Rabbi YY Jacobson Chanukah 5780 Day #3: How Do I Deal With Burnout?

[Music] the hanukkah miracle is almost an exact replica of what happens at the first encounter between moses and god in the beginning of the book of exodus you all know the story moshe moses is shepherding the flock of his father-in-law in the desert when suddenly he sees this vision there is a bush ablaze the bush is burning with a great fire but the bush is not being consumed that's when god appoints moses to become the leader of the jewish people to emancipate the hebrew slaves from egyptian tyranny to set them free to mold them into a nation to give them the torah but i ask you a question nowhere in the tanakh in the bible do we have this type of miraculous display when god wants to introduce himself why from all possible potential miracles and encounters does god choose this unique image and vision of a burning bush yet the bush not being consumed and i once heard a marvelous and wonderful explanation moses was about to accept upon himself that grueling task of leadership he would have to stand up to tyranny he would have to revolt against pharaoh he would have to set the slaves free and lead them through 40 difficult years at the wilderness until they would reach their promised land and one of the most sad and difficult challenges of leadership that so many leaders and so many of us experience in our lives is defined by one word burn out how many people say i'm just burnt out you started off your marriage there was a thrill there was an electrifying joy but as the years pass on the pressures grow the stress becomes intensified there's disagreements and drifting away from each other and you just feel depleted there's no more energy people go into their business they're alive and animated and excited and then the daily grind just gets to you and you look at these people's eyes and the passion is gone a certain piece of them has died some of us who have been through difficult challenges some people have been through abuse and the light in their soul is dimmed and they fight and fight and then people say i'm burnt out at that unique moment god was teaching moses an eternal lesson for him and for each and every one of us my dear moses if your passion and life becomes about changing the world ending abuse liberating slaves from their suffering and tyranny creating a world filled with goodness justice morality and kindness i promise you your bush will never be consumed your fire will never be extinguished you will keep on burning as the hashmanayam stood up to the tyranny of the syrian greeks and they looked and they only had one little jug of oil sometimes you look at your life you have one little jug of oil how long will your fire last but if you dedicate your life to kindle the flame in the human soul if your passion becomes about changing humanity elevating the world transforming the landscape of your home of yourself of your community of your environment making it a place of goodness and holiness the oil will always be replenished your bush will never be consumed and your fire will never die happy hanukkah [Music] the yeshiva.net [Music]