Techniques. Good for the Jews? Parshat Yitro
We like to see ourselves as organized intelligent people who go about our business efficiently. Yet too often we get caught up in the doing and lose sight of our goals.
When Moshe starts accepting people's complaints in court in Parshat Yitro, we find him sitting the whole day long hearing everyone's statements and counter-statements. Yitro notices this and suggests a different method of building a justice system, dividing the people into smaller groups and having officers under his guidance acting as arbitrators. Moshe listens to Yitro's advice and changes the justice system.1
It would definitely have been better to receive judgment directly from Moshe. His wisdom, knowledge and understanding were far beyond those of his generation. Yet for the sake of resolving the conflicts quickly and efficiently, the technique was changed. The people benefitted. That was the goal: Serving the people.
It is important to always be open to better ideas lest we become caught up in the technique and lose sight of the people the technique was supposed to serve. Technique is only as good as the person who uses it. The goal should always be at the center of our focus.
If our prime motivation in life is to live a meaningful life, as Viktor Frankl, author of Man's Search for Meaning, writes, , how do we achieve that? Each person has their own way. Are there techniques that can help you achieve that? Yes. What happens when the techniques fail? Do we give up on ourselves? No. We search for a different way which may be more appropriate for us today.
In all walks of life - medical, psychological, business, etc. - there are techniques that people use to improve their own lot and that of their clients. Yet the moment the technique doesn’t work, it is important to keep the goal in mind. The goal is to improve one's life - whether your own life or that of your clients.
Even in parenting we find this. There has been a blessed growth in the number of parents who have taken some kind of workshop to improve their parenting skills. I hope that this trend continues and that the parents and children continue to benefit from it. Techniques taught at these workshops are often very effective in improving your child's life. Together with that, let us remember that the child is the center and not the technique.
The technique is not the goal. Your child and his healthy development are.
- Shemot 18:13-26
Have A Great Shabbat!
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