Parshas Behar-Bechukosai 5786
- Torah Tavlin
- 18 hours ago
- 2 min read
גוים יבאו ... ויאמרו אך שקר נחלו אבותינו ... (ירמיהו טז-יט)
Once again, in his compassionate, caring, yet esoteric way, Yirmiyahu HaNavi blends the tragic decline of the Jewish nation with the love that Hashem has for Klal Yisroel no matter the circumstance.
R’ Yosef Duchas zt”l (Bais Yosef Lehava) writes that Chazal detail how the Torah was offered to other nations before it was given to the Jewish people. Each nation was given the chance to receive the Torah but declined for a specific reason. Edom refused because they wouldn’t be able to stop killing. Yishmael refused on grounds that they were unable to curb their immorality, and so on and so forth. Interestingly, the common denominator between them was that their reasons for refusal were all commandments that they are required to follow even as gentiles. How then can that be a reason for them to not accept the Torah?
The Torah is vast with many different components to it and could very easily become intimidating which was the colossal mistake of the gentiles. They wrongfully assumed that there is a concept of all or nothing and that if they transgressed a commandment, Hashem would turn His back on them. What they did not realize is that Hashem operates in a different manner. Truthfully, all one really needs to do is try his hardest, and as long as he tries, the outcome won’t matter. As an extremely important mitzvah, a Jew must study the Torah as much as he can, however he is not measured for results. Rather, a person is measured for his toil and hard work.