We have been living in a race. It’s the race for the most successful children, for money, for prestige. The competition is overwhelming. It’s the race against time, against outside influences, against negative elements in society, against mediocrity. The pace has been dizzying.
When we have a few moments to rest, we run to weddings and bar-mitzvahs or to shop at some sale. We have heart attacks, high blood pressure, diabetes, anxiety and depression, AD/HD, divorces, child neglect, addictions, obesity, and anorexia nervosa. Major viruses and superbugs are attacking our most vulnerable. War and antisemitism are as real and alive as it ever was.
Is there something wrong?
How is a Jew supposed to respond to this? Are we supposed to be “with the times” and follow the pace and level of competition that modernity has imposed on us? Just because we can travel faster, make arrangements and business deals earlier, cook faster, and build our homes more efficiently than in the past, does that mean that we also need to daven faster, do mitzvos quicker, raise kids sooner, learn Torah quickly and race in and out of our relationships at a clipped pace? Should we take care of our parents quickly, donate money immediately, and end conversations with our friends curtly?
Time, as a Jewish commodity, is what runs the incredible dedication we have in our lives, our values, and our relationships. Good relationships within the family, responsible connections with the community and closeness to Hashem himself are associated with time-related actions.
Throughout the weeks between Pesach and Shavuous, we are reminded to count, to count time, towards our greater and ultimate goal. We are as modern as we are an ancient civilization, we are a nation with a higher purpose, deeper pursuits and more education than the average. Time itself has purpose in Jewish tradition. It is meant to keep us on track towards our highest goals–that of receiving the Torah itself, of being a holy nation and performing acts of great kindness, of preserving and protecting life, of renewing ourselves and learning till the end of time.
Perhaps we think that we can make our productivity increase by moving faster and have the “best” of both worlds thereby having more time for ourselves and our families, but maybe not. Western culture is not davka Jewish culture, and perhaps never the twain shall ever truly meet. Being products of the Western-oriented mentality, it is sometimes difficult to separate between what our society considers productive, and what the Torah considers to be productive. We need to stop and think: is speed, productivity, and success really a means to an end, or has it become an end onto itself in our daily lives?
Our children need us, and in the long run, we need them just as much. They are our future. Many children are waiting for their parents to notice them. Notice that they are nervous or not doing well and someone needs to discover how to reach them. Realize that they are bored or need creative challenges to stimulate their intelligence. Notice that it’s becoming late and the window of opportunity to develop the child’s trust and inner resilience may be getting smaller and further away. It is time…
Jewish homes, engaged in Jewish-quality time, where each day is immersed in a valuable, moral, loving atmosphere, create a protected time zone. In our intense world reality, where we are in a race against time, counting the days, weeks and months to see the reunification of families, our homes need to be a safe haven of kind words and loving touch, of deep concepts and meaningful interactions, of calming foods, and of peaceful sleep. Adult competition with the outside world lessens, when the true values of kindness, trust, and faith are imbued into personal bonds and family interactions. It is worth the investment of our time and taking the time, right now, to learn about what makes us tick and where we need improvement in order to truly bring home our values. Our riches stem from our deeply rooted connection to our nation, our purpose and our love for goodness and G-dliness. In time, the diamonds that we will own, will be our own actions–and it will be reflected in our children.
