No More Excuses (Yom Kippur)

Tomorrow marks the "Day of Atonement" - arguably the holiest day of the year for the Jewish People.  It is a day when all of us stand before our Creator and plead with him to grant us another year of life - one that is filled with "health, happiness and success."  Often, in an attempt to persuade Hashem, we make Him promises that we will be better if He grants us the chance to - we will learn more Torah, give more charity, etc.  When we make this promises, we truly do mean that we will try to fulfill them.  Sadly, when the day has ended and it comes time to deliver on what we've said - we often fall short (myself included).

We want to learn more Torah, but it is so hard to find the time with our hectic schedules.  We want to give more charity, there just doesn't seem to be any room of it in the budget.  We want to do many things, but we have many reasons why we can't.  In response to these "wants" and "reasons", I want to share with you a story about an inspirational group of young men who have fulfilled this "wants" despite the "reasons" they couldn't.  After reading it, perhaps each of us will have a different approach to our "New Years Resolutions" this time around...

Baruch Hashem, Darchei Yitzchak opened its doors and began giving classes in the first week of August.  Since we've opened, there has been a core group of four young men who have been with us every step of the way.  They attended the first class and have been going strong ever since!  They don't just attend the classes, they recruit their friends to attend as well - aiding in the growth of Darchei Yitzchak.  The fact, however, that the attend classes isn't what makes them inspirational - it's the story behind them.

Boy # 1 lives in New Jersey and, each night, drives into Brooklyn strictly to attend shiur at DY.  As soon as shiur is over - he drives back to NJ.

Boys # 2 and 3 work in the Bronx and don't get our until 8p.m.  Being that shiur starts at 8:30 - they make sure to head directly to DY, not even taking a moment to stop and change their clothes.

Boy # 4 is the lucky one.  He works in Brooklyn - only about a 10 minute ride from DY.  His only hardship is that he works about a 14-hr shift each day before coming to shiur.

Each of these boys range from age 20-23 and certainly have the "reason" not to fulfill their "want" to come learn - but they do it anyway.  In addition, each of these boys has pledged some form of donation to DY.  In response to this, one may argue that it's easy for them because they don't have families to support.  Firstly, some of them are helping support families - their struggling parents.  As for the others, while they don't have families to care for, they also don't have a huge income and could certainly benefit themselves from the money they've given to DY.  Despite this, they contribute - because they "want" to.

I truly find these boys to be inspirational.  Not because they attend or support Darchei Yitzchak, but because they learn Torah and give charity - when they have all the "reasons" not to.  In fact, what prompted me to write this post was a text message I received from one of the boys today informing me that since attending DY, he has increased his Torah learning and started praying shacharit and going to selichot.

It's amazing what one can accomplish when we ignore the "reasons" why we can't...

May we all take a lesson from these boys and, upon the completion of Yom Kippur and our promises this year, may we think twice about giving in to the "reasons" not to fulfill our "wants".  In return, may Hashem grant each of us a year of growth, health, happiness, success and may we merit to see the coming of Mashiach speedily in our days!

Tizku l'Shanim Rabot!!