If you were to paddle out any Winter's day in 1970 at Sunset Beach, Oahu, your view coming out of the rip current, approaching the line-up, might look something like this: a young Hawaiian, surfing with a near reckless abandon, "power-surfing" the huge, ominous Sunset peaks, tauntingly, cavalierly, definitely putting himself in harm's way on each wave! Each ride more resembling the controlled, calculating, death-defying ballet of a bullfighter, this young matador shreds his way through the jaws of the horrific outer reef, seemingly "yearning" to become one with the power, a primordial passion shown by few mortals!
The surfer: Barry Kanaiaupuni, or known in the world of high performance, big wave surfing simply as "B.K." Who was B.K.? Well, if you believe Mickey "da Cat" Dora (considered by many to be the world's greatest surfer), B.K.'s surfing was typified by raw power and a rare ability: "What can I say?", was Mickey's cryptic response, in a rare moment of awe about someone other than Mickey!
B.K.'s "communion" with Sunset was perhaps more surrealistic than mere "surfing": like a flash of lightning, his speed and daring turned heads on every wave he dropped in on. As olympian a figure as B.K. appeared on the outside, his great modesty matched his love of being "one" with waves that would arouse trepidation in even the greatest of watermen!
B.K. would probably relate to this week's Torah portion, "B'Haalotha" (going up). The lighting of the candles in the Tabernacle is compared to the longing of the soul (Likutei Tora): just as a flame yearns to leap upward, to separate itself from the wick (even though in so doing it extinguishes itself), so does the soul long to become "one" with its Creator, leaving the physical dimensions of its reality (Proverbs, 20-27)!
Those whose memories have not faded, who had the incredible experience of seeing B.K. in action, will swear that he pulled out all the stops to become "one" with the awesome might of the ocean!"
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Try the "Surf and Soul" surfing tour at Herzliah Beach!!
--2 hours of instruction by Nachum Shifren, The Surfing Rabbi, former L.A.
County Beach Lifeguard (CPR/First Aid certified), with over 30 years
experience.
--surfboard rentals
--individuals and groups of all sizes
--call or write for brocheure today!!!
NEW! NEW! NEW! Ask us about our "Surf and Study" program while on your
next visit to our shores!!
Find out more about your heritage, introductory Talmud and Kabbala classes
in between surf sessions!!
Rabbi Nachum Shifren "The Surfing Rabbi" Email: rabbisurf@aol.com
Surf & Soul Online: http://www.surfingrabbi.com
P.O. Box 654, Jerusalem, 91006 * Israel Tel: (03) 906-7281 * Fax: (03) 906-7280