The Joy in the Ride – Ki Savo

Last week I wrote about what it feels like to get back on a bike after years of not riding. I talked about how sometimes getting back on the bike feels pointless. But we learned that the effort matters and that every push forward is a win.

This week I saw a video on social media. It said, in a sad but true way, that when people pass away, life goes on. The message was to enjoy the people in your life now and also to live for yourself. That made me think about how often I forget to stop and enjoy what I already have. I spend so much time working, building, and pushing forward. Just like on the bike, I keep pedaling through life and sometimes forget the joy of the ride.

In this week’s parsha, Ki Savo, the Torah says that we should rejoice in all the good that Hashem has given us. After bringing the first fruits, the farmer was told not just to give, but also to celebrate. It is not enough to only keep moving forward. We are told to pause, reflect, and be happy about it. Shaar HaBitachon adds to this. Rabbeinu Bachya writes that a person who trusts in Hashem finds peace. He does not feel crushed by struggles because he knows his strength comes from Hashem. That trust makes room for joy. It lets us enjoy what we already have instead of always worrying about more.

Thinking about this also brought me to prayer. A friend reminded me that tefillah and Tehillim are not just words on a page. They are dialogue. They are conversations that King David, Shlomo, and others had with Hashem. Reading from a siddur is good, but sometimes the best tefillah is speaking straight from the heart. Even if that means saying, “I’m not feeling it.” That reminder gave me strength, because I often struggle with feeling what I think I am supposed to feel.

This week I want to leave you with one goal. Whether you daven with a minyan or not. Whether you are Jewish or not. No matter what place you are at in life. Take three minutes. Sit in quiet. Think about the good in your life. Think about any struggle you are pushing through. And have a conversation with Hashem. Even if after two and a half minutes you only said one honest line, that is a success.

Good Shabbos

All the best

Avroham Yehudah Ross