Working for G-d

by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine

The Talmud tells us that in the end of days, when it becomes clear that there is reward for doing mitzvos, there will be nations of the world who will wish for a second chance to accept the Mitzvos. Although at that time it really will be too late, the Talmud says that Hashem will offer them an “easy mitzva” which they can try, and through which they can prove themselves. The “easy mitzvah” that Hashem will offer them is the mitzvah of succah.

The Talmud questions why it is called an “easy mitzvah” and suggests that it is a mitzvah that can be done at no cost. One can take discarded items for the walls, and leftovers from the harvest for schach, and make a succah. It is a mitzvah that can be done without cost so it is called an easy mitzvah. (I’m not quite sure how the Talmud would have responded to the price tag on today’s fancy, patented succos that come with options like buying a car.)

The Talmud continues and describes what happens:”Each one will build a succah, and Hashem will shine the sun with such intense heat that they will leave the succah with disgust, kicking it as they leave.”

The Talmud questions, “Aren’t they indeed absolved of the mitzvah if there is such intense heat?” It should be similar to the case of rainfall, which absolves a person of eating in the succah.

The Talmud replies that they are indeed absolved and may leave the succah. But they should not be kicking the succah as they do so.

The above Talmudic passage is fascinating, but with a bit of introspective review we can appreciate it on a deeper level.

The passage began that Hashem would assign them an “easy mitzvah” and suggested that it is easy because it doesn’t cost much. But by the time we complete the passage we can draw an even deeper conclusion as to why the mitzvah of succah assigned to these nations is an “easy mitzvah.” That is because they were never actually expected to do the mitzvah. In fact the entire endeavor to build the succah was merely needed to set the stage for the actual mitzvah assignment, which was: “To leave the succah with dignity.” Hashem made it so hot that they couldn’t do the mitzvah. That was His intent. The mitzvah was for them to accept the unexpected reassignment to a new task. The mitzvah was for them not to do the mitzvah that they thought they had to do. This is called an “easy mitzvah” because it doesn’t take much to do. All they need to do is to leave the succah they built… with dignity.

I once read a story of an 80-year old woman who was told (after a certain serious surgery) that she could not fast on Yom Kippur. Her initial response was, “I never ate on Yom Kippur and I won’t do it now. Even the Nazis couldn’t get me to eat on Yom Kippur.” But when her Rabbi found out he told her, “You must eat on Yom Kippur for your safety. It is a mitzvah. If you don’t agree I will have to come and feed you.” She ate. She told her family never to remind her of this Yom Kippur. It was so hard for her to accept the job reassignment that she had to eat on Yom Kippur. But she accepted it because she was working for G-d.

The concept of reassignment is actually quite common. Often we think the mitzvah that we are expected to do is one thing, when in actuality it is quite another.

A number of years ago when I was spending time in the hospital with my father-in-law z.l. he asked me to bring him some hot water for a tea. The problem was that the urn was located on a different floor, and so I insulated the cup as best as I could to keep it hot as I brought it from one floor to the next.

As I entered the elevator I was quite particular to keep away from people so that I would not get jostled and spill the water on anyone. Nevertheless, suddenly the elevator lurched, I lost my balance, and the cup of steaming hot water spilled all over my arm. It hurt enormously. But with fifteen pairs of eyes staring at my yarmulkah, tzitzis, and steam generating shirt sleeve, I am eternally grateful that the only thing that emanated from my lips was the word, “Ouch!”

If you had asked me at the time what mitzvah I was involved in, I would have undoubtedly answered, “Getting a cup of hot water for a patient.” But in reality I had apparently been assigned an entirely different mitzvah: Kiddush Hashem, thankfully responding to a disappointing and painful situation as someone trained in the yeshiva system should.

The concept of job reassignment applies to anyone who finds themselves in a situation that does not meet their plans or expectations. It applied to our father Avraham, who thought his mitzvah was to sacrifice his son, only to find out that that wasn’t the real mitzvah at all. It applies to people who wish they could live elsewhere, but for whatever reason can’t change things at the present time… even if the place they wish they would live is EretzYisroel. It applies to people forced into career changes, or changes in lifestyle due to lifecycle events. Sometimes people can plan a mitzvah only to find that it is a great mitzvah but at the wrong time. Accepting job reassignment, whether permanent or temporary, can be an “easy mitzvah” if one sees themselves as working for G-d. The motivation never was personal accolades or accumulation of reward. The motivation must be to serve G-d. Then even the toughest reassignment can be implemented with dignity.

© 2017 by TEACH613™