Dear Friends,
This week I began studying, along with millions across the planet, the 2nd book of the Torah know as Shemot a.k.a. the Exodus Story.
Steven Hill was born in Seattle as Solomon (Shlomo) Krakovsky. Hill did not start his life as an observant Jew. After serving in the Navy, he turned towards acting, building a stellar reputation in New York. He was often compared to Marlon Brando, another rising star of the time. As Hill's career gained momentum, he started wrestling with deeper questions about his identity. While playing Sigmund Freud in a popular Broadway show, a rewrite had his character being accused of being Jewish night after night. This persistent accusation became a wake-up call that prompted Hill to explore his Jewish roots more deeply.
Feeling increasingly disillusioned with the superficial aspects of show business and the pursuit of fame, Hill began investigating Judaism. He started observing some mitzvot, including keeping Shabbos, and in 1962, he connected with the Skverer Rebbe, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Twersky. His big break came when he was cast as Dan Briggs in "Mission: Impossible." The studio agreed to accommodate his Shabbat observance, but they underestimated his commitment. Hill would leave the set mid-filming on Fridays, causing the studio to scramble to cover for his absence by creatively adapting the storyline.
After one season, the studio decided to let Hill go, replacing him with Peter Graves. In 1966, Hill was offered a lead role in "The Sand Pebbles," a Steve McQueen military film, but the role required compromising his Shabbos observance. At the height of his acting career, Hill chose to forfeit the opportunity in favor of keeping Shabbos. Hill's dedication to his faith remained steadfast, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to his relationship with G-d over fame and success (you can read all the details of this story here)
" This is your mission, should you choose to accept it." This iconic popularized line, apparently was taken very seriously by this original Mission: Impossible actor. Realizing it or not, Steven Hill was following in the footsteps of Moshe.
Whether you are given a mission of national importance like Moshe, or a personal mission like Steven Hill, this is a powerful lesson for all of us: G-d gives us our missions of all kinds all the time. Some feel impossible. But the Torah teaches us, that if we just choose to accept them, anything is possible!
Good Shabbos/Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Yitzi Hein