{א}וַי ֹּ֤אמֶר ה' אֶל-מ שֶֶׁ֔ה אֱמ ֹ֥ר אֶל-הַכ ֹּֽהֲנ ִ֖ים בְּנֵֵ֣י אַֹּֽהֲר ֹ֑ ן וְּא ֹּֽמַרְּ ת ֵ֣ אֲלֵהֶֶׁ֔ם לְּנֶֹ֥פֶש ל ֹּֽא-י טַמ ִ֖א בְּעַמ ֹּֽיו:
("And Hashem said to Moshe: speak to the kohanim, sons of Aharon, and tell them: he shall not defile himself to a person of his nation.")
Asks the Ohr haChaim haKadosh: First, why does it say emor, "tell", and not daber, "speak", like it does everywhere else in the Torah? And second, why does it say "the kohanim sons of Aharon," and not "sons of Aharon who are kohanim," placing the "description" (kohanim) before the people (sons of Aharon)?
Says the Ohr haChaim: the posuk is teaching us the reason that kohanim have more rules—because of their greatness! This is why we use a more refined word of "emor", and also why we mention first that they are kohanim.
This is exactly like the Chovos haLevavos in Sha'ar Avodas Elokim (chapter six) that says that the more "good" Hashem does for a person, the more the person is expected to do back for Him! And, like the Chovos haLevavos explains (beginning of the sha'ar), the whole reason we serve Hashem is simply out of appreciation (hakares hatov) for all the good that He is constantly doing for us! Comes out, if you want to "boost" your service of Hashem, start focusing more and more on all the good that He does for you!
Story:
A yid once went to a great Chasidishe rebbe, and mentioned how he enjoys learning Torah. The rebbe responded that that is great, but a yid must remember that everything centers around the Will of Hashem!
Question:
I feel like I am either "too-busy" or "out of things to do". Advice?
Answer:
Take your situation right now and try to think of reasons why it is good, and why the other situation is not! (see Chovos haLevavos Sha'ar haBitachon Chapter 4 Number 3). And get ready for the miracles to start flying...
