Earlier this week I stood at the summit of Mount Washington 6,288 feet above sea level in 44°F weather. The views on all sides were truly amazing and inspiring, especially as it was a pretty clear day which allowed us to have a magnificent view of the horizon up to 130 miles away.
While there are three typical ways to get up the mountain, including the Cog Railway, Hiking and the Mt. Washington Auto Road, we chose the latter for multiple reasons.
With eyes focused on the road and not on the steep drops right off to your right and sometimes left, or to the clouds that are parallel to you or off the steep incline that is right ahead of you, and with two hands gripping on the wheel, we navigated every twist and turn up the mountain, above the tree line and finally up the summit itself.
While our trip didn't compare to the hiker's trip who I met coming at the same time who had left at 8am and spent eight hours getting to the top, (although we did get a bumper sticker for our efforts), it was still a drive that was incredible and awe inspiring.
While we were in NH we also took some other hikes including in the Flume Gorge, Loon Mountain and along a river or two, each of which was magnificent and special in it's own way.
One day we wanted to take an easier hike, and we had been told that MODERATE hikes in New Hampshire are not so moderate, so we picked an EASY one with a hike along a river that an old rail trail. While it was a hike that was surrounded by an abundance of trees and shrubs, it was extremely flat, and there was not much else to see and no views (and no bears or moose that we noticed).
It reminded me of the concept that according to the pain is the gain, or in the Talmudic dictum, "Lefum Tzaara Agroh". DIFFICULT hikes get you great views and scenes, MODERATE hikes get you some too, and EASY ones, well you would be lucky if you get a good view, unless of course you cheat and drive up the mountain instead.
Life itself usually isn't much different, of course there are sometimes shortcuts to get to the top, but typically, if we look for the EASY route, the potential benefits are minimal, the MODERATE route offers more potential, and the DIFFICULT route, while most challenging and with the most pitfalls, offers the best potential for what you might get at the summit or of the journey itself.
Last night as we drove back from New Hampshire, we were listening to a beautiful song "Butterfly" by Abie Rottenberg and Shulem Lemmer that was spoken of on a Podcast we were listening to. It included a truly beautiful line which was so profound and powerful "I've been told every soul sent from heaven Has its very own mountain to climb".
Indeed, what a powerful message and metaphor.
The song continues "Though some do prevail, many stumble and fail, And I know not which fate will be mine, But there is only one you, With a calling of your very own, The road may be long, a test of the heart, But you'll never, no, never, have to walk it alone, Time to leave your cocoon, my dear butterfly, Show yourself and the world just how very high, You can fly, you can soar, once you unlock the door, And Hashem (G-d) will be there at your side, Yes, He'll always be there at our side".
Indeed in this week's portion of Eikev, Moshe reminds the Jewish people of the story of their journey, of the their climb up their mountain, of when they fell down the metaphorical ravines, and also of the successes that lay ahead, and the potential risks that await them at the summit, when we might say "Kochi VeOtzem Yodi", that our successes are the result of our own brilliance and ego, and we are the G-d's gift to mankind. Such an attitude, Moshe reminds them, can cause untold harm as we slip and cause damage to ourselves and others as a result of being overly confident in our own ego.
Moshe reminds them, that to stay within your lane, and successfully keep climbing, ones needs a dose of humility and a measure of gratefulness to G-d for the blessings that have enabled us to get this far, and of course a grit and determination to keep climbing forward, one rock and obstacle at a time.
Mountains are a recurring them in the Torah, whether it be Mount Sinai, which G-d speaks to us from and Moses ascends, to the Mount Moriah where the binding of Isacc happens, and to Mount Nevo from where Moses was shown the Holy Land.
Indeed it is a subtle message that we all have our mountain to climb, so keep training, have the right gear, and maintain a good attitude.
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos from the flat fields of Sudbury!
Yisroel