Rabbi's Blog

Many business models preach that customer service is the most important component for success. There was a time when many customer service phone operators asked at the conclusion of the call, ”Did I answer all your questions? Did I resolve all of your issues?” And so forth. I must admit that such ‘closing’ questions make good business sense. On the other hand, however, the operator would have parroted those words whether I were satisfied or not, and even when it was clear that my issue was not resolved.  The fact remains that actually getting to speak to a human customer service operator only occurred after pressing a number of prompts or just repeatedly saying, “operator” until getting  to speak with a live person. In the old days a customer who needed help simply called the company and a genuine living, breathing person actually connected with the caller from the beginning.

Unfortunately, those days when anyone calling for help or advice actually spoke to a human rather than a computer are long gone. My latest experiences have been to go through a series of prompts before finally connecting to an operator by pressing zero. Lately, however when I attempt to press zero the prompt says, ‘I’m sorry.  This is not a recognized option.’ After a few attempts, the system says something to the effect of ‘thank you for calling. Good bye!’. “AGGUHHH!” I yell and stammer into the phone in total frustration. This aggravation and ‘wonderful customer service experience’ has happened to me across the business sectors: airlines, banking, credit cards, you name them.  They’re all run by the same robotic computers! I also experienced a similar issue when trying to contact and actually communicate with someone from their website. Many websites have a ‘contact’ tab to press. I usually go there to retrieve a phone number, but once again I am finding more and more sites that have taken away that customer service phone number. The bottom line is that there is no one to talk to anymore if I have an issue which could so much more easily be addressed by speaking with a human being.  On one hand, the tactics employed by these companies are becoming accepted and are overall seemingly successful. On the other hand, clients, customers, and others are frequently disappointed, frustrated and completely dissatisfied. I predict that in the short term this telephone computerization will help companies build their bottom line profits. In the long run, however, this inability to resolve issues or even to hear what the issues are will lead to the collapse of many companies. The psychology of avoiding direct communication is to try to make a person give up and give in to the company’s way of doing things. Perhaps some readers will disagree with me, arguing that by thinking these companies are too big and strong.  Their way of doing business will be forced upon us and they will succeed. Our feelings of frustration and helplessness are just something we must all learn to deal with. In truth, at the moment I do feel helpless, but eventually even the mightiest that are doing a disservice will fall. In my mind it is customer disservice and dissatisfaction, and that is no way to successfully grow any business.

This attitude of indifference runs totally opposite to that of the Jewish People, particularly with regard to our relationship with God during the month of Elul and while preparing for the Yamim Noraim – the Days of Awe – Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. In our case all forms of communication are open to reach Hashem. This notion is emphasized in this week’s Torah portion. In this week’s Parshas Nitzavim Moshe feeds off of the rebuke from last week’s portion and segues into the reconciliation and reestablishment of the Bris/Covenant the Jewish people had with God on Har Sinai when we received the Torah. In Devarim 30:2 the Torah states: “V’Shavta Ad Hashem Elokecha V’Shamata B’Kolo K’chol Asher Anochi M’Tzavecha Hayom..” -  “You will then return to your God your Lord, and you will obey Him, doing everything that I am commanding you today..” When looking through the Parsha you will find the offer to do Teshuva/return three times. In verse 8 it states V’Ata Tashuv V’Shamata B’Kol Hashem and you will repent and obey God. Then in verse 10 it states: “Ki Tashuv el Hashem Elokecha B’Chol L’Lavicha U’Vchol Nafshecha” -  “And when you return to God your Lord with all your heart and soul.” Interestingly,  the verse also mentions “…with your heart and soul” three times - each time alongside the idea of repentence and return.

 Rav Dov Zev Weinberger, in his sefer Shemen HaTov, explains the levels of Teshuva that actually began in Parshas Ki Savo when Hashem says you will have blessing and curse come upon you. The potential for a blessing lies in the ability to return while the potential for a curse lies in the inability to repent and return. For now, though, we only need the very first step, or level. It only requires us to have an emotional stirring in our hearts, to just open up our conscience to repent.  Once the opening is there, even through the smallest crack in our souls, we will be brought to a level of Teshuva out of love and fear. Therefore, the passuk doesn’t immediately jump out at us and declare that Teshuva reaches all the way to the throne of the Honorable One, for this is only the beginning of the process.

Once we make the effort, once we make the first move, Hashem helps us through the process. As soon as we pick up the phone for customer service, Hashem immediately responds with ‘U’Mal Hashem Elokecha Es L’Vovecha V’Es L’vav Zaarecha’- ‘And Hashem will peel back and open up your heart and the hearts of your offspring. This,  the Be’er Heitiv writes, is an acronym for the month of ELUL. It is one of the reasons we begin the process slowly - by rising early in the morning from the beginning of Elul -  to recite Selichos (according to the Sephardic custom).

One verse later,the Shelah HaKadosh mentions that the matter is close to us in our mouths and in our hearts, and that we are able to do it. This is a reference to three things:  the mouth, the heart and the limbs, all of which are necessary to repent. These three things  - mouth, heart, and limbs in Hebrew are ‘Peh’, ‘Lev’, and Evarim, which the Chasam Sofer writes is a remez, a hint, to the word Peleh -  a wonder! The concept of Teshuva is a remarkable, wondrous gift the Almighty has given to us. In truth, these three parts of our bodies are connected to every part of the Torah in terms of speech, thought, and action. Specifically, regarding repentance, these items are at the top of the list. It all begins with a thought, which will later turn into speech, and ultimately result in action.

To begin, we only need a thought in the right direction; just picking up the phone for some customer service. After the initial act of picking up the phone to dial, we do not have to listen to any prompts or push any buttons. The customer service agent  - L’Havdil the Ribono Shel Olam -takes it from there, leading us through a series of steps that raise our awareness and consciousness, causing us to want to repent on a higher level.  Hashem wants to bring us closer and make it easier, bypassing all of the prompts and going straight to the top. Let’s keep this in mind as we enter the New Year of 5777.

Ah Gut Shabbos

Rabbi Avraham Bogopulsky