Beyond The Matrix

I saw The Matrix the for the first time in March 2000 in Montreal, on a New England Region NCSY Shabbaton. My friend, and neighbor, Zish, got a pirated copy of The Matrix from his uncle, and asked if we wanted to watch it? Nechemia and I were like, "Yeah, sure, why not?" So, after Shabbos before we left to our night activity (Lazer tag--Team Genocide: Make 7up Yours!), Zish asked our hosts if the TV-VCR in the basement where we slept was a working one, and if we could use it. The "Balabosta" (yes, that's the Ba'alas HaBayis...) said yes to both. So we came back, hung out in the oldest sons room in the basement, played darts--I won, of course--and after we left his room, we watched the movie. After it was done, I was like OMG that was amazing. Pure genius by the Wachowski Brothers.

After seeing it a few times, I knew there was something deeper than just the storyline. A deeper message that I wasn't fully getting yet. I knew it was there--the great lines in the movie show that, such as the following conversation between Neo and Morpheus:

Neo: What are you trying to tell me, that I can dodge bullets?

Morpheus: No Neo. I'm trying to tell you that when you're ready, you won't have to.

I mean come on, that's just a great line. The movie is full of them.

I didn't know the full meaning of The Matrix until around half an hour ago.

I signed up for Aish HaTorah's email things a while ago, like, "eh, why not?" you know (or did I become a member and not know it...)? So for some reason, of which I don't know why, I was compelled to look at what today's email held. I do that once in a while. So I opened it, and one of the articles was entitled Beyond The Matrix, so I read it.....It's awesome. It's a great article. I am telling everyone right now to read it. I may be stupid, and should have realized what this article says a long time ago--but I didn't. Or at least, not everything. I am telling everyone right now to read it, although....

"I can only show you the door, you're the one the that has to walk through it."