3 Unexpected Lessons Rabbi Uri Zohar zt"l Learned From Soccer

Every four years, the World Cup becomes the center of attention for millions of people. Conversations revolve around matches, favorite teams, and unforgettable goals. Rabbi Uri Zohar zt"l saw that widespread passion from a different perspective, finding in the game lessons that reached far beyond the soccer field.

Here are three memorable insights he shared.

1. How Soccer Helped Him Learn More Torah

Rabbi Uri recalled that during the early years of his return to Judaism, sitting down to learn Torah was not always easy.

"I went through stages at the beginning of my journey back to Judaism," he said, "when I really struggled to sit down and learn Torah. So I made a commitment to myself: only after completing my daily Torah learning would I allow myself to watch soccer."

That simple arrangement transformed something he enjoyed into a source of spiritual growth.

"In that way," he explained, "thanks to soccer, I succeeded in obligating myself to learn more."

From this, Rabbi Uri drew a broader lesson:

"It is a wonderful rule for life: connect the things you enjoy to the meaningful commitments you want to strengthen. In that way, even the temporary pleasures of this world can become connected to eternity and to the World to Come."

He concluded with his trademark sense of humor:

"Utter futility. Everything is futile... except soccer!"

The remark was made years before singer Hanan Ben Ari released a song with a similar title, but Rabbi Uri's point was far deeper than the joke itself. Even something as ordinary as watching a soccer match can become part of one's spiritual growth when used wisely.

2. Praying for a Love of Torah

Rabbi Uri also shared how difficult Torah study initially felt to him.

"I remember that at the beginning of my journey back to Judaism, I tried again and again to learn Torah, but I simply didn't connect. My thoughts constantly wandered to material things."

Instead of giving up, he turned to Hashem in prayer.

"I asked Hashem to give me enjoyment in learning Torah. More than that, I prayed that He would make learning Torah even more enjoyable to me than watching the World Cup."

Then he added with a smile:

"Perhaps that's a bit audacious, but I think Hashem is happy with a prayer like that."

His words remind us that no request is too small or too personal to bring before Hashem. We can pray not only for success, but also for the desire to love what is truly meaningful.

3. Entering a Child's World

Rabbi Uri also believed that soccer could become a powerful bridge between parents and their children.

Every parent wants to give their children values, faith, good character, responsibility, happiness, and awe of Heaven. These are noble aspirations.

But in the desire to teach, one important question can sometimes be overlooked:

What is happening in the child's own world?

What excites them? What are they thinking about? What fills their conversations with friends?

Rabbi Uri would often say:

"If we belittle a child's interests, it can create emotional distance."

Before children are ready to receive our values, they first want to feel that we have received them.

As the verse teaches:

"Train the child according to his way."

Not according to my way.

Not according to my interests.

That does not mean parents must adopt every hobby or give up their own priorities. Rather, it means making the effort to enter a child's world from time to time.

Ask genuine questions.

Listen to the answers.

Remember the names of their friends and their favorite team.

Rabbi Uri observed that if a child's thoughts are currently focused less on mourning the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash and more on the latest soccer final, criticism is rarely the most effective response. Showing sincere interest often accomplishes far more.

A few minutes of genuine curiosity about a teenager's interests can sometimes have a greater impact than a long moral lecture. That is where real connection is built, and from connection comes influence.

Years from now, a child may not remember who scored the winning goal in the World Cup final.

But they may always remember something far more important:

That their father asked.

That he cared.

That he shared in their joy.

The match eventually ends, but the relationship built around those moments can last a lifetime.