"A Bolt of Inspiration" is a brief weekly spiritual thought presented by Rabbi Shlomo Einhorn. Rabbi Einhorn is the Rabbi of the West Side Institutional Synagogue on Manhattan's Upper West Side. To learn more take a look at www.wsisny.org.
Knowing when to be Strict
This upcoming parsha, Vayera, is marked by Abraham's hospitality. The 3 angels appear at his door in the heat of the day, while he is recuperating from the world's first circumcision. He then teaches the world how to take care of their guests by paying attention to every one of their needs with the utmost care. However, among the different offerings and amenities, there is one special service which he himself does not take care of. "יוקח נא מעט מים""take, please, a bit of water." He asked his guests to take water. The reason for the water is to counteract a pagan tradition. Some idolaters would worship the dust of their own feet. Abraham gave them the water so that they could wash this dirt off if they needed to. Why when it came to every other act of hospitality Abraham did it himself, yet this act he placed in their hands?
There is a great lesson to be learned. When it came to honoring his guests, this was so precious to him that he had to do the mitzvah himself (מצוה בו יותר מבשלוחו). However, when it came to suspecting his guests of poor behavior - while one must suspect another when their ill behavior is logically questionable, he did not cherish having to judge them and therefore asked them to take care of whatever may need to be done.
When it came to caring about others, Abraham was a zealot. When it came to judging others, Abraham was an artist.
Best Wishes,
Rabbi Shlomo Einhorn
Blink
We always look for the quick solution. Time is money. In Malcome Gladwell’s book – Blink – he argues that most of our decisions could successfully be made in a blink, or a split second. Gladwell claims that we have the ability to read people in practically no time. Blink begins to get a little confusing near the end of the book where Gladwell notes that some actions that take place in a blink are disastrous; for example, a police officer might shoot an innocent civilian because the decision to fire was made too soon.
So which is it – especially since Rosh Hashanah is around the corner and we are going to make decisions about our own personal growth – should we expect change to come in a blink – or must we wait our time and move at a more watchful pace? Well, like all good things in life, it depends.
The 1st Belzer Rebbe asks a thought provoking question on the pre-Rosh Hashanah davening. Somewhere around ten minutes before Rosh Hashanah we begin to pray Mincha. The Mincha looks exactly the same as it does all year round. We recite the identical Shemonah Esrei that we say every day three times a day. One of the blessings that we say in the Shemonah Esrei is: “baruch aleynu es Hashanah hazos” – G-d bless this year. The Belzer Rebbe makes a daring suggestion; maybe we should remove that blessing from this final Shemonah Esrei of the year. How can we ask G-d to bless this year when there’s only 7 minutes left of it? What kind of blessed year is that? The Belzer Rebbe says something that will knock you off your feet in just four words: Yeshuas Hashem K’heref Ayin. G-d saves in the Blink of an Eye. Wow! G-d doesn’t need 10 months to make it a year of blessing, G-d doesn’t need 8 weeks to change our lives, G-d doesn’t even need 4 hours. Hashem could change everything in the Blink of an Eye.
But that is only half the story. The Shulchan Aruch (O”C, 25:1) notes that after we don our tallis in the morning, we then put on the tefillin. This is the correct order because of the principle of “ma’alin bekodesh” – we move upwards in sanctity. The Nodeh B’yehudah is puzzled by this consideration. If the tefillin are holier, they should come first based on another principle – “kol hamekudash m’chaveiro kodesm es chaveiro” – that which is holier comes first? One of the great minds of the last century, Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer, solves the problem by stressing that there are two types of commandments – there are commandments that one does which are external to their body and there are commandments which one fulfills with their body (e.g. tallis and tefillin). When it comes to a mitzvah on the body – we follow the principle of ma’alin bekodesh – we move upwards in sanctity. Why? When it comes to the human being he or she must move level by level.
When it comes to G-d, He could change everything in our world in a split second. Years of struggle and conflict, if G-d so chooses, can all be settled in 5 minutes. Years searching for the right partner in life could successfully come to an end by a chance encounter orchestrated by G-d. Yeshuas Hashem K’heref Ayin. But as Rav Isser Zalmen Meltzer teaches us – when it comes to the work that we must do, it means moving step by step. G-d may work in the blink of an eye but we don’t. As the Mishnah in Pirkei Avos teaches us: Havey Mesunim B’din – Be deliberate in judgment. Human beings work better in steps, gradually, with deliberateness.
My blessing as we approach this Yom Tov season is that we have the courage and patience to make little changes, gradual changes. And at the same time – may G-d change our personal struggles and the struggles of the world in the Blink of an Eye.
