The grandson of Rebbe Henoch of Alexander zt'l had his bar mitzvah on Shabbos Bereishis. The Rebbe of Alexander told his grandson that בראשית is gematriya ג"תרי. The bright bar mitzvah bachur immediately asked, "But בראשית also has a 'ש!" The letters of בראשית, without the ן"שי are gematriya ג"תרי, but there's a shin there, too.
The Rebbe replied that 'ש is gematriya יצר, the yetzer hara. בראשית implies that when one rids himself of the הרע יצר, he will be able to keep the ג'תרי mitzvos. The Rebbe added that this is the meaning of the phrase we say on Yom Kippur, ליצר תפן ואל הבט לברית: You can keep the ג"תרי mitzvos (which are gematriya ת"ברי with the kollel) when you don't pay attention to the yetzer hara.
The snake said to Chavah, ...הגן עץ מכל תאכלו לא אלקים אמר כי אף, "Did Hashem say that you may not eat from all trees in the garden?" The Chidushei HaRim said that אף can be translated, "So what?" The snake told Chavah, "So what if Hashem commanded you? Does that mean you have to listen?" The Chidushei HaRim explains that the yetzer hara continues to use this method in our generation, to cool off people's yiras shamayim. He comes to a person and says, "who says that it's so important to listen to this law? Is it really so important? What will happen if you don’t listen?" With this conniving approach, he causes people to sin and transgress Hashem's will.
In this week's parsha it says, (2:18) כנגדו עזר לו אעשה לבדו האדם היות טוב לא אלקים 'ד ויאמר). The Akeidah explains (רמז בדרך) that the עזר, the helper, is referring to the yetzer hara. Hashem says, לבדו האדם היות טוב לא, it isn't good when man is alone, without struggles and challenges. The value of our deeds are so much greater when we are confronted with challenges and we overcome them to serve Hashem.
Rebbe Yochanan of Stolin zy'a told the following parable: An artist drew a beautiful painting that sold for a lot of money. He also made photocopies and sold those for a fraction of the price of the original. Why? The copies are just as beautiful as the original. Why are they worth so much less? The answer is: Art isn't only about how beautiful it is. It's about appreciating the effort that went into the painting, the artist's talent, training, and energies.
Rebbe Yochonon of Stolin zt'l said that the same is with avodas Hashem. It isn't just the deeds that Hashem wants from us. The heart and effort that one puts into the mitzvos are what make them truly valuable.
