IN TRANSIT Designed to inform the baggage handler that this is not the final destination which is yet to come this is actually a message about life. This is not the final destination. There is more to do many more opportunities to experience G-d and life and to learn about the Torah about the world about people about yourself. The journey has just begun. We are not here permanently. We are in transit.

DESTINATION UNKNOWN This is the most distressing tag. It is usually found in the Lost Luggage department. When we forget that we are in transit then our destination is unknown and we are like lost luggage waiting for someone to claim us. Our rightful Owner will ultimately appear but where He chooses to send us is anybody’s guess. It is a good idea to consider where we want to go.

FRAGILE HANDLE WITH CARE We have a soul we have a mind. Treat them lovingly with sensitivity. Not only do physical bodies need healthful foods and good exercise so do our minds and souls. Sustain them with Torah study sincere prayer a few minutes every day devoted to thinking and meditation. And it is good to remember that those around us are also quite fragile. Treat them with care.

PRIORITY LUGGAGE To what do we give priority in our life? What comes first what comes last? A person is ultimately judged by what he deems important and crucial. What activity occupies most of our spare time? Some bags — those belonging to First-Class passengers — get preferential treatment. It takes only a little extra effort to be a First-Class passenger. And then at the end of the journey we will get priority and be given preferential treatment.

HEAVY Meant as a warning to baggage handlers this is also a warning to the rest of us not to stuff unnecessary items into our bags. It is best to pack lean and to avoid unnecessary items —not only in luggage but in life as well. Do not get weighed down with envy hatred resentment. These only add burdens to life and we pay a heavy price for them in mental and physical health. If it is guilt that weighs us down get rid of the weight by apologizing or making amends — to man or to G-d. If sadness or depression weighs on us remember that there is a G-d Who listens. Contact Him; He is very good at relieving us of unnecessary burdens. It’s not a long journey. Travel light.

CARRY-ON This is the material that we always take with us. It is part of us intrinsic to our very being: our emotions our core beliefs the essence of who we really are. These are too valuable to be entrusted to other hands via checked baggage. Carry-on bags stay with us throughout the journey. We can add things to it such as menschlichkeit decency kindness attachment to G-d Torah study mitzvos. And if we choose we can remove things from our bag and discard them: gluttony selfishness anger overweening pride. Carry-on is ours alone; only we ourselves are responsible for them.

SECURITY When all is said and done everything we possess is examined. Remove everything from our pockets — our wallet our money our keys our cell phones our passport all our material things. We remove our shoes our computer from its case. Having rid ourselves of our earthly possessions we may now pass through for the final examination. And remember: There is no fooling the Examiner no hiding anything from Him. He sees right through us.

Travel is not only broadening. No matter how many different beverages we drink on the plane travel can be downright sobering.