Dear Friends,
At what age should a person retire?
In some countries and workplaces, there is a mandatory retirement age. In others, forcing someone to retire because of age is considered discrimination.
This week's Parsha, Behaalosecho, gives us an interesting perspective.
The Levites were instructed to perform their regular duties until the age of fifty. But they did not retire from serving.
The Levites served in the Mishkan, the portable Temple that accompanied the Jewish people in the desert. Their responsibilities included carrying the Mishkan's components during travel, providing music for the Temple service, and serving as guards at its entrances.
At age fifty, they stopped carrying the heavy parts of the Mishkan and no longer played the instruments. But they continued to sing, stand guard, and assist the younger Levites—important roles that were less physically demanding.
The Rebbe often discouraged the idea of retirement. If someone could no longer work at the same pace because of age or other circumstances, their workload could be adjusted. But as long as a person is able, they should continue contributing.
There are two important reasons for this.
The first is spiritual. Every day of life is another opportunity to make a positive impact on the world. That is why we are here. Time is precious whether you are twenty or seventy-five.
Hashem continued creating the world until the very last moments of the sixth day. This teaches us the value of every minute. As long as we are given another day of life, there is still something meaningful for us to contribute.
The second reason is practical. Many people notice that when they retire completely, they begin to age more quickly—both mentally and physically. Some have even suggested that people do not stop working because they have become old; rather, they become old because they stop working.
Two stories about the Rebbe illustrate this idea.
When the Rebbe turned seventy, some people advised him to slow down. Instead, he announced that Chabad would establish seventy-one new institutions during the coming year.
A few months later, Rabbi Aron Dov Sufrin, head of education for Lubavitch in London, visited the Rebbe. Rabbi Sufrin had just turned forty-two. He had achieved remarkable success, but he felt burned out. He wanted to step back from his position and take on something less demanding.
The Rebbe smiled and said, "Learn from me. I recently turned seventy and committed to building seventy-one new institutions. I would like you to undertake forty-three new projects."
These could include launching new programs, helping additional families, publishing articles, or finding other ways to expand his impact.
At the same time, the Rebbe understood that some people either choose or need to retire from their careers. For them, he established a worldwide network of Kolel Levi Yitzchak groups, where retirees gather daily to study Torah, socialize, and continue growing. Thousands of people have enriched their later years through these programs.
Another example is Jerry Grafstein, a successful businessman and former Canadian senator.
When he celebrated his eightieth birthday, he invited the Rabbi of the Kotel to attend. The rabbi was unable to leave Israel, so Grafstein asked him instead to pray for the success of a new business venture he was launching—publishing in Chinese and Japanese.
The rabbi was surprised. Why would an eighty-year-old start such an ambitious project?
Grafstein explained that years earlier, as he approached fifty, he had become discouraged. Looking back on his life, he felt he had not accomplished enough. His wife suggested that he seek the advice of the Rebbe.
During a private audience, the Rebbe asked him, "Who was the greatest Jewish leader?"
"Moshe Rabbeinu," Grafstein answered.
The Rebbe pointed out that Moshe only began leading the Jewish people at the age of eighty. How was that possible? Because Moshe was not focused on what he had already accomplished. He focused on what he could still accomplish.
People who spend their lives looking backward grow old. People who keep looking forward to new opportunities remain young.
Thirty years later, Grafstein decided to follow that advice and launch an ambitious new project.
Perhaps that is one of the secrets to staying young—not measuring life by what we have already done, but by the unique difference we can still make.
Shabbat Shalom!
Good Shabbos!
Rabbi Yitzi Hein