Every Second Counts

 

Parshat Chukat tells the story of the sin of Moshe hitting the rock. Commentators struggle to understand what Moshe’s mistake was; and, perhaps more fundamentally, how could Moshe have made such a mistake. The word that comes up often in these commentaries is the word “momentary”- it was a momentary lapse, or a moment of anger; a fleeting emotion that spiraled into a quick, fateful and regrettable decision.

 A split second decision can propel us in a certain direction and make a long term impact. In a second we make a decision and the outcome of that decision sends us on a path throughout our lifetime; for better or for worse. Most split second decisions are the results of attitudes that have developed over a lifetime, preparing us for that moment. On the other hand, sometimes split second decisions put on display a momentary slip in values or behaviors that we have struggled with or tried to develop throughout our life.

In Halacha, Jewish law, a second (or even a few seconds) is not a significant amount of time. So when seeking the latest time to recite Shema or to eat Chametz or the precise time for Shabbat’s end- we do not pinpoint the zeman to the precise second. Instead we round up to the nearest minute.

 But in Jewish thought even a second is valuable. As Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi teaches, Yesh Koneh Olamo B’Sha’ah Achat, a person can justify or redeem his/her entire existence through one moment- even one second!

 Here are some things we can do in a second to enhance our lives:

• Wave to someone              
• Show concern by saying hello or through our undivided attention or eye contact
• Say I love you or I’m sorry to someone
• Focus on one word on each page in our Siddur
• Take a second to think about something that you are thankful for
• Then take another second to express that gratitude in a word or two

Beatie Deutsch is an Orthodox mom of 5 lives in Har Nof, Israel. She took up running at age 25, and 4 months later finished sixth in the Tel Aviv Marathon. She has gone on to win a number of races, including the 2020 Miami Half Marathon. She was chosen by Adidas to be featured in their 'Impossible is Nothing' ad campaign. She trained for the Tokyo Olympics, and her last chance to qualify was this past April. This is what she wrote on Facebook before that qualifying race:

 In a week and a half I will be standing on the start line of the biggest race of my life. I'm not normally a dramatic person, but the stakes are pretty high here. It is my last opportunity to hit the Olympic qualifying standard of 2:29:30 and every second counts. I need to run a 5:41 mile for 26.2 miles, and if I run one second slower, I'm out.

 

While “Speedy Beatie” did not qualify for the Olympics, her journey, as well as the narrative of Moshe’s “momentary lapse”, reminds us of the importance of every second. Let us remember all that can happen in a second’s time; all that can be lost and all that we can gain. Let us resolve to live every single second to the fullest.