A young successful executive was speeding down a neighborhood street in his new Jaguar. Suddenly he heard something bang into the side of his car. He slammed on the brakes, spun the Jag into reverse, and drove back to the source of the bang where a young boy was sitting on the curb. He jumped out of the car and saw a brick lying on the ground under his smashed door. Angrily he grabbed the culprit by the shirt and began screaming at him, "Why did you do that? That’s going to cost a great deal of money to fix." The boy looked somberly at the young executive with tears forming in his eyes. "Please forgive me mister, I didn’t know what else to do. My brother is a quadriplegic and confined to a wheelchair. As I was wheeling him down the street the wheelchair tipped and I can’t lift him back up. There was no one around to help me and I just didn’t know what else to do."
     Moved beyond words, the executive tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He lifted the young boy into the wheelchair and took out some Band-Aids and tissues to clean the cuts and bruises. The boys thanked him and then began their journey home. The man stood and watched them for a long time before he finally turned around to head back to his car. It was a long walk back to the Jaguar…a long, slow walk.
     The man never repaired the side door. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life too quickly. G-d constantly sends us messages but generally they are hidden and we must seek them out. However if we hearken to the ‘whispers of G-d’, we won’t need G-d to throw a brick at us to grab our attention.
     Chumash Shemos introduces the prototype of leadership: Moshe Rabbeinu. After escaping death in Egypt, Moshe became a shepherd for his father-in-law, Yisro. Moshe would lead the sheep deep into the desert, far away from any possibility of the sheep grazing from stolen property. One day one of the sheep ran away. Moshe pursued the little animal until it reached a stream of water. After it finished drinking Moshe proclaimed, "Had I known that you were thirsty I would have brought you water. Now you must be tired." Moshe lifted the sheep and began to carry it back to the flock. Then, in the distance, Moshe saw an extraordinary sight. A thorn-bush was aflame, yet it was not becoming consumed. Moshe declared, (3:3) "Asurah nah v’ereh es hamareh hagadol hazeh madu’ah lo yivar hasneh- I will turn away and see this wondrous sight; why is the bush not becoming consumed?" Moshe approached the bush and the voice of the Almighty rang forth from within. The rest is history.
     My Rebbi, Rabbi Berel Wein shlitah, relates that the pasuk is not merely stating this quote of Moshe nonchalantly. This statement was actually one of the qualities of Moshe that Hashem saw when choosing him as the future leader of Klal Yisroel.
     At times we see unusual sights and have unusual experiences. However we don’t have the time, patience, or interest to appreciate what we are seeing. Life imposes upon us a tremendous amount of responsibilities. There are carpools to drive, business deals to be made, meetings to attend, and appointments to keep. We have no time to "stop and smell the flowers". Often we travel down highways that display a magnificent scenic route or we drive across bridges that possess a majestic aura and tremendous beauty. But we hardly give it a second thought. The ability to relax and reflect on one’s life is a fundamental component for spiritual success. Rabbi Wein often says that one should talk to himself periodically. He adds that when he does so, those conversations are sometimes the only meaningful ones he has all day. But people do not want to reflect and relax. Many people are afraid to be alone with themselves out of fear of what they might find. They may recognize that the person in the mirror is not utilizing his full capabilities and will have to change.
     Other people may have seen the burning bush but they didn’t stop and think about it. Moshe was the only one who declared "Asurah nah" and went to analyze the unusual occurrence. Therefore Hashem called to him and appointed him the future leader of Klal Yisroel.
     Adolph Eichman (y’mach shemo), the infamous Nazi villain, escaped the clutches of the Allies and fled to South America after the war. Israeli security-services tracked him down and on May 23, 1960 the Knesset was informed that he was apprehended and was being brought to Israel for trial. In 1961 after a fourteen-week trial, Eichman was indicted. On his way to be hung, Eichman proclaimed "Shema Yisroel Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad", the verse every Jew says as he is about to die. Eichman was the biggest Jew-killer in the world, second only to Hitler himself. Those arounbd him were stunned; why would he be repeating the most famous Jewish dictum? Eichman explained that in order to triumph over one’s enemy, he must know his enemy COMPLETELY! Eichman then snickered and remarked, "I know every Jewish custom and law, and that’s why I was so successful."
     Pharoh also knew the Jews completely. He understood that there was only one guaranteed method to keep the Jews under his jurisdiction. The Mesillas Yeshorim (chapter 2) explains that when Moshe began speaking to Klal Yisroel about a possible redemption, Pharoh retaliated by commanding (5:9) "Tichbad ho’avodah al ho’anoshim vya’asu vah v’al yishu b’divrei shaker- "Make the work harder on the men and let them do it and not engage in false words." Pharoh did not grant the Jews a solitary moment for them to seek counsel or hear words of encouragement.
     In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. led a 200,000-man march on Washington to protest the segregation of African-Americans. He is most remembered for his now famous words, "I have a dream". He spoke of his dream for equality and peace among all of mankind.
     (L’havdil l’havdil) Klal Yisroel were so embedded in their servitude that they did not even have a dream. Moshe’s words of an imminent salvation fell on deaf ears and Moshe returned to G-d in exasperation and defeat. If one lacks a dream there is almost no hope.
     The first curse of the harsh tochachah (‘rebuke’) of Parshas Bechukosai, is that of ‘Behalah’. Simply translated behalah means ‘panic’. Our daily lives are often filled with that curse of behalah. Under the pressures of busy schedules and time constraints we often cannot think clearly. This leads to irrational behavior in dealing with one’s money, health and even family. The antidote for Pharoh’s "Tichbad haovodah" was Moshe’s ability to say "Asurah nah v’ereh". One must be able to keep his dreams and aspirations clearly in front of him so that no matter what pressures impede his path, he will not be deterred.
     This week I had the privilege to participate in a Hachnosas Sefer Torah (the procession of bringing a new Torah scroll to its new home in a local shul). It was quite chilly as the procession made its way up the local street that was blockaded by the neighborhood police. As we danced in front of the Torah, singing uplifting songs of praise and thanksgiving to G-d for allowing us to be the nation that lives by His Torah, I was struck by an interesting thought.
     One night earlier in Manhattan a similar gathering took place, albeit on a far larger scale. Tens of thousands of people braved the winter cold to watch a silly ball fall in Times Square as the secular New Year was heralded in. Tonight too, people braved the winter cold to stand outside and take part in a momentous affair.
     There are always things in life for which one is willing to sacrifice. These things are worth our time, money, comfort, and even endangering our health somewhat. The question is what things do WE deem worthwhile for sacrifice. Thousands of people saw the New Years’ Eve celebration in Manhattan as being a worthwhile cause for sleep deprivation and braving the freezing cold. Twenty-four hours later, a minute few felt that celebrating the homecoming of a new Torah in the quaint streets of Edison, New Jersey in memory of a special woman’s first yahrtzeit, was worth that same sacrifice.