Do you remember the children’s book The Little Engine That Could? A little railroad engine was employed about a station yard for such work as it was built for, pulling a few cars on and off the switches. One morning a large train asked one large engine after another to carry it up a large hill and down only to be refused with excuses why it can’t. In desperation, the train asked the little switch engine to draw it up the grade and down on the other side. "I think I can", puffed the little locomotive, and put itself in front of the great heavy train. As it went on the little engine kept bravely puffing faster and faster, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can".
As it neared the top of
the grade, which had so discouraged the larger engines, it went more slowly.
However, it still kept saying, "I—think—I—can, I—think—I—can". It
reached the top by drawing on bravery and then went on down the grade, congratulating
itself by saying, "I thought I could, I thought I could".
In this week’s Torah portion Isaac dug anew the wells
in wadi of Gerar that the Philistines had stopped up after his father’s death
only to have the herdsman of Gerar quarrel with the herdsman of Isaac saying
that the water is theirs. So Isaac’s servants dug another well that was also
disputed. Once again Isaac moved from there and dug a third well but this time
the herdsman of Gerar didn’t quarrel over it. Isaac called this well Rechavot.
(By the way, the Technion, Israel’s MIT, is in Rechovot) (Genesis 26:12-22)
Rabbi Zelig Pliskin shares an insight on this episode from the Chofetz Chayim in his book Growth
Through Torah, page 65.
“The Chofetz Chayim explained that the Torah elaborates on the
wells that Yitzchok found to teach us that you should not give up in
discouragement when you start something just because you run into difficulties.
Do not despair. When Yitzchok dug and did not find water, he kept digging in
other places until he finally found what he was seeking. When others quarrel
with him and took over his wells, he still did not become discouraged. He
continued his digging until he finally found a well with water that he was able
to use in peace a called the area Rechavot.
“This, encouraged the Chofetz Chayim, is a practical
lesson for all areas of our lives. This applies to spiritual and material
matters; to Torah studies and to business. Be persistent when things do not
work out at first the way you would wish them to. Especially when beginning to
study Torah, do not give up if you find it difficult at first. (Chofetz Chayim Al
HaTorah)”
“The reason many people fail to accomplish something
is because they give up too soon.” If you have the determination like the
little engine that could and keep trying, eventually you will succeed climbing
that mountain and attain your goal.
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