Being a camp counselor is not easy. Well, unless you have easy campers; just ask Benny.
The first camp session was only three days old, but Benny Berger felt like quitting. When Benny first looked over the list of campers in bunk Gefilte Fish, he felt a sense of relief. Only 11 campers, a far cry from the 18 his friend Etan had to worry about. However, he now felt betrayed. “Can you believe these kids?” Benny asked his junior counselor, Chaim, while trying to clean an unidentified substance from a camper’s face. “Each one is like two-and-a-half people. When people ask me how many campers I have, I say ‘27.5.’ That’s what it feels like.”
“Totally!” laughed Chaim, as he took the last smashed apple slice (not the most exciting snack choice) out of the desk drawer in the bunk. “During softball (not the most exciting activity for 7-year-olds), Coby managed to dig 10 holes in the infield before we noticed. But by then, the dirt was all down Aiden’s back and Coby was halfway to the bunk. Do me a favor and never take a break during softball again!” Benny nodded. “Sure. But look at bunk Potato Kugel! They have 18, but not even close to the problems we have. So unfair!”
Benny wasn’t looking to make it harder for Etan, nor to make himself look incompetent. He therefore had not said a thing to the head counselor about the “wild animals” he had to watch all day. But bunk Potato Kugel was only getting worse. So, he decided to talk to Etan to see what he thought. Etan and Benny planned to play basketball during their breaks that day, so Benny knew he’d have a chance to ask … as long as he survived until 1:15.
The time for Benny’s period off (finally!) rolled around, and he headed to the basketball court to meet Etan. As they started to shoot around, Benny casually dropped a comment. “Etan, easy bunk this year, huh? Much better than last summer.” Etan grabbed the rebound and put it back in the hoop. “Not really. These kids are hard, too. Maybe even harder than last summer.” Benny stopped in his tracks and tilted his head suspiciously to one side. “Are you kidding me?! I see your bunk this year. They’re so good. Not like my 11 yetzer haras in-training.” Etan passed the ball to Benny and then shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you. On the first day of camp they were completely nuts, and even though I have two junior counselors, I thought we were dead. But I guess whatever we are doing with them is working.”
A feeling of anger shot through Benny. Was Etan really going down the “I’m-just-a-better-counselor-than-you” path? But before he could say anything, Etan spoke up.
“Hey Benny, do me a favor. I know this is strange, but I’m going to hold my arms out in a ring like a basketball hoop. Can you take a few shots?” Benny laughed and the brief moment of anger passed. But then he realized Etan was serious. “Uh, okaaay.” Trying not to break Etan’s nose, glasses or ribs, Benny sunk a few gentle shots through Etan’s arms, but Etan wasn’t satisfied.
“It’s OK if you shoot normally. How about you take five huge steps back?” Benny did as asked, but made sure to miss his next few shots badly. Etan didn’t seem to notice or care. “OK, thanks Benny. How about one dunk to finish it off?” Benny was really getting weirded out, but at least this was the end. He took a few dribbles, jumped in the air and smashed the ball through Etan’s arms, bringing both of them crashing to the ground and laughing.
As Benny and Etan walked back into the main building, Benny had to ask: “Dude! What was that you had me do? Was that some kind of weird prank? Was someone recording us from the soccer field?” Etan smiled. “Wait until you see what I do next. Follow me.”
Etan led Benny down the hall to the lunchroom where the maintenance staff was just finishing up their cleaning. As Etan walked in, one of the workers pointed and Etan laughed. “Oh no! You again! What do you want this time?” Etan smiled. “Same as last time, please.” And with that, Etan picked up a loose tablecloth and handed it to Benny. “Cover me with this, will you?” Benny shrugged and draped it over Etan’s back as Etan lowered himself to the floor under the tablecloth. The same maintenance worker who laughed walked over giggling and placed a plate, fork, spoon, cup and napkin on Etan’s tablecloth-covered back. He turned to Benny, still laughing “Your friend is one wacky dude!” Etan lay there for two minutes before standing up and letting everything fall off of his back. “Thanks!” he called to the staff as he picked up the plate and fork. “See you tomorrow!”
Now there was no chance Benny was letting Etan off without an explanation. “Don’t worry,” said Etan, seeing the look on Benny’s face. “I’ll explain.” Etan paused for a moment and then continued. “I realized that last summer was so hard because I was just as worried about myself having fun as I was that my campers had fun. Truthfully, I probably cared more about myself. That’s why I had no chance with my bunk. The campers could tell that I wasn’t fully in it for them, so they didn’t respect me. I needed to change that. Also, it’s not right that if I’m the one getting paid, I should care about myself first. So, each day, I try to do something to remind me I am just here to make sure my campers have a good summer. Like a basketball hoop or lunch table, I am here for my campers’ benefit.”
Parshat Tzav discusses the Kohanim being inaugurated to their jobs in the Mishkan. Part of that process involves having blood from korbanot sprinkled on them. Why is this a necessary part of the process? One possibility is that the Kohanim are being treated like a mizbeach—upon which the blood of a korban is sprinked as part of the process. The message to the Kohanim (and to us) is clear. When serving a greater purpose, whether it be Hashem or other people, we must view ourselves as the vehicles to help, and put our own needs aside.
Yair Daar is the middle school dean of students at Yeshivat He’Atid. He can be reached at [email protected].
