Someone cried before the Rebbe of Ropshitz zt'l that his talis and tefillin were stolen. The Ropshitzer replied in his renowned humorous manner: "Why are you upset? The tefillin weren't yours, anyway. One of them was Rashi's, and the other was Rabbeinu Tam's. The talis wasn't yours either, because it was a Turkish talis. (A talis made from Turkish wool is called a 'Turkish talis'. With a play on words, the Ropshitzer said, "The talis doesn't belong to you. It belongs to a Turk.") The siddur wasn't yours, because it was a Bardichover siddur. So, what did they steal from you? Only the bag, which was anyway torn and had many holes. So why are you complaining?"
There are undoubtedly profound ideas concealed in these simple words. This great tzaddik didn't speak in vain. Although we don't know his intention, we will bring out one lesson: A person has many good deeds: Torah, tefillah, and mitzvos, but they aren't his. They are his teachers, who taught and trained him to act in this manner. Besides, Chazal (Vayikra Rabba 27:2) say, "Whoever made a bris milah on his son before I gave him a son? Who built a מעקה, a fence around his roof, before I gave him a roof? Who put up a mezuzah before I gave him a house? Who made a succah before I gave him a location on which to do so?" So, in a way, a person doesn't do anything. Hashem gives him the ability to do the mitzvah and the knowledge on how to do the mitzvah he received from his teachers and parents. So what does the person do? He is nothing more than a קיבול כלי, a vessel, a utensil, to do Hashem's will!
So, what is man's? In the story, the talis bag was ripped and torn and had many holes. This represents the many tests placed before man. That part is his. He has tests and hardships performing the mitzvos but successfully overcame the challenges and served Hashem. That is the person's portion in the mitzvos!
The parashah begins, אויבך על למלחמה תצא כי, "When you go out to a war against your enemy..." The simple meaning of the pasuk is about wars, but the remez, the implied explanation, refers to the battle against the yetzer hara.
