Our son Ari will soon be getting his first pair of glasses. With 90% of his parents’ families wearing corrective lenses, it shouldn’t come as a big surprise for us.
But, it did.
Ari wasn’t really complaining about his eyesight.
But, Esther noticed that he wasn’t picking up on simple things. So, she asked if he could see certain objects – and the answer was no.
With children, doctors – and parents – sometimes feel that glasses can wait a bit, or be used sparingly. But, Ari’s near-sightedness is actually quite developed already, so the doctor suggested he obtain glasses right away.
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It turns out that our views on Ari’s near-sightedness were actually quite short-sighted!
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In life, as well, we can be short-sighted.
It’s a lesson underscored in this week’s parsha, Va’era.
The background: The Jews are slaves in Egypt. Moshe shows up to tell them that G-d will redeem them from their bitter bondage. The Torah tells us (in last week’s portion) that, “The people believed, and they heard that G-d had remembered the children of Israel and that He saw their affliction, and they kneeled and prostrated themselves.”
But a handful of verses later, these same Jews, when the going gets tough, despair of any deliverance. Moshe reassures them that they will indeed soon be freed from the clutches of Pharaoh. This time, “They did not hearken to Moshe because of their shortness of breath and because of their hard labor.”
How can we reconcile these two responses? Did the Jewish people stop believing?
Most commentaries explain that deep down the Jewish people believed. But, because of the grueling and cruel circumstances, they simply could not muster the courage to be optimistic. They were too busy dealing with ‘tzoris’ (troubles) to focus on promises of salvation.
But still, if the promise will solve your ‘tzoris’, should you not celebrate?!
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Sometimes we are in situations that seem bleak. A lousy marriage. A mediocre job. A negative environment.
We become so accustomed to the status quo that we cannot see beyond it. We are resigned to a poor relationship and to a meaningless career because that’s all we can see. We have a myopic view of the world which is only focused on the here and now.
Putting out fires might seem like the call of the hour, but the truth is that taking the future into account is the most productive way to live. It doesn’t only help us anticipate tomorrow, it brings today into sharper focus.
And, it’s the Jewish way to live. Take a look at the Siddur, the Jewish prayer book. In our daily prayers we ask G-d to feed and sustain us, grant us health and peace, amongst other requests and words of praise and thanksgiving.
The most ubiquitous request, however, is imploring G-d for Moshiach, to usher in an era of world peace and deliverance for the Jewish people and all of mankind, and to restore Jerusalem.
I can understand that we also mention to G-d that we are still counting on Him to live up to His ultimate plan and promise. But, why the disproportionate amount of prayers, tens of times daily, for Moshiach? Shouldn’t we focus on our immediate needs – be it the anti-Semitism of the Middle Ages or the economic woes the 21st Century? Why emphasize an eventual dream of the Jewish people at the expense of petitioning for a solution to the pressing needs of today?!
In truth, the Siddur is teaching us the most effective way to deal with our current problems. Zoning in on them alone allows us to get sucked into them, to become consumed with the anxiety and pressure of the moment. Taking a broader outlook doesn’t only help us long-term. It relieves us of the tension of the moment as well.
If you are near sighted and without glasses, you probably can relate to it. You might be able to see the plate of food in front of you, but you feel inadequate in your overall relationship with your surroundings. Something’s amiss.
That’s what the Jewish people experienced in Egypt. Yes, they knew that salvation was coming. Yes, they believed it with the fullest conviction. But, they had a short view of life. The struggles of today prevented them from celebrating the victories of tomorrow.
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My plate might be full, but I hope I can take a cue from Moshe and see beyond it. It’s quite promising!