Humbled on the Slopes

BH

As you probably know, I have spent the last six months in Montreal, Canada devoting my time to working with the Jewish communities of McGill and Concordia Universities. What you may not know, is what I like to do with some of my free time.

Living in Quebec, with dozens and dozens of ski slopes within a two hour radius, it was something I felt I needed to try. Gave skiing a couple shots then took the leap to the snowboard... and haven’t turn back.

While riding up the lift, the cool breeze wafting along my face, I always watch the people below zipping down the run. However, I particularly enjoy watching the energy and enthusiasm young children have while riding along. I always think to myself, “That kid cant be more than eight years old! If he can do that so easily, then hey, so can I!”

Well, as I disembark from the lift, the image of that child coasting down the Black Diamond with such ease disappears. I am now tasked with trying to ride down on my own, something that just five minutes ago I was so certain I could do. I now reevaluate.

“No way!” I yell at my teacher as he tries to encourage me to link a few turns on the hill that now seems to drop all the way to Eastern Europe. Sorry folks, but the inspiration of that child is gone. I am now a grown man, with fear of tumbling to the bottom of mountain.

I am now at the top, viewing it with a different perspective. My certainty and [over]confidence has retreated. Humbling. Very humbling in fact.
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In this weeks Parsha, Vayikra, G-d instructs Moshe (Moses) in the ways of the different Korbanot (sacrifices). However one of the most important lessons learned in this weeks portion is not about that at all.

The word Vayikra, the name of this weeks reading and in fact the name of the third book of the Torah, means “and He called out.” G-d called moses to discuss the sacrifices.

The word Vayikra is written with five Hebrew letters, the last being the letter aleph. The aleph is written in a much smaller size than any other letter found in the Torah.

This mini aleph teaches us that Moshe - whom was the one being called with the word Vayikra - was the humblest of men. Ever. He always shrunk his pride - just like the shrunken aleph - and never allowed himself to be caught up in how great he was.

Moshe no doubt knew that he was as great as he was. He knew he dealt with G-d face-to-face. He knew he was the one selected to write the Torah. He even wrote about how great he was in the Torah! But nothing. Moshe never thought of himself as great.

Moshe knew, with all his heart that the greatness he possessed had absolutely nothing to do with him! It was the creation of G-d. It was G-d’s choice to make him great so how could he take any pride from that?
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I am no Moshe, that's for sure. But that aleph taught me something this week. As I’m riding up the lift at Bromont Ski Resort in the Eastern Townships outside of Montreal, I boasted myself as this great snowboarder. I got to the top and was quickly humbled.

What that aleph stood to teach me - and can serve as a lesson to all of us always - was not that I shouldn’t have given myself that false confidence to ride down, but rather, whether I can ride down at all is because of G-d.

Moshe attained his title of “greatest ever” because he attributed everything to G-d. Nothing was because of him. This is the lesson learned.

So while riding up the lift, G-d willing, this coming Sunday, my thoughts will wander elsewhere. I will be focusing on the G-d given talent the advanced snowboarders were gifted with and ability to snowboard altogether that G-d has bestowed on me.

Baruch Hashem!