Don’t be satisfied. My instruction might sound odd in comparison to Ben Zoma’s wisdom in Pirke Avot: “Ben Zoma said: Who is rich? The one who rejoices in his lot.” Doesn’t that mean be satisfied with what you have? Perhaps. But it doesn’t mean be satisfied with what you do.
Rabbi ibn Paquda teaches, “Negative pride is a condition that arises when a person is proud of his wisdom, or a righteous person is proud of his deeds, in a way that causes his accomplishments to be great in his eyes; to feel that he can make do with what he has already accomplished.” This means that when we let our credentials cloud our willingness to grow, we have lost our way. Our self-importance shadows the soulful, heartfelt introspection that is meant to be in constant motion.
Don’t be satisfied with your academic knowledge, your emotional connecting, your spiritual yearning, your relational bridging, your professional goals.
As long as we are reaching higher, we continue learning, loving, and living.
What a blessing in dissatisfaction.
Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tovah
Rabbi Nicole Guzik is senior rabbi at Sinai Temple. She can be reached at her Facebook page at Rabbi Nicole Guzik or on Instagram @rabbiguzik. For more writings, visit Rabbi Guzik’s blog section from Sinai Temple’s website.
