The Power of Being First

It was Chol Hamoed Pesach, and between the calm of Mincha and the anticipation of Arvit, a young yeshivah bachur entered the bustling bet knesset. The murmurs of learning and quiet conversation filled the air when the gabbai spotted him. Without hesitation, the gabbai approached and asked if he’d deliver a short dvar Torah to the congregation.

The young man politely declined. “I’m not a man of words…”

But the gabbai persisted, gently encouraging him until he finally agreed. He was guided to the bimah, where he stood quietly for a moment, gathering his thoughts, before beginning softly:

“Rabotai, in just a few days, we’ll mark the Seventh Day of Pesach, reading about the miraculous splitting of the Red Sea. Imagine the scene: hundreds of thousands of Jews, with their wives and young children, trapped between the roaring sea ahead and Pharaoh’s mighty army behind. There was nowhere to run. At that moment, salvation required one thing—self-sacrifice. Without it, the sea would not split.”

He paused, scanning the room, then continued:

“There was one Jew there, named Gershon ben Aminadav…”

Whispers rippled through the crowd: “Doesn’t he mean Nachshon ben Aminadav?” Some shifted uncomfortably in their seats, exchanging puzzled glances.

But the young man pressed on, unfazed. “Gershon faced an impossible choice. Should he risk his life and jump into the sea? What about his wife and children—who would care for them if he drowned? Yet, with unwavering resolve, Gershon ben Aminadav decided to act, to be the one whose courage would part the waters.”

Now, a few people were visibly irritated. They approached the gabbai, whispering, “We told you—he’s not a man of words. Why did you insist he speak?”

But the speaker smiled slightly, as if he’d been expecting this reaction, and continued:

“So Gershon ben Aminadav gathered his courage and leapt into the sea… only to find someone already there—Nachshon ben Aminadav had jumped in moments earlier! Had Gershon been first, perhaps we’d all remember his name. But he hesitated, and that made all the difference.”

The room fell silent. The confusion melted into realization as the message settled in.

“And so it is with every mitzvah,” the young man concluded, his voice growing stronger. “Many may come to do good, but the first to act carries the merit that inspires others. Think of the first ten who form a minyan—their arrival enables the prayers of the entire congregation. Don’t hesitate when an opportunity arises. Be the Nachshon, not the Gershon.”

At that moment, the congregation sat quietly, their earlier frustration transformed into admiration for the young man’s clever lesson—a timeless reminder that in life, as in faith, it’s not just about doing good but about doing it without delay.

(Based on Rav Shlomo Levenstein – Metok Ha’or, Shemot)

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Rabbi Leeor Dahan, a graduate of Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim/RSA, is a noted scholar and teacher, well-versed in halachah. He currently leads Kehilat Avodat Hashem in Hillcrest, Queens, inspiring his congregation to delve into Torah study and embrace its eternal teachings.