I was just watching tonight as a player from the Green Bay Packers caught a touch down pass that bounced off the intented reciver into his arms. I watched as he walked off the field and smiled and was happy. I thought to myself, in the past years, I have been "taught" by my own religious compatriots that physical acheivement is not a true mitzvah and not a true accomplishment. I had to think about this situation a little bit.
This poor player took his time to work out and rehearse his game for this moment in the sun. Truly he is not studying a religious work as our people of the "highest" places in our faith feel is the true accomplishment.
There is a player named Alan Veingrad who played once for the Green Bay packers and later for the Dallas Cowboys. He is jewish and has in fact become a Ba'al Teshuvah and come to a torah life that involves daily prayer and donning tefillin. He describes this transformation as his super great accomplishment. Truly this is a truth and a major accomplishment.
But he also is proud of his past in the football league, though sadly I do profess that he seems to think from what I have seen that it was an option for a non religious jew at the time.
I disagree.
This is how I see it.
To compete in a physical acheivement is a human experience. This is what constitutes humanity.
So if you have children who want to do something other than pursue the "religious" life that you think they really are meant to lead, let them follow their dreams and pursue the athletic experiences that they seek.
This player who was proud today for catching that ball should very much BE PROUD. He participated in an act of humanity. This is a feat and an accomplishment and dare I suggest that our G-d and creator allows for and likely offered our people the past time of football for human beings to compete as human beings.
We can not all go for a true religious life at least as the other people define that to be from day one to day last of our lives as they want us to pursue.
In fact, quite possibly and quite definately I say, these people who do have an athletic life are indeed also serving their G-d as well.
So stand tall and be proud. If you are good at sports and especially if you are Jewish, make a go of it if you think it is meant to be. You might be proud of your result and you really will be an inspiration. And like myself, you might not start reading your Tanakh until you are in your 30's. That may not be a crime and it certainly is not, but if you don't discover your faith until later, be proud too. And if you know your faith from day early in your life, you are still way ahead of the game.
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