Sometimes, inspiration takes the form of an amazing action that inspires people to work harder toward their goals. NCSY sure brings about this kind of inspiration. At Conclave, we were taught the true meaning of happiness: the emotion one feels when one has taken steps against resistance to reach a good final destination.
Other times, NCSY inspires in a different kind of way, and every NCSYer understands this form: spiritual inspiration. It’s that information we take away from dvar Torahs and sessions that sticks with us for weeks or months. It’s that tone of voice we hear in everyone’s voices at the Kumzitz. It’s that feeling we all get at Havdallah when the only sound we hear is hundreds of voices singing Jewish zmirot with unbelievable ruach, spirit, and the only light sources in the room are the zmirot PowerPoint and the Havdallah candles.
The spiritual energy we feel at an NCSY convention is like the Havdallah flame: If someone who had never seen the flame before asked me to describe it, I would only be able to describe so much—maybe how it looks, maybe the different forms of energy it takes—I would not be able to describe the way it makes me feel. Similarly, if someone asked me to describe what spirituality is, I would need to grapple with words to describe the indescribable. The flame can pass on from one candle to another without losing substance. It spreads like something infinite, much like the spiritual inspiration we feel at Conclave every year. The only way for a flame to burn out is if its source of wax stops giving.
That is where spirituality differs from a flame: Spirituality comes from an infinite source, namely G-d. Each NCSYer has a little bit of G-d in them, so we always have the source with which to nurture our spiritual flames. NCSY is a great place to re-spark them, but once we’ve done so and we’ve left the doors of each convention, we can all continue to nurture the warm flame inside our neshamot.
Like the flame has so much potential to grow and spread, all NCSYers have the potential to learn and teach about Judaism with our spiritual intuition. We have the potential to achieve great goals and do great things. We have the ability to keep our spiritual flames going every day, long after we’ve rekindled them at NCSY.
NCSY is where it beings, not where it ends.
I’m still in withdrawal from Conclave 2012. When I’m done with that, though, I’m not going to let my flame die out. I’m going to do Torah-by-phone learning with my regional advisers and I’m going to let the messages from NCSY sessions stick with me. I’m going to look forward to the next convention and try to keep in touch with all the NCSYers who can spiritually inspire others. Like all other NCSYers, I have the potential to spiritually inspire people.
If a Havdallah flame can be passed on for a while without losing any fire, my inspiring, little piece of G-d can, too.
Post by, Sarah Otis
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