A Moment in Time: Why Were You Not More Like Zusia?

[additional-authors]

Rabbi Zach Shapiro

May 6, 2021

Dear all,

I turned around the other day to witness a very sweet site. Eli was wearing his daddy’s shoe. As cute as it was, it made me think about times when people say, “I have big shoes to fill.”

The truth is … the only shoes we need to fill in life are our own.

There is a story about the Chassidic Master, Zusia. As he lay on his deathbed, he was crying. His students asked, “Reb Zusia, why are you so sad?”

Zusia responded, “I know that when I go to heaven, God will NOT ask me why I wasn’t more like Moses or King Solomon. No …. God will ask, ‘Why were you not more like Zusia?’”

Friends, fill your own shoes, create your own path, inspire others through your goodness, and at every moment in time, live your destiny, not someone else’s.

(And if you want to try on other shoes, fab! Just make sure they are at least a fun pair!)

With love and Shalom,

Rabbi Zach Shapiro

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