Anything Worth Attaining Can Only Be Had Through Striving
Two weeks ago I had the privilege to stand before 225 public school students from across North America and address them during Ebbing (speaking at Seudah Shlisheet). The focus of my speech was commitment to Judaism and taking back home the learning everyone had gained over the past week. While not planned, mid-Ebbing I decided to share a story of mine from several years back when I spoke to a group of teens at Moshava and explained to them that it is often times very difficult to be observant.
After my talk ended, one of the counselors came storming over, quite upset that I has ruined all the counselors’ hard work throughout the summer. She explained, “All summer we have been trying to convince these kids to be more religious by telling them that being observant isn’t difficult and you just told them that it is!” I responded that if the counselors have been telling their campers being observant is easy, they are performing a major disservice because becoming more observant and taking on more mitzvoth requires a great deal of hard work and sacrifice and it is vital to explain that to our teens.
After Ebbing an inordinate number of teens came by to thank me for my speech. Curious, I proceeded to ask them what they particularly liked about it. Each time, each teen gave the same response, “You told us the truth, it IS difficult to be observant.” One girl in particular explained with tears in her eyes that she gets up each morning at 6 am to daven before she leaves for school and it is hard, it is a struggle.
Our teens need our guidance and our encouragement, but they also need our honesty and candor. It is vital to explain to teens the challenges of being observant, as well as the rewards. Anything worth attaining can only be had through striving and exertion and Torah and Mitzvot are certainly worth the effort, but we must always acknowledge that there is effort involved.
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