The Last Mohegan

Every year Rosh Hashana falls out during the week and the stress of work and family does not lend itself well to jump right into High Holiday prayers. So, every year I pray that Hashem will help in inspiring me to focus on my tefillah.

A few years ago Rosh Hashana fell out on a Sunday and I thought this was a great opportunity to focus on my davening. I got up early to go to shul and planned on concentrating on the holiness of tomorrow.

Walking into the shul I saw an old man walking really slowly, I offered to help him down the stairs but was reluctant. He made an attempt to put on his tallis but was not able to. I walked over to help him but despite his reluctancy I insisted on helping. Then I helped him with his tefillin on his arm, right when he rolled up his sleeve I saw he had a number on his arm. I was trying to pretend that I did not see it but he could tell because I froze for a second. “I am one of the Last Mohegans” he tells me. I was speech less, what do you say to a man of such caliber?

I guess Hashem listened to my request all these years. Every Rosh Hashana I think of the day I put tefillin on the Last Mohegan or was it just Eliyahu HaNavi.