Surfing legends abound relative to the "short-board" revolution in the history of the sport. The late 60's and early 70's were a watershed in the developmental period of the "radical", "cosmic", "pocket-rockets" that emerged from an awesome group of surfing pioneers, literally living on the edge. The lifestyle of these rugged individuals was set to a pace as breathtaking in the water as it often was in every-day life. But where do you go when you're at the top- after you've been featured in dozens of surfing movies, when every teen-ager from Bakersfield to Cocoa Beach has your picture in their bedroom as "Surfer of the Year", what's the next challenge?
Any surfer will tell you that there's 2 surf spots of consequence on Oahu's North shore: Pipeline and Sunset Beach. Here young men have made their reputations, some having created fortunes from them. One's ability to ride the huge tube at the Pipeline or brave the mountainous, shifty peaks at Sunset, making the elevator-shaft like drop into the pit, were the grist used to separate the few from the riffraff. "Mr. Pipeline" was open to debate; the title of "Mr. Sunset was unequivically given to Jeff Hakman, stylist par-excellence in any swell, under any conditions. But how many people ever saw Jeff go backside, ripping the Pipeline with elegance and grace? Or at Maalaea on Maui's South side, veritably flying along the quintessential "freight-train rights", accelerating into overdrive without missing a turn, making it all look like a walk in the park? Jeff brought a new dimension into surfing, based on poise and daring in the surf, as well as an analytical approach to wave positioning and bottom-turning!
The question always was, how long could one maintain a reputation of being the best, "Mr. Something", year after year? Where does one go for solace, for introspection, aging gracefully, descending gently, bequeathing the throne at the auspicious moment, avoiding the ultimate crash after dwelling so long in the highest of heights?
Jeff Hakman's honesty about his disappearance from the surfing world of recognition and fame, sliding into the abyss of substance abuse is most appropriately reflected in this week's Torah portion, "Korach". What didn't Korach possess? Here was a man of wealth, fame, an incredible Torah scholar who after reaching the pinnacle, was unable to deal with his exalted status. His descent, graphically portrayed with the Earth opening up and swallowing him up, has become a famous motif in the language of the Kabbala!
The Ohr Ha Chaim Ha Kadosh (z"l) explains that the verse "they went down alive into the grave", infers they're being "alive" despite being buried in the Earth! In his words, "the Earth had no control of them (Numbers, 17-33)". The Talmud (Sanhedrin 100b) recalls that they were given the strength to overcome death, to realize their plight and deal with their predicament. The "Earth" indeed, had no control of them, earth being symbolic of the materialistic world. Within us is a G-d-given inner strength which even in the depths of existance, allows us to rise from the material to the spiritual!
Today Jeff Hakman is on the "up", and knowing his determination and innate discipline, we should see that same smiling countenance, very soon, totally "alive", knee-paddling back out to the Sunset line-up, just as in years gone by!
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