By Rabbi
Yisroel Shusterman
This
week’s Parsha Perspective is dedicated by Mr. Binyomin Philipson in memory of
his late mother
Mrs.
Ellen (Elka bas Zisel) Philipson OBM
In the Midrash
explaining our Torah portion this week Vayeira (Bereishis 18:1-22:24),
the Midrash tells of how Abraham devised a unique method for sharing his
monotheistic beliefs with the masses. He erected a tent in middle of the desert
and any traveler who entered would be served a sumptuous meal which included
bread, meat, wines and other delicacies. When the guest was satiated and was
ready to continue on his journey, Abraham would ask him to thank the Creator
for the food he had just eaten. If the guest couldn't formulate a blessing on
his own, Abraham would teach him to say: "Blessed be the Master of the
World, whose food we have eaten."
Occasionally, a
recalcitrant pagan would refuse Abraham's request. At this point, the Midrash says,
Abraham would provide his guest with a bill for all the food which had been
served: Pita – $150. Soup de jour – $300. Entrée – $500. Beverage – $100. In
response to the miserable guest's protests, Abraham would patiently explain
that in a free-market society prices are determined by supply and demand. Such
outrageous food prices are justified in a desert, where such provisions are
extremely scarce. "However," Abraham graciously concluded, "I
will happily waive all charges if you consent to thank the A-mighty for the
meal!"
Even the most ardent
pagan was hard pressed to refuse such a proposal...
Though this story
demonstrates our Patriarch's ingenuity and is a testament to his commitment to
his mission of publicizing G-d's holy name amongst the population, it begs
the question: what was Abraham accomplishing through extracting "forced
blessings" from reluctant idol worshippers? The enlightened world has long
eschewed employing coercive tactics to obtain verbal statements - realizing
that declarations made under duress are utterly worthless. Why, then, did
Abraham attach any value to blessings which were obviously uttered out of
desperation?
Our sages tell us
that "actions affect the heart." Abraham understood that the most
effective way to influence a person, to nudge him in a spiritual direction, is
actually getting him to do a mitzvah. Oftentimes, a person who lives in a
spiritual void needs some prodding, and when the person is persuaded to do a
mitzvah, the simple beauty of submitting to the authority of a Higher Being is
highly addictive. For the person who is completely engrossed in mundane
activities, the moment when he/she is given the opportunity to connect with G-d
is a breath of fresh air. This is something which must be experienced -
no amount of explanation can replace the feeling experienced when doing a
mitzvah. Undoubtedly, every person is endowed with Free Choice, and can
therefore choose to ignore the effect of the mitzvah, but inducing another Jew
to actually do a mitzvah is the best weapon we have in our holy mission of
bringing Jews closer to their Father in Heaven.
So, you can leave
the thumb-screw at home, but we should always be gently prodding other Jews -
be they friends, acquaintances, or family members - to do another mitzvah.
Doing is believing!
(Excerpts
from Chabad.org - by Rabbi Naftali Silberberg)
May you have a meaningful and uplifting
Shabbos!
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