Success: Hatzlacha (הַצְלָחָה)

To be successful is a universal aspiration. But what is the definition of success?

In the Oxford Dictionary, success is defined as “the attainment of popularity or profit,” or, according to Merriam-Webster, it is “the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence.”

Interestingly, the English word success comes from the Latin word succeden, to “follow after,” implying a mimetic approach to success—as if success means to become more like someone else—or “to take the place of another,” inevitably pitting us all against each other in a state of perpetual competition. According to such a view, one is constantly comparing themselves to others and measuring their success by how well they match up against them.

In Scripture, the word hatzlachah is used in a number of different contexts to describe various processes of fulfillment. For instance, we find it used in reference to a fire that consumes,1 the act of forging across a river,2 and a person receiving a promotion.3

Regarding the term’s diverse application, the commentator and Hebrew grammarian R. Meir Leibush Wisser, known as the Malbim, writes4 that “the word hatzlachah refers to anything that serves its unique purpose…”

Accordingly, hatzlachah means to identify your own personal path and realize your unique purpose; in other words, to achieve whatever you alone were created to accomplish.

As the Chasidic master R. Menachem Mendel of Kotzk famously said: “If I am I because you are you, and you are you because I am I, then I am not I and you are not you. But if I am I because I am I, and you are you because you are you, then you are truly you, and I am truly I.” In other words, the first step towards living a successful and fulfilling life is determining who you are in relation to yourself rather than in contrast to others.

Unlike the conventional view of success, which is determined by certain objective criteria, in the Jewish view, success is not one-size-fits-all. G‑d created each person with a distinctive purpose in life, and He gave each of us the necessary tools and talents to achieve that purpose. The identification of that mission is what establishes our particular definition of success. Achieving those goals in practice is what determines our level of success.5

Such a highly individualized approach to success requires first and foremost that we do the necessary work of rigorous self-examination in order to clarify what our personal path and purpose truly is. Such a realization can happen in a lightning flash of illumination or it can gradually dawn on us over many years. Regardless of how we arrive at our self-understanding, it is imperative that we remain true to ourselves to the end and invest our full selves into accomplishing what we were sent here to do.

The following anecdote illustrates this point.

On the occasion of her birthday, a woman wrote a letter to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, mentioning some of her efforts over the past year to share the beauty of Judaism with uninitiated Jews. After warmly noting her achievements, the Rebbe wrote, “…bear in mind, however, that a person who was granted the ability to impact one hundred people and reaches only ninety-nine has not yet fully realized their G‑d-given potential.”6 We must never confuse doing a great deal with doing all we can. According to the Rebbe, this fully invested approach to whatever we are doing is the rubric of true success.

This twofold focus of a personalized approach to defining success—i.e., that we each have an individual soul makeup and unique purpose to pursue, and that our efforts are measured solely in relation to our own capabilities—does not completely discount the productive role of healthy competition in determining success; however, it does reframe exactly who we are competing against—namely, ourselves.

If we have given our all, if we have exceeded our past attempts, if we have put our whole self into achieving our purpose, whatever that may be, then we can, and should, consider ourselves a success.

A well-known Chassidic story captures the essence of this perspective. As the last hours of R. Zushe of Anipoli’s life drew near, his students found him crying bitterly as he pondered his life achievements. Puzzled, they asked, “Surely our teacher has led a righteous and worthy life. What does our teacher fear?” R. Zushe replied, “When I am summoned to heaven, I am not afraid they will ask me, ‘Why were you not like our patriarch Abraham or our great leader Moses?’ For if they would ask that, I would respond: ‘Was I blessed with the courageous spirit of Abraham or the humility and vision of Moses?’ What I am afraid they will ask me is, ‘Zushe, why were you not more like Zushe?’ What will I answer them then?”

Another fundamental feature of success according to Judaism is defined by how one responds to life’s challenges and setbacks. From this perspective, failing or falling is not only unavoidable, but it is, in fact, built into the system of life. It is how we learn, grow, evolve, and become who we were meant to be.

