Commitment

Sure enough, only one nation was willing to take the plunge, the Israelites. There are variations to this legend and diverse explanations as to exactly how the law was presented, but the gist of the story teaches a profound lesson in commitment. Regardless of ideological or ethnic background, constant challenges are imposed on a person's independence and individual freedom while trying to fulfill tenets of one's belief. Commitment to a cause, or spouse, often entails making uncomfortable decisions and compromises.

Commitment can spawn ambivalence because of its attendant assumptions. Some may assume, for example, that commitment at work means long hours and greater productivity. While to others it may mean self-sacrifice for the sake of the team. In marriage, commitment implies changing from the individual "I" to the collective "I". In other words, making decisions with another person in mind. A Talmudic passage teaches that couples should strive to achieve the domestic tranquility symbolized by the dove. One interpretation of this metaphor is that the dove, when it mates, keeps its partner for life. Secondly, a dove, like other graceful birds, is as comfortable soaring in the heavens, as it is perched on a tree limb.