All of us have heard about it. Many of us have actually experienced it. I’m referring to those ridiculously long TSA security lines at the airport.
What makes this most frustrating is that this is happening in the wealthiest and most advanced country and in 2016. There’s really no reason for it. You would think that with all our technological advances we’d have figured out a way to do this better. Is it really so hard to predict how many people are going to be traveling this summer? Why can’t we hire enough screeners in advance, is there really such a shortage of potential workers out there; what, all of a sudden everyone’s employed? Is there really no better way to use technology to speed up the process? We can and should be doing better and that’s what’s so frustrating.
The days leading up to Shavuot, known as the Sefirah, are focused on self-improvement. When it comes to evaluating ourselves we often compare ourselves to the people around us “I’m doing pretty well, compared to him or her” But it doesn’t really matter how everyone else is doing. What matters is whether I can be doing any better. The question we need to ask ourselves each and every day is “Am I living up to my potential”
Reb Zushe of Anipoli would say “When I appear before the Heavenly court, they will not ask me why I was not like Moses, for I will simply say that I didn’t have his spiritual qualities. I am afraid that they will ask me Zushe – why weren’t you Zushe?” Why weren’t you the best Zushe you could be?
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Benjy Silverman
PS. Join us tonight at 6:30 pm for uplifting services followed by a gourmet Kiddush