The True Investment

Okay friends—hope all is well.

In the Aseres HaDibros we’re told: “Zachor es Yom HaShabbos”. I didn’t grow up religious, so I honestly didn’t even know what Shabbos was. I don’t remember what I thought it was, but it definitely wasn’t something I understood.

Then you experience Shabbos and you realize: wow—this is beautiful. The “restrictions” aren’t random. They peel away layers and distractions so we can focus on what actually matters: a relationship with the Ribbono Shel Olam, family, downtime, real conversations, learning, and space to feel and grow. It’s incredible.

But then life happens.

Baruch HaShem, we once had to go to the hospital on Shabbos because my wife was about to give birth. We ended up not giving birth until after Shabbos, but in the moment you think: “Wait—I’m not supposed to do this on Shabbos.” And yet we know the halacha: life takes precedence. Pikuach nefesh. A life situation overrides Shabbos—because Hashem wants us to live.

And if life is so precious that even Shabbos “moves aside” for it, then it tells us something powerful: when something truly matters, you invest in it.

Look around—people invest in a lot of important things:

• their careers and education

• their homes

• their kids and family

• their finances and planning for the future

• and of course their spiritual growth—Torah, tefillah, mitzvos, chesed

• 
  

But there’s one major thing many people don’t invest in enough:

themselves—their health.

I see it day in and day out. It’s scary. People in their 50s struggling to walk up stairs, carrying extra weight, feeling drained, and saying, “I don’t have time.” And I want to say: time for what? We make time to eat. We make time to sleep. We make time for what we value.

And I’m not talking about anything extreme. Not 10 hours a week. I’m talking about starting small:

10–15 minutes, three times a week.

That’s it.

Because health is like any investment. You start small, and it grows. You begin to feel it:

• more energy

• more clarity

• less stress

• walks feel easier

• you’re more present with your spouse, kids, and grandkids

• you feel stronger and more capable

And then you naturally want to do a little more—15 minutes becomes 20, three times becomes four, and suddenly you’re building a healthier life.

And this isn’t just “nice.” It’s part of Avodas Hashem. Your heart is a vital part of serving Hashem. Your strength, your balance, your muscles, your endurance—these matter. We want to be able to live well, function well, and be here for the people who need us.

So my message is simple:Please—make the time. Start. It doesn’t have to be Jump Into Shape (though I think we have amazing programs). It can be any safe plan that gets your heart rate up and uses your muscles.

But please invest in your health too.

I’ll end with a bracha:That we should be zocheh to value our lives the way the Torah values life—by investing in our bodies, our energy, and our strength—so we can serve Hashem with simcha and with vitality for many years to come.