|
|
|
|
|
|
Chayei Sorah: Statutes of Liberty |
|
|
|
|
Statutes of Liberty
"Sorah lived for 127 years- These are the years of the life of Sorah." The commentaries explain that the repetition, "These are the years of the life of Sorah," tell us that all of her years were lived fully. They were meaningful years. In the words of Rashi, "They were all good years."
One wonders: During the course of Sorah's lifetime, she was kidnapped twice, struggled with the presence of her maidservant Hagar, and suffered for decades the lack of a child. How can all of the years of her life be called "good years"?
The commentaries explain that some people desire that things should go their way, while other people desire to do mitzvos. In fact they desire to do mitzvos so much that the harder the mitzvah is to do, the more they will treasure it.
The Chasam Sofer writes that a person's devotion to a mitzvah is defined by the hardest effort he expended to fulfill it. For example, one gets credit for each time that he eats kosher. But to discover the clinching definition of how important the mitzvah really is to you, you must ask, "What was the hardest situation that you found yourself and still observed the mitzvah?" What was your hungriest or most stressed out moment in which you still maintained your mitzvah standards. That most difficult instance is to be treasured because it defines how important the mitzvah is to you.
Sorah's love in life was to do mitzvos. Although she didn't ask for mitzvos to be hard, a challenge was actually an opportunity for her to affirm how far she was willing to go to observe the mitzvah. Her being kidnapped was an opportunity to affirm her purity and morality. Her challenges with her maidservant were opportunities to affirm her leadership and nobility of spirit. And her childlessness allowed her to host families with generosity, and not allow frustration, bitterness, or jealousy to take hold of her. For what Sorah wanted to accomplish in life, the difficult moments were equally important, useful, and productive.
Living as we do in a country that provides liberty, we have countless opportunities to affirm how important mitzvos are to us. Because liberty is not just about permissiveness. Liberty is about the right to choose to do mitzvos with devotion.
So consider for a moment: What was the most challenging moment that you had in life to do a mitzvah. Was it when you were tired, and someone asked for help? Or was it when you were financially stressed- feeling poor-and a mitzvah demanded total devotion?
If you came through, then those are moments that you will treasure most. When the final reckoning will be made, you will be told about those great mitzvah moments: "Give me your tired and your poor...They lift your lamp beside the Golden Door."
With best wishes for a wonderful Shabbos,
Rabbi Mordechai Rhine
TEACH613
Young Israel of Cherry Hill
www.teach613.org
Your sponsorship builds Torah. To donate online please visit www.teach613.org :Sponsorships. Donations are tax-deductible.
|
|
5770 Parsha 
