Parsha: Vaetchanan (2024)



Recently I spoke and shared a message about resilience. After I finished a man came over to me and said that “resilience” is the one idea he keeps repeating to his kids. He said that they keep reminding themselves of being more resilient to get through tough times and challenges.

The yearning for the chance to enter the Land Israel runs very deep in the heart of a Jew. Moshe expresses his deep desire to come into Israel in the opening of this week’s Parsha. G-d clearly tells Moshe that he won’t be able to walk on the holy soil of our beloved land.

But here is where he shows resilience. He kept on praying and requesting that G-d grant his wish. Even though at the end Moshe didn’t get his wish, but he did make this request many times over. He didn’t give up right away. The Midrash says Moshe pleaded his case 515 times!

This is a great lesson about not giving up. When we go about trying to achieve success, we can think about this type of resilience. If it is something important and meaningful we ought to try again and again. Failure and disappointment at first, should not be a deterrence to continue to strive to find success.

It also teaches us the power of prayer, even if we don’t get the result we aimed and hoped for.

Sometimes we can spend a lot of time praying for a loved one or friend, and in the end we ask ourselves where did all the prayer go, if we didn’t get the result that we hoped for?

You see, prayers are never considered wasted, even if the desired outcome isn’t achieved. Prayer is a unique experience that extends beyond merely achieving a specific outcome. At its core, prayer is about cultivating a deep and personal relationship with G-d, fostering a sense of connection and closeness.

Through prayer, we express our emotions, thoughts, and desires, pouring out our hearts to G-d. This process helps us clarify our feelings, and gain perspective.

Moreover, prayer is a powerful tool for spiritual growth, allowing us to confront our limitations, acknowledge our dependence on G-d, and tap into our inner reservoir of faith, resilience, and hope.

By praying, we open ourselves to G-d’s guidance and wisdom, which can transform us in profound ways, even if our specific requests aren’t fulfilled as we had hoped. So prayer is not just about getting what we want but about becoming the best version of ourselves through our connection with G-d.