Ra'anana Community Kollel - Parshat Vaetchanan 5764

                                   Ready and Waiting

                                                   Rabbi Binyomin Lipson

“And these words which I command you on this day shall be upon your heart.”

(Devarim 6:6)

Just as when the Torah commands us to place Tefillin on our hands and on our heads the intention is that they be affixed directly, without any intervening substance, the Torah also intended that we place all of Hashem’s commandments upon our hearts in the same manner. Through our gradual process of self improvement, we can succeed in steadily refining our character and freeing ourselves from the personal considerations which hold us back from fully accepting all of the mitzvot.

Nevertheless, sometimes we may feel that we are not able to fully accept a particular mitzvah of the Torah or to observe all the details of the mitzvot that we already keep. Still, even if we find ourselves in such a mindset, we should never resort to the conclusion that we cannot grow and develop any further in our Divine service. Rather, when we suffer a setback in our growth in Torah, we must always keep in mind the advice that the Torah offers us in this week’s parsha. If we arrived at a store only to discover that the owner had gone out for a few minutes what would our reaction be? If we could just find the patience to wait by the door for a few minutes, when it is eventually unlocked we could enter immediately. In the same way, even if we feel an emotional block towards the mitzvot of the Torah, we should still place them upon the doors of our hearts so that at the moment when they open the mitzvot will be able to enter.

How do I place the mitzvot on my heart? Practically speaking, the Torah is telling us that no matter how far we may be from Torah observance we must remain forever conscious of the truth. It is natural for a person to attempt to rationalize his behavior and convince oneself that what he is doing is correct. Certainly, for such a person to subsequently change his lifestyle will undoubtedly prove extremely difficult as in order to do so he will have to reconstruct his entire value system. However, one who, although not practically committed to mitzvah observance, is able to retain an understanding of the truth of his obligations at all times will automatically revert to the correct path at the moment that his heart opens to accept them as a part of his life. It is impossible to know how life’s many and varied experiences will affect us and change our outlook. At times, even a seemingly insignificant event can trigger monumental life changes.

While traveling in Europe, a fundraiser from Israel was invited to spend Shabbat at the home of a wealthy philanthropist. While sitting in his host’s palatial home on Friday night, the guest cast his gaze around the beautifully decorated living room only to discover something quite unusual. Amongst the many beautiful articles tastefully displayed in the polished, mirror-lined showcase lay a pile of crude, broken shards of glass which seemed clearly out of place in their graceful surroundings. Noticing the look of curiosity apparent on his guest’s face, the wealthy man proceeded to relate the following story:

Although I was raised in an observant family and received only the finest religious education, when I entered my teenage years I began to look with distain on the poverty in which I seemed destined to live. All around me I witnessed the wealth and splendor in which the gentiles of the city lived and I envied what they had that I did not. Eventually, after much opposition from my parents, I accepted a scholarship from the local university where over a few years time I cast off all vestiges of my rich Jewish heritage. In time, I became a wealthy businessman and eventually married a gentile woman. One winter day, while walking to my office, I came upon a young boy who was kneeling on the ground crying bitterly. Seeing his anguish, I went over to him and asked him what had happened. Through his tears he told me how his father worked as a porter and barely made enough money to support his large family. As that evening was to be the first night of Chanukah, the man had sent his son to the local store with a bag of carefully saved coins in order to purchase oil to light the menorah. However, upon exiting the store, the boy had tripped and the precious jar of oil fell to the ground and splintered to pieces. “What will I tell may father?! What will I tell my father?!” the boy’s cries echoed in my ears. Suddenly, I had a realization. Years had passed since I had long abandoned Torah and mitzvot. In fact, until I heard this boy’s story I did not even know that Chanukah had arrived. “What will I tell my Father? I repeated to myself. What will I tell my Father in Heaven when I am asked to explain my actions?” I opened my wallet and gave the boy a large sum of money to cover the cost of a new bottle of oil and his family’s expenses for the holiday. It was on that day that I began my return to observant Judaism, and the broken shards of glass that you see on my shelf serve as a constant reminder to me of where I was, and how I was able to begin my journey home.

Even if we feel that our hearts are closed, we must always place the words of the Torah upon them, so that at the moment when they do open the mitzvot will be ready and waiting to enter.