The one thing: Our ultimate circle of influence

Deuteronomy 7:12 – 11:25

In Deuteronomy 10:12 the Torah says, “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you? Only to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Rashi explains that from the phrasing “what does God ask of you other than to fear Him” we learn that everything is in the hands of Heaven except for the fear of Heaven. The movements of history, the forces of nature, the events of our lives — these are in God’s domain. The one area that God has left entirely to us is our yirat shamayim, our awe and reverence for Him.

This means that our most important task is not to control the external world, but to shape our inner world and thereby
influence the outer world. We cannot decide what will happen to us, but we can decide how we will respond. That choice, our moral and spiritual decision making, is the realm in which God has given us full authority and full accountability.

Stephen Covey, in “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” offers a parallel insight. He reframes “responsibility” as “response ability,” the ability to choose how we respond to any circumstance. Between what happens to us and how we act lies a space, and in that space we have the power to decide based on principles and values rather than impulse or pressure. This is where our true freedom lies.

Covey also distinguishes between the “Circle of Concern” and the “Circle of Influence.” The Circle of Concern contains
all the things we care about but cannot directly change. The Circle of Influence contains the things we can affect. Wise
people focus their energy on the Circle of Influence, and as they do so, that circle grows. Rashi’s teaching tells us that fear of Heaven is the ultimate Circle of Influence. It is the place where our choices truly matter and where our efforts have eternal consequence.

In Torah terms, this inner work is the avodah of daily life. It means training ourselves to see the world through the
lens of God’s presence, measuring our actions against the guidance of Torah, and allowing mitzvot to shape our instincts.

The more we refine our hearts and minds with God’s wisdom, the more naturally our words and deeds will reflect it. That inner alignment becomes a powerful force for good, influencing not only our own path but also the lives of those around us, and bringing more of God’s light into the world. PJC

Rabbi Yitzi Genack is the rabbi of Shaare Torah Congregation. This column is a service of the Vaad Harabonim of Greater
Pittsburgh.