3 train and the tefillin guy.

Today I witnessed a scene on the three train, from Crown Heights towards Atlantic Ave station.

An intense scene.

I walked in the train pushing my way to the empty seat, then I looked to the lady sitting a few seats away, at first I thought she was somehow mentally ill, she was singing loudly, gesturing with her hands and swaying. A black, petite old lady...singing...with her unpleasant voice...singing church songs!

Grrreat! I thought. Now I have to hear the Yoshke story, I day-dreamed that I could just stand, walk to her, and ask her to stop singing...I was offended by her "Come to Yoshke ...lallaaa...lalla" rime, and because she sings terribly and out of the scale.

I contemplated moving to the next track, but I saw two Lubavichers sitting across of me and I was somehow comforted.

I took my sefer tehilim and tried to concentrate on reading the holy psukim despite the annoying Sunday morning church service obnoxiously conducted a few seats away from me.

But then...one of the Lubavichers, the son, opened his tefillin case, took the tefillin out, kissed them, and slowly, but securely proceeded to lay them...in the train, then he opened his chitas...

The lady's voice became louder, I didn't want to look directly to her but she was moving in her seat and pointing to the bochur and his fathr, she was in a trans-like state, still singing.

I looked at the passengers, some looked puzzled at at the bochur laying his tefillin and at the preacher singing about Yoshke.

I had a feeling of distress, the lady was maamesh yelling, I think I heard her say "Stop the sabbath and come to yoshke" or at least something in that line, while pointing toward the bochur and his father.

I felt threatened, not necessarily in a physical manner, but her voice became unbearable, why did I forget my mp3 player ? I thought to myself, I brought my sefer tehillim closer to me, concentrated on the wise psukim and started uttering the holy words.

My stop has finally arrived, i looked up, the bochur didn't take off his tefillin yet, the lady was still in her enraged -somehow melodic- trans.

May we all merit to see Moshiach very very soon.