Friday, 20 October 2017

Miller's Musings Parshas Noach: No Job Too Small

בס''ד


A metaphor is a powerful tool used in all forms of literature and communication to express descriptions that may otherwise allude us.  Within the Torah, however, if one thing is portrayed as being akin to something else, the comparison is beyond the superficial, but rather reveals essential characteristics of that which it is compared to.  Rashi on the words “these are the offspring of Noach”, makes the comment that the main offspring of the righteous are their good deeds.  If it is as we have stated, then there must be far more to this association than a mere figure of speech.  In which case we must determine how exactly one’s mitzvos are fundamentally like one’s children.

The relationship that a parent shares with a child is entirely unique on any number of levels.  The love that a mother or father has for their child is something that transcends any obstacles or impediments to its existence.  No matter what a child does and no matter how much they may disappoint those who raised them, this deep sense of love remains intact, well beyond when it would have dissipated if challenged in this manner with any other relationship.  To relate this to mitzvos, Reb Moshe Feinstein zt’l informs us that this should also be our attitude towards them.  There will be times when our performance of mitzvos will not be to the standard that we would like or they may not be of as great consequence as we would like.  The truth is that every mitzvah is of infinite value, no matter to what degree of perfection it is done and no matter how insignificant it might seem.  Just as we never lose that love for our children, irrespective of their choices, so too we must always cherish every good deed that we do, irrespective of its impact and perceived worth.

One of the greatest challenges we face is the challenge to truly appreciate ourselves.  We may look around and see others who have achieved great things and garnered praise and admiration, and consequently look upon our own accomplishments as feeble in comparison.  This is a grave error in both its accuracy and in the effect that such thinking will create.  The truth is that each of us are given a role to accomplish and our task is not to look for the most prestigious acts to fulfil, but to take each moment and ask what it is we should be doing now.  Every time we choose to act according to the will of Hashem, we are realising the wishes of the Creator.  We must cherish each one of these choices and appreciate just how great they truly are.

*May each moment of Shabbos bring us appreciation of its true worth*

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם 
לעילוי נשמת שרה יעל בת ברכה אסתר



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