The Moment I Almost Quit - Emor

There’s a stretch in physical therapy called the prone hip extension. I really can’t stand it. It’s not painful, just the one stretch I dread the most. I lie down, and my whole body wants out. A few days ago, I was about to skip it altogether. I had already done so much that day, and I figured, who would even know? No one was watching me. But after about ten seconds, something made me do it. Not because I suddenly wanted to, but because skipping it would have meant I didn’t follow through on the plan. It would have meant giving up on something that could help me feel better. So I stayed with it, even though I didn’t want to.

That stretch made me think. How often do we hit that same wall in other parts of life? A moment where you’re tired, frustrated, or unsure if what you’re doing even matters. It’s easy to believe that effort only counts when it’s exciting or acknowledged. In Tanya Chapter 27, the Alter Rebbe writes that even if someone fights the same inner battle every day, he should not be discouraged. This might be exactly what he was created for: to stay in the struggle and keep showing up. It is not about achieving perfection. It is about consistency and effort.

Sometimes the most meaningful thing you can do is not quit. If you’re in a place where you feel like letting go, maybe this is for you. The smallest act of effort counts. The quietest fight still matters. And sometimes, staying in the stretch just for one more second is exactly where the growth happens.

Good Shabbos

All the best! Avroham Y Ross