We Don’t Stop Because We Grow Old; We Grow Old Because We Stop

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My Birthday Blessing to You!

How do you feel about getting older? Is it something you’re excited about or does it stress you out?

Moses, the most accomplished Jew of all time, is told by G-d in this week’s portion that he is soon to leave this world. His response is inspiring—instead of worrying, he immediately starts giving G-d advice as to what qualities he should seek in appointing his successor! Fully focused on his legacy, Moses inspires us to worry less about the years in our life and more about the life in our years.

Moses spoke to G-d:

“Let the Lord, the G-d of spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, who will go forth before them and come before them, who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the Lord will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”

When the Rebbe celebrated his 70th birthday in 1972, he was asked about his retirement plans. He responded: “Retirement? That word is not even in my vocabulary!” Indeed, on his 70th birthday, he urged his chassidim to build 70 new Chabad Centers across the globe, fanning the flames of the Jewish Renaissance that he pioneered.

The Rebbe intimately understood that man’s presence on this Earth is in order to fulfill a mission: We weren’t put on this Earth to vegetate but to activate. We weren’t simply seated here. We were sent here! For us to retire from our mission, would be to turn our back on the destiny we were empowered to reach.

If G-d has given you another day of life, it’s the greatest proof that there is still more for you to achieve! We don’t stop because we grow old; we grow old because we stop. Getting old is out of your control. It’s what you do with it that matters.

The Rebbe addressed aging by saying that “One’s age doesn’t depend on one’s passport.” Whilst retiring from the workplace might sometimes be necessary, one can never retire from his responsibilities, obligations, and opportunities as a Jew. Modern thinking condescends on retirees as they are often viewed as past their prime. Torah teaches us that the older we get, the wiser and more experienced we become, empowering us to become ever more effective in our purpose upon this Earth. Often, when you are at the end of something, you’re actually at the beginning of something else. Don’t simply retire from something. Make sure you have something to retire to!

When Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, they defied the single instruction they were given. Curiously, when G-d comes to scold them, he first asks a one word question: “Ayeka”—“Where are you?”. An omnipotent and omniscient G-d surely doesn’t need to ask for directions! The reason he asked “Ayeka” was not because G-d wanted to know where Adam and Eve were, but because G-d wanted Adam and Eve to know where Adam and Eve were!

This story is told to us in the opening chapters of the Torah because it’s crucial for us to succeed on this Earth. If you don’t know where you’re going, there’s little chance you’ll ever get there.

When we constantly ask ourselves “Ayeka,” we’re reminded of our destination. “Where am I in terms of fulfilling my mission on this Earth?” “What can I look back at as accomplished so far in my life’s purpose?” Don’t worry about getting old. Worry about thinking old.

As I celebrate my birthday this week, I am inspired by the Rebbe to know that getting older is the most meaningful achievement in the world. Where I am is where I need to be, and it is in this moment that G-d is waiting for me to make my next move. On my special day, as I connect with my spiritual core, I am empowered to bless others. I would like to take this opportunity to bless you with both the clarity of discovering your unique mission for which your soul was dispatched to this world and the courage to execute it. May you find the strength to study Torah and fulfill Mitzvahs, especially those Mitzvahs that are uniquely related to your soul.

Torah inspires us all to declare that my favorite age is now!

Rabbi Dovid Vigler
Chabad of Palm Beach Gardens
6100 PGA Blvd, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418
JewishGardens.com  | 561.624.2223

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