One of the greatest challenges facing parents and teachers is instilling in children a sense of motivation for Torah observance. In truth, for many people, creating such motivation within themselves is also one of the greatest challenges of life. The religious observance of a person who is motivated, who feels passionate and driven to keep the Torah, will be vastly different from that of a person who merely goes through the motions. But how does one create this sense of motivation in themself and their children?
The single most powerful motivating force in the world is probably the desire to feel important and special. One of America’s most famous philosophers, John Dewey, identified this urge as the deepest driving force in human nature. It is the aspiration that compels people to live in ostentatious homes, wear the most up-to-date styles, and drive the latest model cars. It even drives many people to crime. E.P. Mulrooney, the police commissioner of New York City in the early 1930s, related that many criminals’ first request immediately after their arrests was to see the newspaper report describing their crime, because it had made them famous. (Dale Carnegie)
There are many different ways that people achieve a sense of importance. Some people derive it from wealth or fame, from excelling in athletics or business. Some engage in righteous behavior, but others intimidate and control others. People even make themselves invalids in order to garner attention and sympathy. A Jew’s challenge is to focus on achieving a sense of self-importance through his observance of the Torah and mitzvos.
This psychological insight should hardly come as a surprise. What may be surprising, though, is that the principle of kiddush Hashem can be a key to achieving that feeling of importance in a very crucial and positive way.
The Meshech Chochmah in Parashas Bechukosai points out that Jewish history has always been characterized by cycles of destruction and rebirth. He explains that every individual has an inner need to innovate, to add, and to be unique, and in periods when Jewish life was already established, this need tended to be stifled. On the other hand, Jews who were charged with rebuilding after a period of destruction were imbued with fervor and a sense of mission that drove them to great accomplishments. We have seen this phenomenon in America. Years ago, every yeshivah bachur in America was essentially a pioneer, building Torah in a spiritual wasteland. These young men’s spiritual growth was fueled by a sense of passion and purpose. Nowadays, however, yeshivah bachurim sometimes feel a lack of uniqueness and accomplishment. They may have the sense that they are just “another number,” a member of a collective group lacking any individual significance. Although this is an outright misconception, this feeling sometimes drives them, unfortunately, to seek fulfillment in other areas.
