Don't let Defeat defeat you...

We had the distinct honor and privilege to host Rabbi Eric Goldman in a Q & A session. In a departure from our normal schedule of niggun, Torah, niggun, we had the opportunity to address burning questions about how to reach the שויל הזהב, the Golden Path, of Torah and Madah. Questions ranged from the need to have a role model to proper attempts at developing מסירת נפש.

We mined the depths of Rabbi Goldman's experience and gleaned much. Some of the best news of the night... were successful in finding a Catchphrase!

Don't let Defeat defeat you!

Rabbi Goldman quoted from Rabbi Lopiansky that one shouldn't consider his failures as indicative of being a failure. Unfortunately, we live in a "results oriented" society. After going through a few semesters of YU it is easy to feel like not much has been accomplished necessarily. Herein lies the crucial point of last night's vaad:

It is not the result of the journey that is worthwhile but rather the journey itself.

Once one recognizes that the decisions one has made in YU are most important, more so than the actual outcome then there is no waste of time or energy that took place in all those years but rather great illustrations of בחירה חפשית.

Don't let Defeat defeat you means that one shouldn't look at his time spent in YU and consider himself a failure and then give it all up. Every failure is another opportunity for growth.

I heard an interesting quote that I think is very apropos here:

The night is darkest before the dawn.

In essence it is an encouragement to keep on fighting the temptations that abound here and learn from mistakes. It is most difficult during midterms and finals when the comepetition for our attention is at a fever pitch. It is during times like these that we must be on our guard the most. Pivotal however is the cognizance of the fact that failure doesn't mean that you're a failure. Pick yourself up and move on.

Don't let Defeat defeat you....

Shkoyach Rabbi Goldman...and a hearty מזל טוב!!