OLYMPIC MEDALS

The Paris Olympics have begun. For the next 16 days we will be treated to drama and excitement as the elite sports men and women of the world compete for those precious medals.

Whilst there are bound to be surprises, with individuals and teams excelling on the day and snatching an unpredicted victory, in most cases, it will be the form that they have displayed throughout the year that will be the best indicator of their success.

There is a fascinating discussion in the Midrash (cited in the introduction to Ein Yaakov) that illustrates this idea. The rabbis debate:

Which is the most fundamental verse in the Torah?

The sage, Ben Zoma, opted for the verse we all know, Shema Yisrael… “Listen, Israel, the L-d is our G-d, the L-d He is one.” This is a foundational expression of Jewish monotheism. We believe in one, all-powerful G-d, who created everything.

Ben Nanas, on the other hand, went for the verse, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” as the basis of Jewish life. All our interpersonal relationships spread out from our integrating this mantra into our lives.

Both of these approaches: the vertical axis, linking us with G-d, or the horizontal axis linking us with our fellow human being, are worthy contenders for the gold medal.

However, the Midrash surprises us by voting for the third option, chosen by Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi. He quotes the verse from the passage in this week’s parasha dealing with the daily sacrifices: “You shall prepare one lamb in the morning and the other towards evening.”

The point that R Shimon ben Pazi is making is that what counts most is consistent performance. The offering was a service that never stopped. Weekday, holiday, festival or fast, whatever else was going on, the offering in the Temple, morning and afternoon, was always there.

Being consistent, whatever the obstacles, marks out the path to best practice. We may rise to tremendous heights of inspiration in proclaiming our faith in G-d. We may be moved to perform magnificent acts of kindness towards our neighbours. But these may well turn out to be flash-in-the-pan events if they are not supported from a base of consistent performance. Be it the Olympics or our personal lives, the discipline of daily routine may seem unexciting but ultimately it is our best route to winning that gold medal.