“Yiftach said to the elders of Gilad, ‘[Very well,] if you bring me back to fight the Ammonites and G-D delivers them to me, I am to be your commander.’” (Judges 11:9)

When facing an exam, people don’t just cram or pull “all-nighters”. Many also try to build their self-confidence. They become convinced that with the right mindset they will succeed on their exam. Is there real substance to this, or is it merely hype?

Consider a person who wants to become a top salesman. He can study at Dale Carnegie and master the techniques to become a successful salesman. There is an art to every craft. Some people have it naturally, while others can learn it. The ideal is the rare individual who has natural talent and continues to refine his craft until he masters it on many fronts.

The same applies to our avodas Hashem. To truly excel in our avodas Hashem, it is necessary to refine our character, work on our middos, and develop the belief that we can succeed. These aren’t always necessary, but they definitely increase the chances of success.

There is a famous joke told by Reb Chaim Brisker (Chaim Halevi Soloveitchik 1853 –1918) about Chassidishe Rebbes. In every profession, he noted, one can find imposters. Put on a white coat and people will assume you’re a doctor. Wear a blue uniform with a hat and a badge and people would believe you’re a policeman. The only role you cannot fake is a Chassidishe Rebbe. When you don the garments and perform the actions, you actually become a Chassidishe Rebbe!

Many years after hearing this, I came to understand the depths of his words after encountering a quote from the Noam Elimelech (Elimelech Weisblum of Lizhensk 1717–1787). He said that if the Chassidim believed that a stick was their rebbe, the stick would gain the power to lead them!

There is a related idea in an explanation of Rav Chaim Leib Shmuelevitz (1902–1979) on the haftara for this week’s parsha. Yiftach tells the people of Gilad, “If you appoint me as your leader, and you truly believe that I will succeed, then I will succeed.” Rav Shmuelevitz explains with the people’s full backing – looking up to him as a leader in both ruchnios and gashmius – he would have the ability to succeed in defeating their enemies. Without that acceptance and belief, he would not be able to prevail.

We often see this in real life. Candidates apply for a position with others who seem more qualified. Yet the person who wins the position ends up, by far, outshining his fellow applicants. I once spoke with a talmid chacham, a very great man, who learned with Rabbi Shmuel Wosner (1913-2015) in Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin. This man lived far from any hub of religious Jews. When Rav Wosner’s name came up in conversation, he asked me, “How is he doing?” I explained to him the stature of his position and the awe that people had for him. The man was stunned. “He was only an average student in yeshiva”, he responded, “No one imagined the greatness that he eventually achieved.”

From family members I learned that Rav Wosner himself believed that he could achieve greatness. He overexerted himself and that belief and effort is what elevated him to greatness. If we all believed in ourselves, we would also become super-achievers. This isn’t limited to being a rov or a chassidishe rebbe. It is about being the best that we can be. When we believe in ourselves, and pray to Hashem for Divine assistance, we can surpass our natural abilities. This, I believe, is embodied in the phrase, “zos chukas hatorah”. A person who lives fully according to the Torah’s ways will rise far above his natural abilities.

May we all merit to attain such heights.