Have you ever been truly inspired by something?
Perhaps a personal miracle, an amazing event, or a profound lesson?
You felt moved. You felt uplifted. You vowed to make a big change.
Not to be a downer, but…did the change last?
Or did the inspiration eventually fade?
In this week’s Torah portion, we have the famous sin of the golden calf.
When Moses takes longer than expected to return from Mount Sinai, the people make a golden calf. This is an idol, which is forbidden. It is an especially egregious mistake, given that the people heard G-d speak only 40 days prior to this!
As Rabbi Boruch Leff points out: “When reading the story of the Golden Calf, a common question is: How could the Jews commit such a terrible transgression just 40 days after receiving the Torah? Shouldn’t the impact of hearing G-d speak have lasted much more than 40 days? How could this have happened?”
I have certainly wondered this myself…
But take a pause with me here. We’re about to get very honest.
If we were there, we might have done it too.
How? How can we be susceptible to behaviour that so obviously contradicts what we know – that goes against our values?
Here’s the tough truth: Inspiration is easy. Lasting change is hard.
Human nature is such that we may be moved – even deeply moved – by an experience…but inspiration fades.
So what do we do? How can we actually use our inspiring moments to make lasting change?
One great tool I was taught is to keep a journal of “Hashgacha Pratis Moments” (Moments of seeing Hashem’s hand in your life.) You can also write about moments of inspiration, when you had major realizations, etc. Write exactly what happened, when, how you felt, etc. The more details the better. You can look back on these moments to help recapture some of that inspiration, and get back into that positive mindset.
Rabbi Leff also suggests an important tool: when you feel inspired, make a small change.
These are the ones that often last.
Rabbi Leff explains: “When we are motivated to change, we must think of some small, slight area in which we can grow. If we take on something too overwhelming and drastic, then it is all the more likely to fail. We should take, for example, the area of prayer, and accept upon ourselves to recite an additional short section that we never said before. Or we…can decide to perform an extra act of kindness daily, or just smile at one person every day…Of course, the long-term goal is to increase amounts and levels of change, but we must start slowly if we are to change at all.”
Big, profound changes are possible.
But trying to do too much too fast often leads to a high, followed by a burnout.
A lesson that we learn from the golden calf is that inspiration can be a springboard, but it is not enough to bring about permanent changes.
Inspiration is a tool. We can use it by starting now – while it is still fresh – with a small change. Small changes add up, and propel us forward.
If every time we are inspired, we do one small thing, they will eventually add up to serious growth over a lifetime.
May we all use our moments of inspiration to grow…one step at a time.
Shabbat Shalom,
Danielle Altonaga and the JET Team
