Often, on Friday afternoons, some Chabad yeshiva students come to the Kotel Tefillin booth to help out. I love these guys, really. They are not only spending their entire time learning Torah and Chassidus, but they go out each week to help other Jews to do mitzvahs, too.

     I was on my way to early Shabbos davening but I stopped to talk with them.

     "You guys are the best, really! But there is something you have to do better. You are not here to get the mitzvah of tefillin, you are here to get the Jew…  and mechanically doing the mitzvah of tefillin most likely won't get him. You have to show him how to open his heart.    

     "What works best is after they read the Shema in a language they understand, explain to them how fulfilling a commandment creates a special 'time of favor.' It's as if Hashem is listening to you with both ears!

     "Here's what I tell them, 'Doing a mitzvah, especially here at the Kotel, opens the door to Heaven… with the tefillin still on, go stand by the Kotel and talk to Him in your heart… Tell him all the things you want… pray for our soldiers… the captured Jews… your family… take a minute or two and talk to Him in your heart.'"

     "You'll see, when they come back from talking to Hashem… they will smile and say, 'thank you.' They usually don't do that just from helping them with tefillin."

     Another great thing about these guys is when you give a good idea to guys like these, it doesn't stop with them…they go on to share it with others!