Tapping into the Infinite

MyLife Essay Contest

What is your drive that gets you out of bed, to the cup of coffee, and out the door into a day of unending responsibilities? What gives you the strength to work so incessantly, be it practicing an instrument to become a more skilled musician, or travelling the world to experience new cultures? In every case, there is always that destination that you have an unstoppable determination to reach. While these may be wonderful ambitions, doesn’t it seem like a constant race from one desire to the next, each time, leaving you more lost in the desperate search of self-fulfillment? Many people wait until their midlife crisis, where they are consumed by their successes and failures alike. Wouldn’t it be better to live a life based on something greater than just yourself?

Chassidus teaches that when a person looks beyond their own perspective and sees themself as part of something greater, they reveal the beauty and power of their true motivation, which is full of infinite meaning.

The story of the Jews receiving the Torah on Mount Sinai paints quite a perplexing scene to which our Rabbi’s raise many questions. One of their biggest questions posed is: If G-d wanted to teach the Jews how to be more humble, then why would he give the Torah on a mountain? Why not in a valley? Mountains represent boastfulness and pride, whereas valleys represent meekness and humility. Chassidus answers that a person needs to have a bit of self to have true humility. For instance, in order to receive from someone, you must be a someone to receive what is being given. But there is another explanation in a specific discourse given over by the first Lebavitcher Rebbe, Shneur Zalman of Liadi.1

Having a sense of self, even though it is still controlled by humility, is only the first step in the process. If someone is receiving only by way of “being a someone”, than the receiving will always be conditional to their individual needs. On Mount Sinai, the Jewish people created a vacancy to receive on G-d’s terms rather than on their own. It wasn’t about receiving what they wanted from the Torah, but about actualizing G-d’s desire to dwell within the world. They tapped into the beyond and infinite. Through creating this space and going beyond their realm of reality, they were able to receive G-d fully and with such a unity amongst the Jewish people.

An example of this power in our own lives could be said through playing a sport.

When you are immersed in the game, you are aware of your body in knowing how to utilize it to its fullest potential. But this is only so when the game is about working with your teammates. The moment that it is about you scoring a goal, you lose that power.

That power lies in you realizing that it is not just you, but that you are a part of a larger team, trying to win together. When you go beyond the “you”, a true mountain emerges, made up of everyone and everything.

In this day and age, there are many things that are worshiped in society such as power, fame, success and much more. People idolize those who rise from rags to riches; the classic American dream. The goal is often to work hard, and raise children with the mindset that, as Rabbi Manis Friedman candidly states, “you can do anything you want, but you better be the best at it!” Freedom of speech and expression has come so far in the western world, and yet, is still limited by the need to prove its legitimacy. You can’t just be a doctor; you have to cure cancer and make the morning news. You can’t just be an artist; you have to be as good as Van Gogh or Picasso. But if this is so gratifying, then what provoked say Kurt Cobain or Robin Williams, who seemingly accomplished this so exceedingly, to end their lives? Hadn’t they attained the success and recognition that everyone strives for?

While people may find satisfaction in achieving these goals, it quickly dwindles with time, as is exemplified by many superstars. They achieve their wish to be a professional concert pianist or chef, and soon after the immediate thrill of winning the title, they are left with a lack of direction. This is also true for the person who fails to achieve their goal. For example, a young boy wishes to be a champion in the NBA, and is rejected at the little league try-outs. He tries everything to be re-evaluated, and continues to be unsuccessful. His life’s dream is now impossible, and he is left at a standstill. If everyone’s biggest dream is an unrealistic expectation, than how can anyone find a healthy motivation for life? Though this is an obvious conclusion, it must be stated that basing an existence off of fame and power and world recognition is not only fleeting and superficial, but most probably impractical. Therefore an ultimate sense of meaning cannot be found in the amount of Nobel peace prizes or acceptance letters to medical school a person receives.

If you only listen to and acknowledge your own perspective, you’re inherently limited. Just as the Hebrews let go of their way of thinking in order to fully receive G-d’s revelation, so too we can take this as a lesson to let go of our egos, to find our truest sense of purpose. A famous philosopher, Emmanuel Levinas, once said, “To approach the Other in conversation is to welcome his expression, in which at each instant he overflows the idea a thought would carry away from it. It is therefore to receive from the Other beyond the capacity of the I, which means exactly: to have the idea of infinity.” By receiving in a way that transcends your understanding and desire, you are allowing a great and infinite power of connection to take place. In a similar discourse2, the Alter Rebbe gives an example of a craftsman who is making a bowl. In order to create this beautiful shape, he must hammer at it until it looks and feels like a worthless block of mud. At the moment of its greatest destruction, comes the creation of its greatest beauty. By letting go of life being about my dreams and my visions, life should be about going beyond my own mental scope. If the focus is not only on fulfilling selfish desires, but on being a part of something much bigger, a person’s motivation will not only be everlasting but truly honorable. If your sense of purpose transcends your own being, than possibilities are endless. Motivation should not be about achieving something, but rather about working towards a greater picture, beyond your own immediate interests. The question isn’t what can the world do for me, but what can I do for the world?

Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik says so eloquently, “Dignity is acquired by man whenever he triumphs over nature. Man finds redemption whenever he is overpowered by the Creator of nature.”3 Are you searching for dignity or for redemption? It is important to put effort into studies, work, and other practical matters, but it is more important to realize that these are side notes in a larger picture. No matter what road you take, any goal is possible to accomplish through accepting that you are apart of this bigger equation. When a person taps into this greater understanding, he/she is tapping into their greatest potential. By changing the way you look at the world, and by working on a more inclusive mindset, this in turn will sustain your inspiration to reach your dreams.

1 Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar

2 Torah Ohr, Mishpatim, Ayin Tet

3 Soloveitchik, Joseph Dov. The Lonely Man of Faith. New York: Doubleday, 1992.