I remember the excitement when we first started Tefillin Squad—the energy, the sense of purpose. There’s something powerful about bringing people together for a mitzvah, creating a platform that inspires others. And yet, I sometimes find myself struggling with personal consistency. The same person who encourages others to daven doesn’t always make it to minyan. The same one writing a Dvar Torah might not always feel inspired in his own learning.
In this week’s Parsha, Yisro, we read about Matan Torah—the moment Hashem revealed Himself to the Jewish people. The experience was earth-shattering. The mountain trembled, the people saw thunder, and they heard Hashem’s voice. According to the Midrash, as soon as the experience ended, the Bnei Yisrael fell back. They needed Moshe to climb the mountain for them, to keep them connected. The excitement of the moment didn’t automatically translate into consistency.
Maybe we can find the solution in Yisro. Yisro wasn’t with the yidden for the miracles of Mitzrayim. He didn’t see the sea split. And yet, when he heard what happened, he took action. He made a choice. Inspiration fades, but decisions last. Yisro shows us that inspiration alone isn’t enough—it’s the choices we make.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe often spoke about avoiding self-deprecation. Maybe the challenge isn’t that I lack inspiration, but that I haven’t paused to appreciate my own progress. Like the Bnei Yisrael, who needed a push forward even after so much growth, I don’t need to start over—I need to use the past as fuel to commit, to show up, to be consistent.
So let’s make this practical. What’s one mitzvah, one practice, that we can commit to strengthening together? One thing, for one week. For me, my goal is davening Maariv with a minyan three times. Not because I feel like it today, but because it’s part of who I want to be. What’s yours?
Good Shabbos
All the best
Avroham Yehudah Ross
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