Ra'anana Community Kollel

Decisions

Rabbi Binyomin Lipson

“And Yitro heard all that Hashem had done for Moshe and his nation, and that He had redeemed the Jewish people from the land of Egypt.

Although all the nations of the world also heard about the miracles that Hashem did for the Jewish people, only Yitro was moved to come and join them. Interestingly, even two people who have experienced the exact same events can react in very different ways. While Hashem’s direct involvement in the salvation of the Jewish people motivated Yitro to join the ranks of the Jewish nation, the rest of the world’s population remained surprisingly unmoved and unaffected.

This fascinating phenomenon is something which, at one time or another, we have all observed in our personal lives. In the midst of the many tragedies that the Jewish people have experienced in our generation, we have seen many people who have been stirred from within to improve their level of Torah observance and to intensify their efforts to strengthen themselves, their families, and others in genuine belief in the teachings of the Torah and the words of its Sages, while others remain amazingly unaffected. Along the same lines, when we look into ourselves we can all discern just how much we have been moved in the positive direction by the events we have seen and heard.

What is the essential difference between these two groups? How can we make ourselves more like Yitro whose mind and heart were open to accept the truth and adjust his lifestyle accordingly, while distancing ourselves form the trait displayed by the rest of the world who merely heard, yawned, and changed the channel?

The Midrash (Michilta Yitro 1) relates that, in his search for truth, Yitro served every type of idol worship which was popular in his day before eventually becoming an adherent of Hashem’s Torah. Without a doubt, anyone who bore witness to Yitro’s amazing willingness to investigate any possibly authentic source of truth could have easily come to the conclusion that he would eventually find what he was seeking. There are many groups and ideologies in our society today who claim to be both liberal and “open minded”. However, the truth of this claim can be readily discerned from the way in which they relate to those who hold opinions which differ from their own. Those who seek the truth react with interest and fascination, and take joy in exploring possibilities that they have not yet considered, while others persist with fear, anger, and hatred of anyone who’s ideas even remotely threaten their view.

In our personal lives as well, it is essential that we remember and apply the intellectual honesty which brought Yitro from the farthest reaches of idol worship into Hashem’s covenant. There comes a time when each of us must pause from the distractions of our daily lives and consider just how much we serve as an embodiment of the trait of Yitro, always ready and willing to take an honest look at our lifestyle and to adjust our behavior in accordance with our conclusions, and to what extent we have remained like the nations who blinded their eyes and deafened their ears to the truth that they saw before them.

When a gold merchant wishes to measure his merchandise, he ensures that his scale is finely tuned and precise to detect even the smallest particle. Clearly, if his instruments are not properly calibrated, the measurements that they show will be by no means accurate, and cannot be relied upon. This same principle is also very relevant to understanding the difference between Yitro’s reaction to the miracles of the exodus and that of his associates. When we come to make any decision in life, we must weigh the possibilities on the scales of reason in order to come out with the correct conclusion. How can we hope to make the correct decisions if we make no effort to accustom our hearts and minds to the uncompromising search for truth which is required if we wish to identify the correct path, and not remain completely under the influence of the society around us which is constantly tugging us this way and that. How do we “calibrate” this scale in order that its measurements will not be fraudulent and biased?

The Torah has taught us that Hashem created the first man from a combination of two opposite components; earth from the ground, and a Divine soul which originated from the highest realms. Indeed, it is this fusion of the earthly and the sublime that is the source of all our life’s struggles to see clearly and to make the right decisions. While our soul attempts to raise us up towards the highest levels of achievement, our physical component pulls us down to what is base, earthly, and finite. This is the element which constantly clouds our vision, and challenges us to select the path in life which will lead us to eternity. It was exactly for this purpose that Hashem gave us the Torah and its mitzvot. Yes, G-d created this malady, but also gave us the cure.

It is only Torah which enables us to see through the fog of our material desires and to free ourselves of our earthly biases. If this is the remedy that we have been given, how can we ever hope to achieve true success in life without it? How can we consider making life decisions without first preparing ourselves though Torah learning and honest consultation with those giants of spirit who have made Torah their sole endeavor? Only by putting forth the effort to strengthen our commitment to Torah learning, detailed adherence to the mitzvot, and constant consultation with the Sages of our generation can we ever aspire to choose the path which is truly the one which our Creator desires.