What Is Your Obligation in This World?

This is something I’ve thought about many times, but a recent shiur from Rabbi Efrem Goldberg gave me another opportunity to reflect on it deeply.

As many of you know, HaShem saved my life on 9/11. I was on the 79th floor of the World Trade Center and left the floor just 17 minutes before the plane hit.

To this day, after every Shemoneh Esrei, I thank HaShem for saving me physically that day — and spiritually as well.

I was already on the path to becoming religious beforehand, but the events of 9.11 accelerated and deepened that journey in ways I still feel every single day. In many ways, that experience continues to fuel my growth until today.

Like many baalei teshuvah, I constantly felt how little I knew in Torah. For years, I davened to HaShem:“Please let me learn full-time. Please let me teach Torah. Let me be a great Rosh Yeshiva.” I still daven for those things today. Not because I need honor, but because I wanted to reach a level where I could truly understand Torah and give it over clearly to others.

Who would have imagined that after years working in finance, I would become the founder of Jump Into Shape — a program that has now inspired over 10 million calories burned and more than 55,000 classes completed?

But over a year ago, before donating my kidney, I was meeting with a psychologist as part of the process, and he asked me a simple question:

“Why do you want to do this?”

I answered immediately:“Because I want to help people.” But then I paused and realized something much deeper. HaShem saved me on 9.11… and maybe this is my opportunity to help save others and "give back" for HaShem saving my life.

It also helped reinforce that every day I am saving lives by helping people live healthier, stronger, fuller lives.

People message me constantly telling me:

• they have more energy,

• they lost weight,

• their blood pressure improved,

• their doctor is thrilled,

• their learning is sharper,

• their entire quality of life changed.

One doctor even joined Jump Into Shape himself after seeing the transformation in several of his patients. He’s now been a member for years.

And suddenly I realized something powerful:

Maybe HaShem did answer my tefillos to teach Torah.

Maybe I wasn’t meant to teach complicated sugyos or become a traditional Rosh Yeshiva.

Maybe HaShem gave me one pasuk to teach - the pasuk of:“וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּם מְאֹד לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם”— to guard and protect your life. Perhaps that is my mission.

I never could have predicted that HaShem would take someone from finance and place him in charge of a fitness movement helping people become healthier physically, emotionally, and spiritually. There were many times I wanted to quit. Many times I came home upset that no one showed up at the class or people canceled their membership. My wife would never let me give up. And every single time, I would daven: “HaShem, please give me a sign if You want me to continue.” And He always did.

What’s interesting is that I never ask HaShem for Jump Into Shape to become bigger or more profitable. My tefillah was always very simple:

“HaShem, let us partner together to help people become healthier.”

And separately:“Please provide parnassah.”

To me, those were never the same tefillah.

Rabbi Goldberg spoke beautifully about discovering your tafkid — your unique mission in this world.

My advice to everyone is this:

Your mission may not be obvious.It may not look like what you imagined.It may not feel glamorous or “important.” But keep talking to HaShem. Keep asking Him. Beg Him to guide you to the path He wants for you.

I’m reminded of something the Lubavitcher Rebbe taught on the Megillah: if you have positive influence over your family, your friends, or your community in a way that strengthens Yiddishkeit, then you must run with it. That influence is not accidental. It is part of your calling.

Of course, this doesn’t mean I stop learning Torah whenever I can. Every Jew has that obligation. But it does mean recognizing that right now, this is what HaShem wants from me: to help people become healthier. And HE'S in charge.

Many brachos to everyone.

— Inspired by this shiur from Rabbi Efrem Goldberg of Boca Raton Synagogue https://yutorah.org/sidebar/lecturedata/1175739/Bamidbar:-Is-Your-Home-a-Happy-Place?