It is difficult to observe immaterial objects. However, an intangible item might be so colorful, emphatic, and genuine that it appears to be seen.
I’ve experienced that experience. I was in Washington, D.C., for inauguration events and witnessed something indescribable. This was eagerness.
I witnessed the beginning of this enthusiasm when President Donald Trump was elected. Many individuals I know, and many more I don’t, contacted the administration (directly or indirectly) with the inquiry, “How can I help?”
People I know (and probably others I don’t) are exceptionally talented, and they wanted to relocate to D.C. right once to work for free in whatever role their abilities might be most usefully used. The vast coalition that propelled Trump to victory, paired with his amazingly successful early picks, spurred an outpouring of aspirational optimism.
This grandiose idealism was particularly evident in the run-up to the inauguration. It was best articulated by a visionary thinker and healthcare policy expert whom I met at one of the gatherings. He told me he had been reading books on the New Deal, and that knowing about the young men who came to Washington to work on President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s hugely ambitious plan was the best way for him to grasp what was going on right now.
This excitement was heightened by the contrast on the Democratic side. There seemed to be no excitement for anything there. I can’t think of a single policy, let alone a coherent set of policies, that the Democrats are excited about right now, with the potential exception of abortion, which is now a state issue.
It’s difficult to think of anything they’re enthusiastically opposed to right now. On the day after Trump’s inauguration in 2017, half a million people gathered in Washington, D.C. for the “Women’s March.” I wasn’t there this year on January 21st, but I didn’t see a single demonstration or protester during the weekend.
Trump’s inaugural address, which stated the attitudes and policies that fueled his campaign, discussed border enforcement, deporting illegal immigrants, eliminating federal agency DEI, and acknowledging that there are only two genders. Even recently, any discussion of these issues by a Republican office holder was met with allegations of racism (including “systemic racism”), un-Americanism, transphobia, and even analogies to Nazis.
Nothing appears to be happening right now. Perhaps it is because many Democrats now understand the importance of a strong border, that DEI can encourage disabling victimization, lead to divisiveness, and incite hatred, and that gender confusion policies can marginalize women and cause long-term harm to children caught up in its mania.
Is excitement, which is just a sensation, important? The solution to that question, like with most others, may be found in the Torah.
In the early Exodus, God decides to intervene actively in history to free the Jews from Egyptian servitude and demonstrate the reality of ethical monotheism. He could have done this in any manner. However, he decides to emerge in a blazing bush. Ten chapters later, he leads the Jews out of Egypt using a “pillar of fire.”
In Deuteronomy 9:3, Moses states that we shall be ready to enter the Land when we realize “that it is the Lord your God who passes before you as a consuming fire.” In 1 Kings 18, God “answers by fire.” Daniel 7 describes God’s throne as “ablaze with flames.”
Why would the author of the Torah want us to identify God with fire? The 19th-century sage Rabbi Sholom Dovber Schneerson (known as the Rebbe Rashab) emphasizes that the constant use of fire teaches us that good acts necessitate a fiery heart.
The rabbi stated, “Between coldness and heresy stands an extremely thin wall.” According to the Rebbe Rashab, following the commandments with coldness will bring us away from sanctity and towards heresy.
John Wooden, who has been recognized by the Sporting News as the best coach of all time, would have agreed. His UCLA basketball teams won ten national titles, including seven consecutive (1967-73).
What accounts for his extraordinary success? There are several factors, but it all begins with what he started creating as a 24-year-old instructor in 1934. It was his “Pyramid of Success.” One aspect of the pyramid remained constant over time. This was “enthusiasm.”
Coach Wooden understood that enthusiasm is the foundation for both inspiration and tenacity, the two traits required for substantial accomplishment. The fact that Democrats do not appear to be vehemently opposed to Trump, his programs, or appointees opens the door for them to share that excitement with Republicans. One option is health.
The Democratic zeal for reducing tobacco use resulted in an astounding decrease in cigarette smoking. They deserve all of the credit for this life-saving public health triumph. This zeal may be resurrected and combined with that of RFK Jr. and his followers to align federal policy with the science of good food and living.
The implications for Americans on one subject alone would be extremely helpful to their health – and another evidence to the biblical mandate of excitement.
