So many of us struggle to find our place in the world, achieve "success," and find this elusive fulfillment we all desperately seek. In a society that rushes from one moment to the next, we have been influenced to believe that success should happen instantly. Anything less leaves us defining ourselves as failures. How can we find a path forward in such an ever-demanding world with impossible self-imposed deadlines?
The answer lies in this week's Torah portion, Tetzave, where we continue learning about the construction and operation of the Mishkah, the traveling Tabernacle the Jewish people used as they traveled through the desert on their way to Israel. G-d instructs Moshe that the Kohanim, the priests, should bring a daily offering each morning and afternoon, the same sacrifice brought each day at the same time. This routine continued unabated for hundreds of years as the Jewish people entered the land of Israel and their Temple moved from Gilgal to Shiloh to Nov and Givon. Regardless of their unique challenges and the persecutions of that time, the daily offering helped them stay grounded and focused and allowed them to keep pushing forward and overcome their obstacles.
Throughout history, humans have thrived and succeeded, often overcoming challenges by creating routines that allowed them to stay focused on the task at hand and remain patient in seeing results. Many great empires have risen over the last 5,000 years, each making a good show in their day. However, eventually, they all flared out and disappeared. The Jewish people have continued to prosper and promote a life of faith, meaning, and purpose on the strength of our routine, our disciplined approach to life, and the detailed structure of Jewish life.
Today, when the world tells us to rush and produce or be left behind in the dust, we say slow and steady wins the race. We know that as long as we maintain our faith, our way of life, and our respect for tradition, we will continue to illuminate the world as we've done for thousands of years. So don't be daunted by the early success of some; many have flashed for a moment, but fewer have remained shining. Stay the course, and you'll add your light to the great force for good in human history, the Jewish people.