“RABBI’S MUSINGS (&
AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh parshas Vayeshev
22 Kislev 5782/November 26, 2021
Mevorchim Chodesh Teves
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לרפואה שלימה נטע יצחק בן רחל
JUST DO IT
In
1988, Nike released its now famous slogan, “Just do it”, with the iconic whoosh
beneath it. It was originally introduced in a television commercial featuring
an 80-year-old man named Walt Stack, as he jogged across the Golden Gate
Bridge in California.
What’s not very well known is the
true source of the famous tagline. It was actually inspired by the final words
uttered by a convicted murderer. Gary Gilmore was convicted of killing two
people in Utah in 1976 and was sentenced to death. Just before he was executed,
he was asked if he had any last words. Facing down a five-man firing squad,
Gilmore called out, “Let’s do it.”
The “Let’s do it” slogan catapulted
sales of Nike sneakers.
What’s fascinating is that neither
the iconic swoosh nor the ubiquitous slogan, “just do it” mention the name of
the sports brand or the fact that they offer sports clothing. So how has the
advertising helped Nike become one of the world’s highest profile athletic
brands?
It turns out that the magic lies in
arousing feelings of positive emotions within customers that resonate with
their values and desires. The “Just Do It” campaign featured professional and
amateur athletes talking about their accomplishments and the emotions they feel
as they exercise. In the original video of Walt Stack, he explains to viewers
how he runs 17 miles every morning. Stories like Walt’s evoke an immediate
emotional response in viewers and lead them to ask, “if these athletes can do
it, why can’t I?”
The “Just Do It” campaign was so
powerful that people began to contact Nike with personal stories about how they
“just did it,” including leaving a job they hated or beginning to exercise or
make other improvements in their lives.
The slogan also made its way into
many a mussar shmooze in the hallowed halls of yeshivos.
Rabbeim are always looking to throw
in a contemporary quip, slogan, or name of a famous sports player to pique the
attention of their students. “Let’s do it” was the perfect line to accomplish
just that.
What I found fascinating, was how the
line could be used in different lectures to make the exact opposite point.
One rebbe could talk about the need
to “just do it” by pushing yourself to serve Hashem even when you’re not in the
mood. Then another rebbe would say that we shouldn’t be like the “sneaker
company” which says to “just do it”, because we shouldn’t do things mindlessly
without contemplating the significance and consequences of our actions.
The reality is that both sides are
true. It’s reminiscent of the famous line of Reb Simcha Bunim of Pershischa
that every person should have a piece of paper in each of his pockets – one
that says, “I am but dust and ashes”, the other which says, “the world was
created for me.” The balance of humility with a sense of mission keeps a person
grounded.
The secret to success in life is all
about finding the right balance.
On the one hand, Reb Tzadok Hakohain
(Tzidkas Hatzaddik 1) writes that when starting anything new in Avodas Hashem a
person has to jump in. If he thinks too much and plans too much, he may never
get there. He has to be willing to take the plunge and “just do it”.
On the other hand, we are cautioned
that our evil inclination tries to convince us to just do the deed without
forethought. “It’s not so bad!” “It’s not such a big deal!” “Everyone else is
doing it!” So… “just do it”! (The Ohr Yahel famously explains that when Yaakov
asked the Malach he had just defeated what his name was the Malach replied “why
do you ask me my name?” That wasn’t an evasion of the question but actually the
answer. That Malach was the yetzer hara. His essence and greatest technique to
get people to sin is to convince them not to ask questions. “Just do it” now
and ask questions later.)
Our task is not to fall for the
seductions of our evil inclination, but to remain resolute in our convictions.
The bottom line is that there’s a
time and place when we should just do it, and there’s a time and place when we
have to be strong and not just do it. Regarding selfish matters we should think
twice, but things involving spiritual matters and benefiting others we should
be ready to just do it.
The holiday of Chanukah is very much
connected with this theme. The greatest tragedy of that dark time wasn’t the
Syrian-Greek enemy, as much as it was the Hellenists, the assimilated Jews who
wanted to prove their loyalty to the enemy. It was they who encouraged
Antiochus and his armies to continue the persecution of the faithful.
The heroes of the story, the
Maccabees, felt they were embarking on a suicide mission. But their attitude was
to just do it – for the sake of the Torah, for the sake of their heritage, and
for the sake of the future of our people. They didn’t allow themselves to
contemplate their mortality or calculate their chances. They knew they had to
act!
Chanukah is a celebration of the
courageous actions of the faithful few.
The moral of the story is, that we
should be like Nike and just do it, except for those times when we shouldn’t
just do it. Then we should consider Under Armor or Adidas.
Truthfully, after eating all those
latkes and donuts during Chanukah, any type of sneaker is worthwhile, so long
as you put them on and just do it!
Shabbat
Shalom & Good Shabbos
Freilichen Chanukah & Orot
Sameiach
R’ Dani and Chani Staum