How Long Is Your Reach?

There’s something about air travel that makes us feel both invincible and vulnerable in the same breath. To pick a spot across the ocean, and cruise through the skies is profoundly life affirming. At the same time, to be suspended at an altitude of 35,000 feet as life goes by beneath us, is incredibly humbling. When we get a glimpse of the vastness of the universe, it injects us with a dose of perspective that can be hard to come by in our day-to-day lives.

This duality is one that we are expected to remain aware of as we move through life. In a discussion in the Mishnah about the first man, Adam, who contained the potential of the entire world and from whom all human beings descend, we are told (Sanhedrin 4:5): “Therefore, every single person is obligated to say: ‘For my sake the world was created.’” This statement serves as a reminder that while we all come from the same Godly source and are equally important, we each have a unique responsibility, for a purpose that only we can fulfill. With this understanding we are taught: “Whoever sustains [or preserves] one soul of Israel, Scripture considers it as though he sustained an entire world.”

On the flipside, we find that when Abraham was pleading with God to spare the righteous of Sodom and Gomorrah, in his great humility he acknowledged: “Behold now I have commenced to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes.” (Genesis 18:27)

The Chassidic master, Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Peshischa taught that a person should carry these contrasting sentiments in his right and left pockets, and to reach for each one as needed. When we are feeling insignificant or unimportant, we must remind ourselves that we are here for a reason, and when we think that we are better than another, we are to recognize that we are truly nothing on our own. Any success that we achieve, is thanks to the God-given gifts that we have been granted.

Our task is to consistently ensure that we maintain this harmony. If we are falling too low, we must get back up, and if we are flying too high, we must settle down. When an individual believes that he is either superior or inferior to others, he remains in a constant mode of comparison because he lacks a balanced sense of self. If he perpetually fluctuates between the states of “more than” and “less than”, this tells of a high degree of fragility. Without a healthy core, he is pulled in every direction.

Air travel appears to reflect this dynamic, particularly as we try to comprehend the recent hijacking attempt that took place on the flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. A healthy aircraft allows for a smooth and steady flight, while chaotic shifts between altitudes (like those reported on this nearly doomed flight), indicate a potential safety issue or emergency.

The heroic Indian pilot, Captain Smit Machchhar together with the brave Israeli passengers, miraculously saved so many lives that day. Passenger Yaniv Hayoun was the first to tackle the terrorist, and he then pulled up the aircraft’s steering controls to recover it from the nosedive. While he was being interviewed by a panel on one of Israel’s news channels, it struck me that he made a point to clarify that he is no ordinary plumber, but that he operates a sewer truck. In my limited understanding, this sounds like one of the darkest places to be. How ironic, that Yaniv, who spends his days busy with the underground, succeeded in defending so many lives at the greatest of heights.

And so, while it would have been entirely warranted for him to keep a low profile during that harrowing ordeal, in those critical moments, he answered the call of the hour. Could he have ever imagined how far he would reach?

When my indomitable sister recently completed flight attendant training (which is not for the faint of heart by the way), we were privy to a crash course while she answered many of our very important questions. Considering that airlines stipulate a height requirement for eligibility, we marveled that while she isn’t tall, she still made the cut. She explained that for many airlines, candidates qualify if they pass a reach assessment, after which she demonstrated that what she lacks in height, she makes up for in reach (true that).

This idea gets me thinking about the Yanivs of the world - the many individuals who spend the majority of their time working in a role that gets little recognition or applause. They may not be the doctors, the lawyers or the investment bankers, but they are making a difference in their own big and small ways. You see, even someone who is occupied with what may appear insignificant, can still have such a great impact on those around him.

While the world may continue jesting about the need for a plumber on every flight, there seems to be a greater lesson here. Regardless of what you do for a living, who you know, or how tall you may be, all that really matters is how far you can reach from wherever you stand. And while many of us may not become heroes in the sky, we all possess the potential to make a difference, wherever we choose to travel.