Ekev -- 5776

After a 40 year-long slog through the wilderness, haven’t the Israelites waited long enough?  The Promised Land lies sparkling before them, ready to be entered and occupied.  Destiny, and a place to hang their hats, await. 

Not so fast.  Moses tells them that “the Eternal your God will dislodge [the inhabitants of the land] before you little by little; you will not be able to put an end to them all at once” (Deuteronomy 7:22).  Even though the Israelites are ready for the land, it is not ready for them.

There’s a good reason the natives aren’t to be vanquished all at once.  Were the land to be emptied of human inhabitants, “wild beasts would multiply to your hurt.”

Even when doing something wonderful or exciting, the pace must be right.  Moving either too fast or too slow can be harmful.

My natural instinct is always to rush forward with a good idea.  As a congregational rabbi, however, I’ve learned the value of taking my time.  I’ve realized that success requires asking the right questions, planning thoughtfully, listening actively to supporters and naysayers alike, and communicating the vision – and the logistics! -- in multiple ways.  It’s a slower process, but makes success more likely. 

You’ve likely heard the news by now that Beth Olson, the synagogue’s Executive Director, has resigned her position.  Although it’s tempting to jump right in to the search process, it is wiser to be thoughtful about it – to acknowledge our feelings of sadness, to think through the options, to assemble the right team of decision-makers, and to do our research before moving forward.  That is exactly what we’ll do, so as to ensure the congregation’s continued success.

“Remember the long way that the eternal your God has made you travel in the wilderness these past forty years, in order to test you by hardships to learn what was in your hearts” (Deuteronomy 8:2).