(We Can Do Hard) Things
Parshat Devarim begins Moshe’s speech to Bnei Yisrael at the plains of Moav on the cusp of their entering eretz Yisrael. This speech encapsulates 38 years of history to prepare the nation to reforge their relationship with HaShem.
On the outset, Moshe recalls for Bnei Yisrael events that transpired after they left Chorev to conquer eretz Yisrael, focusing on the chet ha’meraglim, the sin of the spies – a calamitous event that delayed fulfillment of our entering eretz Yisrael for thirty-eight long years.
Moshe continues the historical account from the fortieth year in the wilderness with a description of how HaShem instructed Bnei Yisrael to avoid military confrontations with the nations of Esav, Moav, and Ammon, but to battle with the Emorite king, Sichon.
And thirdly, Moshe recounts the victory over Og, king of the Bashan, and the apportionment of the lands conquered from Sichon and Og to the tribes of Reuven, Gad, and half of Menashe.
Remember, these are people who grew up in the midbar, surrounded by HaShem’s miracles but also, His wrath.
They may have been babies, or small children when these events transpired, and they don’t necessarily know the history of why we are where we are.
They don’t necessarily know of or remember the hard things that have happened…
We are all doing hard things every single day – things like being brave in asking for help.
Doing hard things like loving and losing; forging and ending friendships; battling illness, and loneliness; struggling in setting boundaries; and fighting for equality, and purpose.
My family and I are some of the only ones on Earth who traverse this road of Juvenile Onset ALS that manifests itself in this way. There is not one facet of our lives that is not more difficult because of this road that we were put upon.
We’ve been dealing with this for a while, not thirty-seven years, but for at least half that amount of time…
In 2010, I decided to find out what the condition was… Because before that, we didn’t even have a name for it.
Whole axomic screenings, blood tests, done at least twice, because, the first time, the tests came back that nothing is wrong.
You are befuddled.
You are confused.
You are angry.
But at whom?
He, the Creator Who has Given you everything? Yes.
You work so hard to do the right things… You wonder, what for?
Because at the end of the parsha, you are told this: “for HaShem your God, it is He who fights for you.”
But we have to make the effort.
We have to do the work…
We have to do the hard things.
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If you can help us with this hard thing, to help us be stronger, please donate at this link: https://thechesedfund.com/hopeinaction/herzfeld-family-fund
