Q:
How can we explain that Rabi Chanina’s son died young because he chopped down a fruit tree before his time (Bava Kamma 91b)?
A:
Because a fruit tree is supposed to remain and to teach and to give benefits to the world. Of course, to give also luscious fruits to the world. And when he didn’t understand that lesson – not merely because he deprived the world of that individual tree – but he didn’t understand sufficiently the greatness of this lesson. He should have approached the tree with reverence.
And that’s how we should approach an apple or a nut. With reverence! We’re seeing testimonies of the Creator. And because he was lacking to some extent in that attitude, so Hakadosh Baruch Hu took him out of the world. It was a demonstration how important it is to utilize this life to revere and to benefit from the creations of Hashem.
Tape #443