The question is: How does one comport oneself in the face of defeat? Does one see failure as a dead-end or as part of a learning curve? Does one give up, throw in the towel, blame others? Or does one collect themselves, learn from their mistakes, and rededicate themselves to their goals? According to Judaism, the answers to these questions weigh heavily on the scales of success.

Ultimately, success is not an achievement, it is an attitude. It is not defined by the outcome of one’s efforts, but by the effort itself. To not be deterred or deflated by life’s inevitable disappointments and obstacles is what Judaism defines as success.

This way of thinking is also encoded within the Hebrew word for success. The word hatzlachah is etymologically linked to the Hebrew word for “forged,” as in the verse,7 tzalchu et haYarden—they forged across the Jordan River. Success is thus characterized by the fortitude and perseverance to make it through challenging situations and difficult circumstances.

In fact, throughout the entire Bible there is only one character who is specifically referred to as successful—Joseph. Incredibly, the Torah refers to Joseph as an ish matzliach, a man of success, not at the height of his career and reign as the all-powerful viceroy of Egypt, but during the lowest points of his life, first as a slave,8 and then again as a prisoner.9 In other words, Joseph is considered successful not when he is at the top of the pyramid, so to speak, but when he is at the bottom. This is because, according to the Torah, success is not determined by the absence of defeat, but by the way one responds10 to the inevitable setbacks and betrayals of life.11

In the words of Proverbs:12 Seven times the righteous person falls and gets up, while the wicked are tripped up by misfortune.13

The righteous person doesn’t just get up despite his fall; he is elevated precisely because of it.14 In other words, it is by virtue of one’s tenacity and faith in the face of momentary defeat that one grows in both strength and spirit. And that, according to Judaism, is the very definition of success.

Success is not an outcome but an input. It’s not what you get out of all your endeavors but what you put into them that ultimately counts.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s secretary once contacted a school administrator from New Jersey with a message from the Rebbe: “It came to the Rebbe’s attention that there is a Jewish day school in your area that is on the brink of closure due to low student registration. Since you are the administrator of another school in the area, the Rebbe requested that you work on increasing the enrollment in that endangered school.”

“But it’s not on the same religious level as mine,” he protested to the secretary. “I do not feel that it is fitting for me to be involved with that school.”

The secretary replied that he could make an appointment for an audience with the Rebbe to discuss the matter if he so wishes, “However, you should know that the Rebbe feels that you are the best person for the job...”

Not wishing to disregard the Rebbe’s wishes, he made an appointment. He prepared a long letter that contained eighteen reasons why he felt that he could not fulfill the Rebbe’s request.

After reading the letter, the Rebbe asked him: “Tell me, are these eighteen explanations sufficient reasons that eighteen—or more—children should lose the opportunity to have a Jewish education?

“If you accept the position, I am certain that G‑d will broaden your resources—giving you more time and capabilities.”

Leaving the Rebbe’s office, he felt like a person on a mission. He threw himself into the task of increasing that school’s enrollment. His efforts paid off, and enrollment tripled in a short time.

He wrote a very proud letter to the Rebbe, listing all his successes.

The Rebbe sent him a response. Between his blessings and remarks, the Rebbe also added one word: “Success?!”

The principal was stunned! A short while later, he visited the Rebbe again for a private audience.

“Can I ask what you meant with the comment you wrote on my letter?” he inquired.

The Rebbe gently asked whether one can herald as a success having a few dozen children enrolled in a school when there are so many more children who are still not receiving Jewish education.

“But I tripled the enrollment,” the man protested. “Is that not considered success?”

The Rebbe explained that success means exerting effort; it’s the continued struggle to do what is right and reach one’s full potential.

The man left the encounter with a new perspective. He understood that while the Rebbe greatly appreciated his efforts, he didn’t want him to rest on his laurels. There was so much more still to be done.