blogs/rabbi-huberman

There is a treadmill which sits in our basement which holds a very special place in my heart.

About twelve years ago, one of our past presidents, Jerry Wolkowitz, of blessed memory, called me aside and said, “We notice you've been putting on weight, and since I'm not using the treadmill that I have, I've arranged for it to be delivered to your home.”

I was moved by his concern. And on that evening, as promised, this impressive machine arrived at our door.

A few years later, in 2010, it took three of us to schlep it into the basement of our new house where it has remained for the past nine years.

During that time, I've used it twice. But that treadmill has remained in our lives, like many of our best intentions, never to be pursued.

Early this month, my wife called me aside and declared, “That treadmill has to go. I have plans for our basement, and that thing is sitting right in the middle of it.”

To which I protested, “No way. Besides, I plan to begin using it very soon.”

“Oh really,” she replied. “Is that like your gym membership which we pay ten dollars a month for? How often have you used that over the past six years?”

“Annually,” I sheepishly replied.

And the standoff continues.

I was thinking yesterday about that treadmill, and how important it seems to me. It represents my perpetually pious plan to eat better and to improve my fitness �" which I seem to make every year at this time, as I pledge not only to remove the chametz �" or yeast �" from our home, but also from