Destination Judaism

by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine

The Parsha begins- “Vayikra” – Hashem wished to speak to Moshe so He called to him. The commentaries observe that the word “Vayikra” denotes endearment. It means that Hashem went out of His way, so to speak, to speak to Moshe. Contrast this with the word “Vayiker” which is used when Hashem encounters Bilaam (the non-Jewish prophet who wanted to curse the Jews). “Vayiker” implies that this encounter had the aura of a chance occurrence.  Hashem gave the appearance that it was only because He haphazardly encountered Bilaam that He bothered to talk to him. Otherwise He never would have sought Bilaam out.

A few weeks ago I was shmoozing with a middle aged gentleman, who told me that although he was observant all his life, he didn’t really find meaning in the experience. “Each mitzvah is like a chance encounter with Hashem. When I observe a mitzvah it is like waving to G-d. But when I am done, I don’t feel the relationship has been enhanced.”

His comments got me thinking that, indeed, too often we experience Judaism on the level of a chance encounter. Although we may observe meticulously, we don’t necessarily feel the magic of a relationship with Hashem. What can one do to hear the calling- as Moshe did- in daily life?

I recall the feeling I experienced when I joined the trend of technological advancement by purchasing a handheld organizer. Besides helping me organize things, this little computer taught me a great lesson of life. You see, the two most used functions for me were the “scheduler” and the “to do list.” I noticed that if something really had to be done, then I entered it in the “scheduler,” granting it a specific date and time. If however the task was not essential, then I placed it on the “to do list.” It became clear that I was using the scheduler for events that were planned and anticipated, while the to do list was for things that I would squeeze in.

Sometimes we make the mistake of focusing on the things that should be merely “squeezed in,” and we squeeze in the things that should be priorities. When we do so, our priorities usually suffer.  As one wise man once said, “Life is like packing a suitcase. If you put the big, important things in first, everything will fit. But if you clutter the suitcase with small, incidental items, then there will be no room for the big priorities.”

Chazal tell us that Hashem deals with us- Middah Kineged Middah- in the way that we deal with Him. If we view a mitzvah as a calling, and recognize it as a means to enhance our relationship with Hashem, then Hashem reciprocates. Chazal therefore guided us with all kinds of halachos to ensure that our observance would be one of anticipation and meaning.

For example, we all know that it is proper to daven with a minyan. What happens, however, if a person is unable to get to shul? Perhaps a person is ill, or is at a job that he cannot leave. The Ramoh (90:9) rules that he should still endeavor to daven at the same time as the minyan.  Besides the kabbalistic benefits that his prayers will somehow be joined with those of the minyan, there is also a practical benefit to davening at a specific time. Even if one isn’t davening with a minyan, there is still a proper time to daven. Davening is important. It belongs on the schedule, not merely on the to do list, to be “squeezed in” somewhere during the day.

A similar concept can be found with regard to Torah study. The Talmud (Shabbos 31a) says that a person will be asked: Kovaato Itim L’Torah- Did you set a steady time for Torah study? The question implies that we are not looking just to have Torah study on the to do list each day. Rather the goal is that there should be a set time which is scheduled for Torah.

This theme seems to have been very much on the minds of Chazal, because it finds application in yet another interesting case. If a person has two shuls available to him, one closer, and one further, the question presents itself: which one should he daven in? Our tradition (see Sotah 22a) is that he should choose the further one because he will get additional reward for the extra distance that he had to travel for the mitzvah. The issue is not just one of distance; it is a question of attitude and perspective. We strive to experience “destination Judaism” and not “haphazard Judaism”. By choosing the further shul, the person has chosen his place of prayer and not just left it to convenience.

This principle applies not only to time and place of a mitzvah, but also to one’s mind-frame as the mitzvah is performed. In Jewish Meditation, Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan describes how the skill of mediation can be applied to Jewish observance. When we are involved in a mitzvah, if an interrupting thought comes to us, we can gently push it off for a different time. Right now we are involved in a precious experience called a mitzvah.

This skill is alluded to in the Talmud (Brachos 63b) which writes in praise of the person who “kills himself in the house of Torah.” This passage is often understood to be referring to one who toils deeply to achieve excellence in Torah. Figuratively, he is “killing” himself to succeed. But the essence of the Talmudic passage is one of attitude. “Did you establish set times for Torah study? If an interruption came along did you make yourself ‘dead to the world’ until your session was over?” Or, was your cell phone sitting between you and the power of proper concentration.

The relationship of “a calling” that Moshe had with Hashem is one that we can emulate. By scheduling important mitzvos we lend an aura of importance and anticipation to them. A mitzvah becomes much more beautiful when it is anticipated; an appointment with Hashem is much more precious if it is not interrupted. Let us view mitzvos as steadfast commitments, and experience Hashem’s Calling every day of our lives.

With best wishes for a wonderful Shabbos.

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