do in the morning.
When my fiancé, indicated that she thought every good Jewish boy should have a set, I was not sure if it was something that I would really take on board. But given that I really did not know how to lay Tefillin I think that I was more embarrassed to openly admit that I didn't know how to do it - if I don't draw attention to it then no one would know. Of course the person that loses out in the long run is me!
I have only put on Tefillin for the past few days with one of the Chabad boys at yeshiva here, but I have been reading up in a Tefillin primer book. When I do it, I feel good. I am getting faster and able to relax and appreciate what I am doing. I am hoping that in time I will be able to do more than just say the Shema. Baby steps!
I would like to thank you for bringing me the opportunity to fulfill another mitzvah and especially to The Tefillin Bank for making it physically possible. Every morning that I have awoken to lay my Tefillin has given me something more to smile about.
Toda rabar chaver,
Graeme G.
Sydney, Australia
