Don't Get Tired Before You're Done

 Rashi teaches us in the weekly reading, Tetzaveh. “And you shall command the Children of Israel to take pure pressed olive oil for light, to keep the lamp burning continually.”

The “lamp” refers to the Menorah in the Temple, and Rashi quotes the Talmudic teaching that the requirement is to light the menorah “so that its flame burns by itself” and the kohen who lights the Menorah must make sure that the flame is strong and steady and will go out when he leaves.

Often, we light a candle, and it flickers for a moment, then goes out as soon as we turn away and the instruction here is to make sure that the flame burns properly and will continue to burn long after we have left and this is also a guideline for life.

It is not enough to just light a candle and we must make sure that it lasts a long time and there must be enough oil, wick and whatever is needed for the candle to last a long time and in life, whether in business or in our relationships it must last for the long term.

There are fast sprinters who can break records in short distances but marathon runners need stamina more than speed and tenacity more than grace and it takes a lot of Training and determination to complete the long distance.

In South Africa they have a famous international Ultra Marathon called “Comrades” and the distance of the course is double the length of a normal marathon at around 90 kilometers and every year thousands of people from all over the world take up this challenge and must finish in a set time.

We are amazed by the strength, courage, perseverance and determination of the runners and just like in life so too in Judaism we need not only the energy to start but also enough energy to finish.

Many people make resolutions and start studying Torah or practicing a new mitzvah and at first they find it new, fresh and exciting but too often that enthusiasm fades and dies down, we need the ability to sustain.

The initial burst of energy and enthusiasm, does not guarantee long term success and we may be fast at first but as time goes on we fade, yes routines can get boring and it is human nature to lose interest after a while.

But those who have endurance will endure in the long run and those who have the capacity for continuity and a sense of consistency can see it through to the end, The light of God is eternal and the Torah is truth and truth is eternal.

The Hebrew word for truth is emet, which in Hebrew is spelled Alef, Mem, Taf and these three Hebrew letters are the first, last and Middle letters of the Hebrew alphabet and the first, Middle and last represent consistency.

Truth is truth, now and forever, King David in the book of Psalms “Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord and who may stand in his holy place”.

Climbing a mountain is one thing and keeping level is another and may God continue to keep our spirits up, now and forever.

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