Our Thoughts
Last week, I watched a fascinating interview with a senior executive from Apple. He was asked about the launch of the Apple Watch.
What struck me was that when Apple first began working on it, nobody really knew whether it would succeed. Critics questioned who would wear a computer on their wrist. Some said it was unnecessary. Others said people would never replace a traditional watch. The technology was the same. The data was the same. The market research was the same.
Yet some people looked at the project and saw risk, while others saw possibility.
It reminded me of this week Parsha, Shlach. Twelve spies entered the Land of Israel. They all saw the same cities. They all saw the same giants. They all carried back the same enormous cluster of grapes.
Yet they returned with completely different conclusions.
Ten spies said, “We cannot do it.” Two spies, Yehoshua and Calev, said, “We can.”
The question is obvious. How can twelve intelligent leaders witness exactly the same reality and arrive at completely opposite conclusions?
The commentators explain that the spies did not suffer from a lack of information. They suffered from a lack of perspective.
The Sforno suggests that they focused entirely on the obstacles and forgot the promise.
The Netziv explains that they had become comfortable in the wilderness and feared the responsibility that would come with entering the Land.
Others suggest that the spies were not afraid of failure. They were afraid of success. Remaining in the desert was familiar. Building a nation in the Land of Israel would require courage, accountability and growth.
Perhaps that is one of the Torah’s most timeless lessons.
How often do we stand before an opportunity and immediately list the reasons why it cannot work? How often do we focus on the giants instead of the grapes? How often do we allow fear to speak louder than faith?
The difference between the spies was not what they saw. It was how they interpreted what they saw.
Yehoshua and Calev understood something profound. Faith does not mean pretending difficulties do not exist. Faith means recognising the difficulties and moving forward anyway.
As we prepare to welcome Shabbat Mevorchim Chodesh Tammuz, perhaps each of us can ask ourselves a simple question:
Where in my life am I acting like one of the ten spies, and where can I find the courage to be a little more like Yehoshua and Calev?
This Shabbat is also a particularly special one for our community. We welcome our wonderful choir, whose presence always adds an extra sense of beauty, inspiration and grandeur to our tefillot. There is something uniquely powerful about hearing a community lift its voice together in prayer, and I know many of us look forward to these special occasions.
On a personal note, this will be my final weekly contribution to the newsletter.
Over the past months, I have genuinely looked forward to writing these reflections each week. Not simply because I enjoy sharing a thought on the parashah, but because it has felt like an opportunity to speak directly with you. In many ways, this little corner of the newsletter became a conversation between us.
As we enter an exciting new chapter with our new Rabbi, it feels right for me to step aside from this role and allow him the opportunity to share his own voice, wisdom and inspiration with the community. I have every confidence that he will bring tremendous leadership and warmth to Western Marble Arch.
Whilst this may be my final newsletter message, please know that I remain exactly where I have always been: alongside you as your Chazan, celebrating your simchas, supporting you through challenges and sharing in the life of our community every step of the way.
It has been an absolute privilege. Thank you for reading, for your encouragement, for the discussions about what you enjoyed (and disliked) at the kiddush and for allowing me into your inbox (or kept you busy in Shul) each week.
Should you ever need anything, please never hesitate to reach out. Gabriella and I are always here supporting where we can. Wishing you and your family a meaningful, uplifting and inspiring Shabbat.
Shabbat Shalom,
Your Chazan,
Eitan