“Practice makes perfect….”
Growing up my teachers would drill this into our minds. Practice practice practice because it makes perfect.
In turn, I would think — boring boring boring. Indeed, what’s the chances of something boring the first time becoming less boring the second time?
Practice is critical, no questions asked. Yet it seems to me that perhaps my teachers should have reinforced the truism that “practice makes permanent”.
The more one does something the more it gets inked into a way of life; a reality — a habit. The value of which can’t be overstated and is the cornerstone of Jewish life.
Judaism isn’t in the books. The books direct us how to live and conduct ourselves with a higher code — a transcendent code, an eternal and Divine code. Knowledge so highly prized in Judaism is so prized because it leads to action.
Or does it?
Precisely! It does if it’s done again and again and again and here we are thousands of years later continuing the practice!
Oftentimes we feel like our parents who emphasized the importance of something which felt somewhat nagging —yet here we find ourselves in the same position. The sacred and empowered position of repeating and repeating Dor L’dor because at the end of it all—practice makes permanent.
As we start to condition ourselves for the new Jewish Year, it’s a great time to ask ourselves, what practice will we enhance in our Jewish lives in the year ahead and repeat, repeat, repeat?
It’s a personal question to be sure yet rest assured that, practice makes permanent. How do I know? Well, we are here to tell the tale, stronger and more vibrant than ever — Am Yisrael Chai!!
With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor
P.S. Registration for High Holidays at Chabad will open next week. Meanwhile, we are excited to open the Partnership / Membership drive for 5786. We’d love to add your name to the list - and thank you greatly for your support - here.