People often come up to me and say, “I’ve got an article idea for you.” Usually it’s some pet peeve of theirs which they see as terribly rude, annoying, or wrong. Sometimes, it’s something inspirational or special, like when the rain stopped just long enough for chametz-burning to go on, and then started again.
This time, someone had a concept and said, “If anyone can come up with a good article about this, it’s Jonathan Gewirtz.” He had been speaking to the manager of a gym which charges $10 a month. “How can you make money on $10 a month?” he asked.
“Look around,” said the manager. “You see all these people here? These aren’t the ones I make money on. I make money on the people who pay 10$ every month and never show up.”
“I don’t understand,” asked our guest, “Why do they keep paying if they don’t come?”
“It’s just $10,” replied the gym staffer. “They tell themselves, ‘I’m not going to cancel. I’m going to start going again next month,’ or ‘It’s almost January (or spring, or summer, or school season). I’ll start then and it’ll be great.’ And so it goes. They let it ride because they plan to come to the gym, but it never happens.”
Now, dear readers, I’m not focused on whether the gym is making money or not, or whether you will actually go to a gym if it costs you more money. I’m focused on the idea that keeps people paying month after month. You see, the people who pay but don’t show up are not saying that they don’t mind throwing money away. I don’t think you’d see any of them take a $10 bill and throw it into the street. People like their money. Instead, what they’re really saying, deep down, is, “It’s not too late. I want to stay a member in the gym because I know it’s good for me and I should start going more regularly. I can do it.”
What an idea! Think about it. Deep down they know what’s good and that just because you don’t look like a body-builder today is no reason you can’t trim a few pounds tomorrow. You don’t need to devote major resources to it, just be dedicated and find it important.
If you’ve ever exercised, especially when you didn’t want to, you know how wonderful you feel afterwards. You’re glad you pushed yourself. You know it was time well-spent. You feel proud of yourself and rightfully so.
Now, what about if you were exhausted and just wanted to plop down on the couch with a book (or better yet, without a book!) but instead you picked up a sefer, called a friend who was down, or went out to a shiur. You pushed yourself to do what you knew was good for your soul. Afterwards, you probably felt like a million dollars, proud as a peacock.
I’ve been known to wake up very early in the morning to learn. It’s not easy pulling myself out of bed, but I can tell you that when I close the Gemara or finish my weekly Dvar Torah, I am not thinking about the missing sleep. I’m thinking, “Wow, that was invigorating. I’m so happy I did that. I rock. Go me!”
Shavuos is a time for everyone who has been pushing off their involvement in Torah until they’ve got more time, or more energy, or less stress, to say, “I want to do this for me. I can do it. This is the time I’m going to make it a habit and stick to it.”
Because, you know, when you miss it, it’s not just 10 bucks. It’s time. Even if you might throw $10 out the window, would you do it to 43,200 minutes each and every month? Think time is money? Forget it. Money doesn’t even come close.
So, as we approach Shavuos, resolve to get spiritually healthy, make good choices, and start leading a wholesome Torah lifestyle. Besides, when that’s your goal, you can still enjoy your cheesecake without feeling guilty. Not only that, it’s a mitzvah!
Jonathan Gewirtz is a frequent contributor to these pages whose mission is to inspire and make people think. You can achieve so much if you put your mind to it. Rabbi Gewirtz has been publishing a weekly Dvar Torah in English called the Migdal Ohr, for over a decade. It started with a firm decision and continues one issue at a time. Subscribe for free by e-mailing [email protected] and writing subscribe in the Subject line. Have a simcha coming up? Enhance your event with thought-provoking, entertaining words. Order a custom speech for your next simcha at visit www.JewishSpeechWriter.com This article is an excerpt from Jonathan Gewirtz’s new book, The Observant Jew, a Refreshing New Look at the World, coming soon to a Jewish bookstore near you from Feldheim. © 2010 by Jonathan Gewirtz. All rights reserved.
By Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz
