POTENTIAL FOR GREATNESS

G-d has implanted in every one of us the potential for greatness and whatever profession we choose in life will depend greatly on all the opportunities that we are given. To achieve that greatness depends upon how we perceive ourselves.

Our priorities depend on what is essential for a good and decent life. We are encouraged to pursue these priorities and view life in a positive way. Too often, what seems to us as a successful life in others, may merely be an illusion and a false reality that is only surface deep and cannot be called a true success or a Iife of happiness.

I realize, more and more, that life is often judged by ones fiancial status. This may be what our lives have become , due to our societal priorities, and indeed might be what we are all judged by. 

“But is that really IT?”

When we begin to see life in a more positive way -to see all the positive aspects of our lives and continue to travel on our own selected road, then life has greater meaning and becomes more appreciated.

As I always say “Enjoy the journey, it belongs to us and to no one else -and that which is ours is the glorified road to true happiness.”

With these thoughts in mind, I am reminded of a truly insightful commentary made by 

Rabbi Aharon Soloveitchik זצ״ל on this week’s Parsha, Beshalach, wherein we are told of the miraculous intervention by Hashem permitting the Jewish People to cross the Red Sea to safety, fleeing from the onslaught of the Egyptian army. After successfully, reaching the other shore, Moshe led them in the singing of the שירת הים.

Why did it take them so long to sing a Shirah to G-D, when they should have done so immediately after they miraculously left the Egyptian bondage?

Rav Ahron, makes a basic distinction between the miracles the Jews witnessed in Egypt proper and the ones they experienced at the Red Sea.

The difference between the two sets of miracles correspond to the difference between two Hebrew terms meaning salvation; הצלה and ישועה.

הצלה is a term that connotes an act of salvation during which the party being saved remains completely passive.

ישועה on the other hand, is a salvation that comes about through the efforts and the active participation of the party being saved.

In Egypt the process through which G-D redeemed the Jewish People involved הצלה, when the people remained totally passive while Hashem did everything on His own to bring about their redemption.

However, at the Red Sea, Hashem’s salvation was a ישועה that required the nation’s active participation. In fact, חזל teaches, that Hashem did not split the Sea, until Nachshon jumped into the swirling waters and until the water reached the nostrils of the Jews.

Thus, we see that when the Jews experienced the wonders at the Red Sea, and became active participants in the miracle of salvation, they were encouraged to sing a Shirah to Hashem.

We see that the active participation by the people was a necessity, to show their total allegiance and commitment to Hashem, to bring about their salvation. Indeed we believe that Hashem performed miracles in the past and we are confident that He will do so in the future and we must show our total allegiance to G-D. We evidence this by our actions, and our willingness to be participants in the unfolding of Jewish history rather than just being observers.

This is true as a nation, and even more so as individuals. For life to be successful and productive, we need to get involved and become participants in our life endeavors, in achieving our goals.

Our Emunah must continue to be strong, and at the same time our self confidence and our inner convictions must propel us to the next level of our personal growth, leading us down the path to greater human achievements. 

The real purpose of life is not to get ahead of the next person, but to conquer ourselves. Meaningful life is not measured in years, but in deeds, and not by how long but by how well. 

Experience is not just what happens to us. It is what we DO with what happens to us. 

The lesson is quite simple, it is important to cultivate the art of being grateful of life itself, of keeping our minds open to harmony and love. 

We make our world better by starting with ourselves and to live our lives in a way that transcends our personal existence. 

“A good Jew is anyone who wants to be a better Jew”

    These are times that encourage us to sing songs of praise to Hashem, and to live lives that are in itself a song of Holiness and glory to all of mankind. 

  As we celebrate טו בשבט this week , let us plant trees of life that will bear spiritual fruit for future generations. A life of Torah and a life of  Erleckeit, for then we will be able to sing in unison    עץ חיים היא למחזיקים בה. 

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