The Parashah and what I learned from mountain bike racing

This week's Parashah includes many mitzvot to follow. One of them is not to etch tattoos on your body.



As you know, I have done a bit of mountain biking. The cycling community, both road and off-road are filled with participants with markings on their bodies, commemorating their experiences. People who complete Iron Man Triathlons often tattoo the logo. Cyclists like to tattoo bicycle related images on themselves.



One of my own racing goals was to complete a 24 hour mountain bike race - solo. I used to joke that once i finished my race, i too would need a tattoo. I joked about it because it seemed almost every solo racer had a tattoo. It almost seemed like a requirement. I did think about it. Getting a tattoo. But that voice didn't think it was a good idea. I knew it was a sin, but i still wanted one. I researched into how bad would it be. I stalled. I thought that it would be a way to celebrate my successes and my love of mountain biking. I thought of it as a decoration. Celebrating the body. Now as i look at those images i see it as a form of idol worship. Permanently etching the body with a bicycle chain or a logo is showing reverence to a thing really. I am sure someone may argue that they are showing respect for an ideal, for commitment to a goal and whatnot. My answer is now, but isn't that a bit of arrogance? Are you not then worshipping yourself? It takes two to tango as they say, and we each tango with Hashem. So any success was a gift from Him.



The voice i heard, was His. My yetzer harah tried to tell me it would be cool, but Hashem's voice was louder and stronger. Or maybe i chose to turn up the volume.



Jewish Tattoo Roundup

Chabad resources

Tattoo in Auschwitz

Video lecture on tattooing