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By Rabbi Naftoly Bier
A world-renowned scientist has discovered many medicines that have helped many; but he hasn’t actualized his complete potential. There is a sanitation worker who is well-known to judiciously ensure that not one piece of litter is left on the street. Who should one admire?
The Torah teaches us that if one brings a קרבן, sacrifice to Hashem, thereby dedicating his life to the Almighty, if there is a specified blemish it would render the sacrifice as unacceptable. This despite the fact that one owns an ox that is corpulent, healthy, and worth a thousand dollars compared to the perfect ox or sheep whose value is half or less.
If a כהן, priest who is the paragon of spiritual development but unfortunately has a blemish, (Leviticus 21:17-20 “…person who is blind or lame or disfigured or an enlargement. Or a broken leg or a broken arm. Or unusual eyebrows, cataract…” he is prohibited from being the agent to engage in the sacrificial process.
Why? I want to express my love and subservience by dedicating my most valuable object! I want the priest who is a spiritual “giant” to bring me closer to Hashem!
HaRav Nosson Wachtfogel זצ”ל, former Mashgiach of Beth Medrash Govoha, quoted the פסוק, verse in האזינו, Deuteronomy 32:4, “הצור תמים פעלו”, “The Rock (Hashem) – His work is perfect.” The fundamental quality of the Creator is perfection. Consequently, we humans who are created with the gift to emulate Him, our life focus is to recognize that one has to aspire to attain perfection. This idea is indoctrinated by the Torah by requiring the central dynamic of perfection in our service to Hashem.
The profound lesson is that every human is unique and invaluable, some have more intelligence, health, strength, innate sensitivity… our goal is to totally utilize our G-d given potential. Once we start comparing, once we seek adulation for being the best; we have abrogated our G-d given mission. Yes, “our” sanitation worker deserves more accolades than the scientist: The Jew who strives to learn as much as they can is greater than a wise, intellectual Torah scholar who doesn’t use their abilities to the maximum.
The משנה Chapter of Our Fathers (4: 1) teaches us, “Who has strength, one that has control of oneself… Who is wise, one who learns from all. Who is wealthy, one who is appreciative of what they have. Who has self-pride, one who honors others…” Ben Zoma is teaching; define oneself by your internal self, not by external comparison.
How does one achieve this? בן עזאי 4:2 taught, “One should run to perform a minor ‘mitzvah’ as a major one…” Why the word “run”, why not say, “dedicate” oneself equally to all mitzvos?
Ben Zoma is teaching us that the fundamental that ensures a person’s success in ‘a nay is one’s initial attitude and conduct. If one enthusiastically, relentlessly pursues the objective, it is considered as if the action is completed; for it’s this attitude that defines and ensures its success. (הרב ירוחם לבוביץ זצ”ל)
The רא”ש in אורחות חיים paragraph 49 writes, “אל תאחר לרוץ אל בית התפילה”, “Do not tarry to run to the House of Worship”. We are emphatically being taught that there are two components to one’s spiritual development, to bringing oneself close to Hashem. One we must with the greatest energy “run” to enthusiastically fulfill our obligations; secondly, we must do it at the earliest possible time without any delay (the grave importance of timeliness). The first is a behavioral component (מצוה גוררת מצוה), the latter an intellectual, emotional commitment (שכר מצוה מצוה). (ע’ רבינו יונה)
By acting in such a manner, one in effect negates one’s self-absorption and self-interests, thereby imbuing in oneself a life of subservience to Hashem, where one strives to be the “perfect” person one has been empowered to be.
Timeliness, vibrancy, selfless dedication, the disallowance of self-aggrandizement are all the foundation of a true עבד ה’, self-worth and esteem.
