Passover. Celebrating freedom. The birth of our Nation. A Nation that dreams big, defies the odds, sticks to their guns (figuratively), and reaches the moon.
Well, almost... Yesterday, Israel came so very close to landing a spacecraft on the moon. Mere moments before touchdown, the main engine malfunctioned, and b
y the time it was reset, it was too late. The craft was traveling at too high a velocity to be stopped. The control team and millions of worldwide viewers looked on in shock, as it was confirmed that the mission had not been completed. But had it failed?
In a matter of seconds, the Team had refocused, promising to try again. "Today, we did reach the moon. Next time we will try to reach it more gently".
And with this, the name of the spacecraft, Beresheet - in the beginning - (the first word of the Torah, fitting for such cosmic achievements) took on new meaning. Failure is when we give up on trying. When we don't fight back. When we don't rise to the challenge.
The world was created with plenty of "failures", slavery in Egypt comes to mind as an example. There is no smooth sailing. It's not paradise. And the way we are ultimately successful is realizing that this stage is "Bresheet" - it is just the beginning of the journey.
In the words of Former Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks: "Even more than the strength to win, we need the courage to try, the willingness to fail, the readiness to learn, and the faith to persist".
As the selfie that Bereishit took from a few km up says " Am Yisrael Chai. Small Country, Big Dreams". Don't stop dreaming!
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We'd like to invite you to join us for an elegant Community Seder with a warm atmosphere, great company, and delicious food.
Whether you are Seder veteran with answers to all four of the questions or a curious explorer with 400 questions of your own, this Seder will provide a stimulating and satisfying experience.
We would love to have you join us. Everyone has a spot at the Seder table.
ב"ה