בס''ד
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This
week’s Miller’s Musings is sponsored
לעילוי נשמת
לאה בת אברהם
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Quote of the Week:
“Live
your life by a compass, not by a clock.”
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Miller’s Musings
משפטיםפרשת
See-nai
Every Day
No one likes to be interrupted, especially
mid-flow. Yet the Torah, in the middle
of perhaps the most important narrative of all, does just that. The giving of
the Torah, Hashem’s only direct interaction with an entire nation, and humanity
being presented with the very purpose of our existence, is interposed with the
numerous laws outlined in our Parsha.
They are indisputably important directives for daily living, such as
those relating to personal injury, liabilities and the judicial system. But is
it entirely necessary to have them interject during such a monumental episode
as that of receiving the Torah?
If we were to analyse what it was
that was so remarkable and unique about Hashem appearing at Sinai, it was the
unparalleled connection that we had with Hashem at that time. Leaving aside what we were given and the
implications of such a wondrous gift, just being so close to Hashem at that
time and experiencing His presence in such an intimate and manifest way, was
something unequaled throughout all of history. It would be natural to therefore
assume that this was the pinnacle of human existence. A moment that would remain the consummate
point of connection that could never be rivalled. Yet the truth is not so clear. If Hashem wanted this to be the endpoint and
aim for our lives then He would have made this permanently possible for us to
achieve. But our purpose and our goal is
to connect with Hashem in all we do. Through
our mundane daily living. Through our interactions
with each other. Through the way we
conduct ourselves in our work life and businesses. Perhaps the message of the Torah is that
these laws that govern the more commonplace lived experiences are just as much
connecting with Hashem as that of the Divine Revelation at Sinai, and in fact
create an even more profound relationship with Him. These laws are placed in
the middle of this epic event because they are that very thing that Sinai
created; an opportunity, every day and every moment, to feel Hashem’s presence
in our lives and this time be the instigator of this transcendence.
It is a part of the human
condition that those things that we permanently possess are the things that are
appreciated the least, but are often worth the most. Our health, our family, our financial
security, are all things we seem to only begin to fully value once they are
gone. This may equally be true with the
mitzvos we are so fortunate to have been given.
We sometimes regard those more sporadic commandments as having
intrinsically more value to them, just because of their rarity, whilst
minimising the importance of those that make up our daily schedule or are what
we would consider part of being a decent human being. But davening, blessings, concern for each
other, simple kindnesses and acting with integrity are worth more than we can
possibly realise and are continuations of that moment at Sinai when we
connected with Hashem with such intensity.
We must try to see all the good we do in this vein, knowing that each
act we do strengthens our relationship with our Father above.
*May
the goodness we do this Shabbos be appreciated by us as much as it is by Him*
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