“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh Succos
14 Tishrei 5783/September 29, 2023
LOOSE SCREWS
A couple of hours after I broke my fast following the end of Yom Kippur,
ignoring my fatigue and aching feet, I ventured out to the Motzei Yom Kippur
tisch of the Nikolsburg Rebbe. It has become a yearly ritual for me. I enjoy
the spirited singing and dancing, celebrating our efforts during the previous
holy day.
As I pulled next to the curb outside the Nikolsburg Beis Medrash, I heard
a pop. The tire air pressure alert immediately appeared on my dashboard. The
front passenger tire on my car looked like it had been slashed with a knife and
was clearly unsalvageable. I called Chaverim, and within minutes two righteous
members pulled up and got to work. It should have been a five-minute job for
for them to replace the popped tire with the donut from my trunk. But one of
the screws was rusty and wouldn’t come off. They had to call for backup from a
more experienced member. Still in his Yom Kippur garb (minus kittel and
bekeshe) he began sawing off the screw with some sort of sophisticated electric
tool. Sparks flew in all directions until the screw finally snapped and he was
able to pry off the old tire.
By then it was past midnight. I went into the tisch for a few minutes
before heading home. The following day my car went to visit our mechanic,
helping to fulfil the mechanic’s prayers on Yom Kippur that he merits
good parnasah this year.
On Yom Kippur we resolve to change our negative habits. The problem is
that those habits become second nature to us. Despite our best intentions to
change them, we often find ourselves reverting back to those negative traits.
Changing requires not only firm commitment but also a plan of action and
a great deal of patience. But it begins with a willingness to go out if his
comfort zone to develop new habits and behaviors.
Part of the challenge is that when trying to progress and improve in any
endeavor, there is a delay between expectations and actualization. We work
tirelessly and then become frustrated and confused when results don’t align
with our expectations. The reality is that progress isn’t linear and desired
results are often delayed.
A stonecutter hits away at a rock 100 times without making a dent. And
then, on the 101st hit, the rock splits in half. Everyone celebrates the 101st
hit because it’s the moment of breakthrough, but it was the 100 prior hits that
caused the rock to eventually break.
In his New York Times Bestseller, Atomic Habits, James Clear, refers to
the delay between expectations and results as the Plateau of Latent Potential,
or Valley of Disappointment.
Great accomplishments result from humble beginnings.
Clear writes that, “Complaining about not achieving success despite
working hard is like complaining about an ice cube not melting when you heated
it from 25 to 31 degrees. All the action happens at 32 degrees…”
He adds that, “You should be far more concerned with your current trajectory
than with your current results.”
The Valley of Disappointment could be reframed as the Valley of Vision or
the Canyon of Resolve because it takes vision to stay the course
pre-breakthrough, and it requires resolve to maintain consistent effort when
the desired result takes its time to mature.
Avos D'Rebbe Nosson relates the poignant story of Rabbi Akiva, the
40-year-old shepherd, who was an ignorant and frustrated spiritual failure.
One day, while sitting by a stream, he noticed a steady drip of water
against a rock. It was only a drip, but it was constant and relentless. When
Rabbi Akiva noticed a hole beneath the spot where the water dripped, he
concluded that if water can slowly erode solid rock, undoubtedly the iron-like
words of Torah could affect an indelible impression upon his heart.
That marked a turning point in Rabbi Akiva's life. He recommitted himself
to Torah study, and eventually became the greatest sage of his generation, and
one of the most prominent teachers of Torah of all time.
How apropos it is that the Yom Tov of Succos requires us to leave the
familiar surroundings of our homes. We have to literally leave our comfort zones
and embrace a new life, devoid of the amenities we enjoy throughout the year.
Beyond that, we are charged to rejoice in our unfamiliar surroundings.
Change is a slow process. The proverbial screws of our past become wedged
in place and don’t come off easily. More often than not, we have to work hard
before we can extract the screw. But it holds the key to eventual progress and
growth.
Part of the extreme joy of living in the succah is the knowledge and
recognition that one is not enslaved by past habits. He can traverse them and
grow beyond the previous confines of his lives. The sky above - the knowledge
that G-d will bless his efforts - is limitless.
Shabbat Shalom
& Good Shabbos
Gut Yom Tov
& Chag Sameiach,
R’ Dani
and Chani Staum
