To say that I’m not handy is an understatement. I used to claim that the extent of my being handy was that I could screw in lightbulbs. But that was until a light I had screwed into the recessed light in my living room ceiling fell out and just narrowly missed hitting my wife in the head.
Building my sukkah is particularly challenging for me. Even though I have outside help from wonderful neighbors and students, I still feel anxious about it until it’s erected.
A few months ago, one of the shelves on one of my s’farim bookcases collapsed. It’s a strong bookcase, and there are two rows of s’farim on every shelf. Each shelf is held up by four pegs inserted into holes in the bookcase. One of the holes for that shelf had widened so that the peg was no longer taut in the hole. When the book-laden shelf no longer had support from that peg, it collapsed on that side.
For a few months, it remained that way. But while putting up my sukkah, I borrowed my neighbor’s drill. I had the illusion that I could actually fix the problem myself by drilling a new hole.
It took a while, but I actually successfully drilled the hole. However, to my chagrin, when I inserted the peg into the hole, it immediately fell out. Alas! The hole was too big.
At that point, I did what I should have done originally: I looked online for ideas.
I was surprised by the simplicity of what was suggested. With nothing to lose and no other viable solutions, I decided to try the posted suggestion. I cut off the sides of a toothpick and inserted it into the widened hole along with the peg. The thickness of the toothpick alongside the peg gave the extra snugness needed. It’s been a few weeks, and so far, the shelf has held beautifully.
I couldn’t believe how simple the solution was. I had been considering different ideas that required time and effort for an issue that had vexed me for weeks. But now it had been rectified with the shard of a toothpick that costs less than a penny.
When confronted with challenges and issues, we seek ways to adequately address and deal with them. At times, the solution is so deceptively simple that we gloss over it.
A rebbi of mine recently shared that he has made a big push with his students to go “back to the basics.” He noticed that while trying to teach sophisticated ideas of Jewish outlook, many of his students lacked a basic understanding of fundamental ideas of Judaism and Torah.
When the foundation isn’t strong, the entire building is in jeopardy.
In a similar vein, my rebbi, Rabbi Berel Wein zt”l, noted that there are many Jews who observe mitzvos and feel that they are upstanding Jews, yet have a limited understanding of Judaism and its beliefs.
“If you stop the average observant Jew on the street and ask him questions about G-d, the soul, our relationship with the outside world, or creation, most of them will have an empty look. He may know what kosher symbol to look for on a bag of potato chips, but he has limited understanding of the basic foundational ideas of Judaism.”
Would the average frum Jew be able to explain the meaning of emunah and bitachon, the centrality of prayer, and the idea behind why we pray? Is he familiar with basic halachah? Does he study, and does he know the stories, personalities, and lessons in Nach? Does he understand the basic laws of Shabbos observance and the significance of Shabbos or the meaning behind immersing in a mikvah?
We enjoy novel and sophisticated ideas, and it is important to constantly seek greater understanding and depth regarding one’s learning and observance. But we must also constantly ensure that we have a proper framework and understanding of the basics.
During a lecture he was delivering, Rabbi Avigdor Miller quipped that a person can live his entire life without ever once saying, “I love Hashem! I love Torah! I love the Jewish people!” Rabbi Miller then said that everyone should say those words right now. This way, he’ll know that at least once in his life, he emphatically declared his love for the things we focus on throughout our lives.
The M’silas Y’sharim famously begins by noting that his goal isn’t to teach novel ideas or to reveal earth-shattering concepts. Rather, he wants to remind everyone of what they already know.
The M’silas Y’sharim is essentially saying that he wants to bring us back to the basics.
In his commentary on M’silas Y’sharim, Rabbi Don Segal notes that these opening words of the M’silas Y’sharim contain an invaluable message: Even if one has learned something, if he doesn’t review it and invest effort to constantly ingrain the idea in his psyche, he won’t attain true wisdom.
Sometimes, the solution we need is more practical and simple than we think. Instead of drilling new holes, perhaps all we need is to plug the gap with one of the many broken toothpicks at our disposal.
Rabbi Dani Staum is a popular speaker, columnist, and author. He is a rebbi in Heichal HaTorah in Teaneck, New Jersey, principal of Mesivta Orchos Yosher in Spring Valley, New York, and a member of the administration of Camp Dora Golding. His writings can be found at www.strivinghigher.com. Looking for an inspirational speaker or scholar-in-residence? Contact Rabbi Staum at 845-641-5094 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
