In twelve seconds on December 17, 1903, the world changed forever. On the windswept sands of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Orville Wright piloted the first manned, powered flight. One of the most iconic photographs in history captured that moment—taken by John T. Daniels, a local volunteer.
Remarkably, Orville and his brother Wilbur Wright, were unremarkable. They were born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, a growing town in the late 1800s. Reflecting on his roots, Orville once said, “If I were giving a young man advice as to how he might succeed in life, I would say to him, pick out a good father and mother, and begin life in Ohio.” Their fascination with flight began in childhood, sparked when their father, Milton Wright, brought home a small mechanical toy helicopter. As adults, they ran a simple bicycle shop and devoted their spare time to the systematic study of aviation. Early in their research, they realized that wind—and the lift it could generate—was key to achieving flight. This insight led them to choose Kitty Hawk, with its steady coastal breezes, as the ideal location for their experiments.
Despite having fewer resources, less formal education, and little fame compared to their rivals, the Wright brothers succeeded where many others had failed. Their remarkable success begs the question: how did two seemingly ordinary men, in those twelve seconds, change the course of history forever?
Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel offers a striking insight: one of the most inspiring figures in the entire Torah narrative is—surprisingly—Pharaoh. To understand this, try to view the Exodus story from Pharaoh’s perspective, beginning with his first encounter with Moshe.
Moshe approaches him with a divine message and demonstrates a miraculous sign: his staff turns into a serpent. Yet Pharaoh remains unmoved. Moshe warns of a coming plague—water turning to blood—but again, Pharaoh is unfazed. And so it continues: plague after plague, devastation after devastation, yet Pharaoh stands firm. While the Torah tells us that G-d hardened Pharaoh’s heart, this only begins with the latter plagues; the initial resistance was entirely Pharaoh’s own.
At the heart of Judaism is the principle of free will: “Choice is given to every person” (Rambam, Hilchos Teshuva 5:1). Rabbi Finkel highlights that closely connected to free will is willpower—the ability to make difficult choices, even when they go against our comfort or desires. Pharaoh becomes a powerful example of the sheer strength of human will. Despite overwhelming signs—miracles, wonders, divine wrath—he refuses to yield. His determination was tragically misused, directed toward evil, but the force of his will itself is undeniably impressive.
We all set goals for ourselves. Yet we often fall short—not because the goals are unworthy, but because obstacles get in the way. The dieter faces temptation. The student wants good grades but is drawn to distractions. The spouse wants to be a better partner but struggles with the daily challenges of relationships. The Jew aspires to be devout but exhaustion makes it hard to get to the mitzvah.
These struggles are real. The challenges between us and our aspirations are often daunting. But what we may be lacking is not ability or knowledge—it’s willpower. The lesson we can draw, ironically, from Pharaoh is this: when a person harnesses true determination, they can stand firm against even the greatest pressures. Imagine what we could achieve if we applied that same strength of will toward good!
It is staggering to consider the obstacles the Wright brothers had to overcome in order to achieve those twelve seconds of flight. They weren’t just building a machine—they were developing the very principles of aviation as they went.
They had to identify and define the core forces of flight: lift, drag, gravity, and thrust. After countless hours of trial and error, they realized that the true key to flight wasn’t just getting off the ground—it was maintaining balance in the air. That meant mastering the complex dynamics of yaw, pitch, and roll.
They meticulously tested and refined the shape and proportions of the wings. They invented a system to control the aircraft while in the air through a technique called “wing-warping”—a concept that would evolve into the ailerons and flaps of modern airplanes. They tackled the science of propellers, correcting major misconceptions that had stumped others before them. They designed and built a lightweight engine from scratch. Then they had to construct an entire airframe that could hold all of these components together—and still fly.
And when all of that was complete, they faced one final challenge: inventing a new profession—piloting.
How did they manage to do all of that? How did they press forward through failure, doubt, and countless setbacks?
John T. Daniels—the man who took that iconic photo of their first flight—put it best:
“It wasn't luck that made them fly; it was hard work and common sense; they put their whole heart and soul and all their energy into an idea and they had the faith.”
The Wright brothers had determination. They had willpower.
Most of us aren’t building revolutionary machines or transforming the future of travel. But that doesn’t make our goals any less important. Each of us is capable of achieving something remarkable. We all have aspirations—personal, spiritual, relational, professional.
To get there, we’ll need to overcome obstacles. We’ll face resistance. We’ll be tempted to quit. But what we often lack isn’t talent or opportunity—it’s the will to keep going.
Let’s learn from Pharaoh—his unyielding resolve, though tragically misdirected, showed the sheer force of human will. And let’s be inspired by the Wright brothers—who used that same force for good, reshaping the world through grit, perseverance, and faith in their vision.
To reach our greatest potential, we don’t need luck.

We need determination. We need grit.

We need willpower.