The Three Drives

The purpose of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle, is for God to dwell within us, as the verse says, "They shall make a Sanctuary for Me, so that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8). Every detail of the Mishkan teaches us how to build ourselves into the type of person who can have a meaningful relationship with God and thereby make God's presence manifest in the world.

Rabbi Dessler explains that our forefathers, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, personify three essential drives that are implanted in every Jew's spiritual DNA (Michtav M’Eliyahu, Vol. 3, pg 211). Each of these traits is symbolized, as well, by one of the main vessels of the Mishkan. Every person has one dominant drive, and identifying that drive is a crucial step in our personal service of God. It is also a valuable gateway to understanding what motivates others.

These three traits are emet (truth), gevurah (inner strength) and chessed (caring about others). These three traits are also reflected in the mishnah in Pirkei Avos that states, "The world stands on three things: Torah, avodah (service) and gemilus chassadim (acts of kindness).” All three are essential to create a stable world; if just one is missing, the world collapses.

Let's define each drive and identify the vessel that represents it in the Mishkan.

Emet/Truth: This trait is the desire to understand Torah, and was the hallmark of Yaakov, who studied Torah for 14 years without interruption and about whom we say in Minchah of Shabbos, “Give Truth to Yaakov.” The trait of seeking Torah is symbolized by the Aron, the Ark, which contained the first Torah that God dictated to Moshe.

Gevurah/Inner Strength: This is the desire to curb your ego and physical desires and do the right thing. It is epitomized by Yitzchak, who was willing to be sacrificed on the altar even though it seemingly meant the end of the Jewish people. The trait of gevurah is represented by the mizbeiach, the sacrificial altar, which takes a lowly physical animal and dedicates it completely for a higher cause.

Chessed/Caring about Others: This trait was embodied by Avraham, whose tent was open on all four sides to ensure that he could greet and host everyone who walked by. It is symbolized by the Shulchan (Table), which held the lechem hapanim, the showbread.

While everyone possesses elements of all three traits, we each have one dominant drive that serves as the engine through which we operate. Understanding another person’s primary drive gives you the ability to tailor your message in a manner that will more likely resonate with and affect that person, since you are "speaking his language." This can be very valuable when introducing people to the depth and meaning of Judaism. To reach them, you must emphasize that aspect of Torah that speaks to the frequency they operate on.

For example, the trait of seeking Torah is fundamentally the desire to attain wisdom and understanding. A person who works on this wavelength will be drawn to opportunities that satisfy his desire to comprehend and make sense of the world. He is a truth seeker. In order to interest this person in Judaism, you must emphasize the comprehensive wisdom and depth of the Torah and our Sages. He will be most interested in the philosophical ideas and profound truths of Torah, and less interested in the halachic intricacies of what makes a lulav kosher. If he perceives that through learning Torah he will gain great understanding of himself and the world around him, he will become motivated to learn.

The second frequency is the trait of gevurah, inner strength, which essentially means desiring responsibility. A person whose primary drive is gevurah is motivated by a strong aspiration to fulfill his obligations, do the right thing, and gain the self-respect that comes from being responsible. This personality type cares passionately about justice, fighting evil, and making the world a better place. He will respond to the cause of the Jewish people’s mission to perfect the world, and the need for every Jew to live up to his responsibilities and remain loyal to the Jewish people's mission. By emphasizing the impact the Jewish people have made on the world and highlighting the comprehensive system of Jewish law contained in the Torah, you can ignite his desire to investigate and explore his heritage. This approach has the greatest chance to succeed at motivating him to pursue a path of Torah and commit to being a fully observant member of the Jewish people.

The third characteristic is gemilus chassadim, kindness. A person with this primary drive seeks to experience pleasure through helping others and building relationships. He feels most alive when giving other people pleasure. With his expansive heart, this person loves to experience the joy of life. Since his frequency is pleasure, the most effective way to draw him to Torah is by providing experiences that are enjoyable and fulfilling – an animated Shabbos table, dancing at a wedding, a kumzitz – and by also showing him the Torah’s wisdom regarding how to nurture healthy relationships, build vibrant Jewish homes, and connect to the essence of spirituality – love of God.

Knowing yourself and the drive that most motivates you will help you recognize the frequency that motivates others, and will allow you to tailor your message to newcomers to Judaism in the most effective way possible. The essence of kiruv is communication, and one of the keys to successful communication is understanding the "language" that best speaks to the individual.