looking up

     Who knew that the key to success stood on two feet?  There are various scientific theories for bipedalism, namely, that the freedom of our hands allows for highly advantageous innovations.  However, that advantage should have been canceled out by the aches in our creaky backs.  Being upright doesn’t always pay.   

                The deeper spiritual sources say that the back pain is worth every wince.  Why?  Because the main advantage of bipedal locomotion is that it gives a man a great view.  Here, in particular, is where the scientists and mystics diverge.  Science will say that another advantage of being upright is that it is easier to spot a predator.  A mystic will tell you that the main advantage of the view when upright is not because we can see large swathes of savannah, but because it easy to look up.  And that may be the real key to our success.

                It says in Ethics of our Fathers (2:1) ‘Look at three things and you won’t come to the hands of misuse of potential.  Know what is above from you- an eye sees, an ear hears, and all of your actions are written in a book.’ Why couldn’t the Mishnah state, ‘know these three things’? (1)  Where are we looking?

                The answer is up.  One look at the sky should put us in our place.  We are a fleeting blip on the radar screen.  The incorrect reaction at this point is to quit and say, ’nothing I do really matters, look at how small I am’.  The correct response is that in such a huge world, somebody cared to put me here too.  I wonder why.  It could be that everything I do really matters!  

                Therein is our success.  Our upright posture is meant to work together with the beautiful sky as a constant reminder that there is a reason why we are here.  We all have a free personal trainer screaming in our ears, we need you to do something special here so keep pushing.  Otherwise, why else would you be here?




(1)  See Marahal Derech HaChayim