What 'color' are you?

Yisrael has started to become aware of the different 'colors' of frumkeit. He learns in a litvishe cheder, but most (if not all) of the Rebbeim are either Chasidish or Yerushalmi. So he's starting to learn about the different types of Yidden- But I'm not sure if he realizes that the differences are anything beyond appearances. One day, as we were eating lunch, he told us:

Yisrael: Dovid, a boy in my class, is a Lita'iy, even though his Tatty is a Chassid
Tatty: Really, how could that be?
Yisrael: Well, his father has long peyos so he's a Chassid, but Dovid's peyos are short, so he's a Lita'iy. And you know what else? I'm a Chassid even though you (Tatty) aren't, because I have long peyos!
Tatty: (more to me than to Yisrael) Oh, I guess that means that we'll have to cut your peyos!

His peyos have gotten pretty long- by his last haircut he wouldn't let me cut his peyos, since he wanted them to be like his Rebbe's. But now we decided that enough is enough, so on Erev Shabbos, Bentzi gave his peyos a trim. Afterwards, Yisrael came running to me and said, "Mommy, look! Now I'm not a Chassid anymore, because Tatty cut my peyos! Now I'm a Lita'iy!"

(Just wait until he realizes that there's more...there also Sefardim, and then there's Chabad who are Chassidim even though they dress more like Litvish, then there are Breslov who are Sefardim AND Chassidim, then there's also Dati Leumi, Dati, Mesorati....wouldn't it be much simpler if we were all just plain JEWISH?!?! )

That reminds me of a poem I once read....I'll post it here as well - (sorry if this post is getting too long!)

Moshiach's Hat (A Poem To Ponder)

By Anonymous ben Klonymous (who else?)

'Twas the night of the Geulah,
And in every single Shtiebel
Sounds of Torah could be heard
Coming from every kind of Yeedel.

This one in English,
Some in Hebrew, some in Yiddish.
Some saying P'shat
And some saying a Chiddish.

And up in Shamayim
The Aibishter decreed:
"The time has come
For My children to be freed.

"Rouse the Moshiach
From his heavenly berth.
Have him get in his chariot,
And head down to earth."

The Moshiach got dressed
And with a heart full of glee,
Went down to earth and entered
the first Shtiebel he did see.

"I am the Moshiach!
Hashem has heard your plea!
Your Geulah has come!
It's time to go free!

"They all stopped their learning;
This was quite a surprise.
And they look at him carefully,
With piercing sharp eyes-

"He's not the Moshiach!"
Said one with a grin,
"Just look at his hat,
At the pinches and brim!"

"That's right!" cried another
With a grimace and frown,
"Whoever heard of Moshiach,
With a brim that's turned down?"

"Well," thought Moshiach,
"If this is the rule,
I'll turn my brim up
Before I go to the next shul."

So he walked right on over
To the next shul in town.
Sure to be accepted,
Since his brim was no longer down.

"I'm, the Moshiach!" he cried,
As he began to enter
But the Jews wanted to know first
If he was Left Right or Center

Your clothes are so black!"
They cried out in fright.
"You can't be Moshiach!-
You're much too far right!"

"If you want to be Moshiach,
You must be properly outfitted."
So they replaced his black hat
With a Kippah that was knitted.

Wearing his new Kippah,
Moshiach went out and said:
"No difference to me
What I wear on my head."

So he went to the next shul,
For his mission was dear.
But he was getting frustrated -
With the Yidden down here.

"I'm the Moshiach!" he cried,
And they all stopped to stare,
And a complete eerie stillness
Filled up the air.

"You're the Moshiach?!
Just imagine that!
Whoever heard of Moshiach
Without a black hat?"

"But I do have a hat!
The Moshiach then said.
So he pulled it right out
And plunked it down on his head.

Then the shul started laughing,
And one said " Where's your kop?
You can't have Moshiach
With a brim that's turned up!"

"If you want to be Moshiach
And be accepted in this town,
Put some pinches in your hat
And turn that brim down!"

Moshiach walked out and said:
"I guess my time hasn't come.
I'll just return
To where I came from."

So he went to his chariot,
But as he began to enter,
all sorts of Jews appeared
From the Left, Right, and Center.

"Please wait - do not leave.
It's all their fault!" they said,
And they pointed to each other
And to what was on each other's head.

Moshiach just looked sad
And said, " You don't understand."
And then started up his chariot
To get out of this land.

"Yes, it's very wonderful
That you all learn Torah,
But you seem to have forgotten
A crucial part of our Mesorah."

"What does he mean?"
"What's he talking about?"
And they all looked bewildered,
And they all began to shout.

Moshiach looked back and answered,
"The first place to start,
Is to shut up your mouths
And open your hearts.

"To each of you, certain Yidden
Seem too Frum or too Frei,
But all Yidden are beloved
in the Aibishter's eye."

And on his way up he shouted:
"If you want me to come,
Try working a little harder
On some Ahavas Chinam!"