“Behold, I present before you today a blessing and a curse. The blessing that you will listen to the commandments of God, … and the curse if you do not.” These are the opening lines of the weekly Torah reading, Re’eh (Deuteronomy 11:26-28).
In one of his final talks to his people before his passing, Moses reminds them that basically, there are two paths in life open to them. Following the way of God will lead to blessings. But by ignoring our traditions, we will ultimately bring curses and misfortune upon ourselves. Later in the book, Moses will appeal to the Jews to choose the path of life and blessings rather than the other road, which can only lead to troubles and hardship.
There is a well-known story in the Talmud (Eruvin 53b) where Rabbi Joshua was walking toward a certain city and came to a crossroads. He saw a child sitting there and asked him, “Which is the best way to town?” The child answered, “This road is the shorter longer way, and that road is the longer shorter way.”
Rabbi Joshua decided to take the “shorter longer” route and was at the outskirts of the town quite quickly. But then, his path was blocked by gardens and orchards; he was forced to turn back. When he returned to the crossroads, he asked the child why he had directed him there. The little one replied, “I told you. This road is the shorter, but longer route, while the other is longer but, ultimately, shorter.”
The rabbi was impressed with the young boy’s wisdom and kissed him on his head.
I have my own story of taking the wrong road home. It wasn’t a child directing me, but rather, an early version of GPS. I guess the navigational system wasn’t yet perfected. We were heading back to Johannesburg after a pleasant day’s outing to the scenic Vaal River. I was using a new navigational system, and it took me along the most circuitous route imaginable. I think we went through every farm in the province until we finally got home. We were even late for our grandson’s birthday party! That wasn’t the “shorter longer” route but the “longer, longer” one.
In life, the road to success is very rarely a short one. More often than not, it is a long, hard trek filled with detours, delays and disappointments. “Overnight sensations” are few and far between.
American comedian, actor, filmmaker and singer Eddie Cantor famously said, “It takes 20 years to become an overnight success.” Amazon owner Jeff Bezos was less pessimistic; he said it’s only 10 years. Author Malcolm Gladwell, meanwhile, shares the rule that it takes 10,000 hours of work and practice before one becomes an expert at anything. Indeed, that’s roughly 10 years of work. Apple co-inventor Steve Jobs reminded us: “If you really look closely, most overnight successes took a very long time.” He certainly experienced the ups and downs in his own journey.
The way of God may seem more winding and longer than the easier, more convenient and less demanding paths available to us. Rules and regulations are generally things we prefer to do without. In the short term, these other pathways may seem to lead to more immediate success. But Moses’ message is that we should not be misled or misdirected by the allure of immediate gratification.
Ultimately, the long, hard road to success and happiness is the only way to live our lives. Patience and hard work cannot be replaced by public relations.
A wise man once depicted the difference between a mitzvah and a sin.
Performing a mitzvah isn’t always easy and may be accompanied by a groan and a sigh. “Oy!” we complain of the difficulty or the cost of the good deed.
But afterward, when we have savored the Godly experience, we exclaim, “Ahh!” It was a most gratifying accomplishment. With a sin, it’s the very opposite. In the beginning, when we sin and are enjoying the forbidden pleasure, it is “Ahh!” But in the end, when we reap the fruits of our indiscretions, unfortunately, it is usually “Oy!”
Moses teaches that we can choose a life of blessings or, God forbid, the opposite. Both paths are open to us. The good path may take longer, but with commitment and perseverance, we will reach our desired destination. Please God, we will have the wisdom and patience to choose correctly and be blessed.
