Adjusting The Focus

One of the Twins from France caught in focus:

A tight rope walker was once asked:

 "What is the most difficult part of your act?" 

The performer answered: 

"The moment when I turn around is most challenging

 for that is when I must divert my eyes from their point of focus."

Setting goals and remaining focused are crucial for success.

However, certain times demand changing direction and re-formulating the goal. 

These moments are the most challenging, but have the potential for the greatest growth.

The caption this week is adapted from a story about a famous Chossid, Reb Mendel Futerfas. For approximately 14 years of his life, he was incarcerated in prisons and labor camps by Russian authorities for his involvement with Jewish education and practice in Russia. 

One time during his exile, the Reb Mendel, along with other exiled men, were able to view a circus performance. Reb Mendel watched the tight rope walker, amazed by his confident walk across a taut rope.

Awesome balancing stunt:

After the performance, he approached the performer and inquired about the most difficult part of his act. The performer answered, as is quoted in this week's caption, that the point when he turns around is the most challenging. 

Being a chossid and recipient of the teachings of the Chassidic Rebbeim, Reb Mendel reflected on the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov that one can learn a lesson is serving G-d from everything one sees or experiences. Applying this teaching to comments of the tight rope walker, Reb Mendel extracted a truly deep idea about dealing with life and it's challenges. 

There are certain experiences in life which can shake a person from their focus. A person needs to try with all their strength, to concentrate and remain set on the goal. There is a deeper stage however, when one must recognize that the challenge is so fundamental that one needs to re-formulate the goal, adjusting the components to answer a new reality. This period of re-definition is by nature, a time of intense difficulty. However, with trust in Hashem and proper guidance, one can emerge from this period with renewed motivation and success well beyond their own estimation. 

We wish you all a wonderful shabbos!!

Dovid and Miri