The Buffalo Bills have the distinction of being the only team in NFL history to advance to the Super Bowl four consecutive years. Unfortunately, they lost each and every time. Years ago, I read an article in the Jerusalem Post that attributed the tenacity of the Bills to their Jewish coach, Marv Levy. The point: after falling time and time again only a Jew could have the resilience to rebound and bring his team back up to the top.
When the first leader of the Jewish nation, Moshe, was asked to erect the Mishkan (the Tabernacle) he was told to assemble and disassemble the massive structure for seven consecutive days. Only on the eight day did he build it and it remained standing.
Anyone can climb to the summit once. The challenge in life is to have the passion and enthusiasm to rise up again after we fall. Kin
g Solomon declared: "The righteous fall seven times and rise"
(Mishlei 24:16). The
entry fee for true greatness is overcoming setbacks. Maybe all it will take is one more climb for us to finally stay on top.
Rabbi Daniel Green
