Lech Lecha 13:2 “ואברהם כבד מאד, במקנה בכסף ובזהב” “Avrohom was very rich in cattle, silver, and gold.” The Loshon of כבד means heavy. Why does the Torah use this Loshon to tell us that he was laden with riches – instead of just telling us that he had much cattle, silver, and gold? Perhaps an even better question, why does the Torah tell us about his material riches at all? Is it important in life to have much cattle, silver, and gold? Shouldn’t we be focused on the spiritual wealth that Avrohom had acquired?
The holy Ben Ish Chai tells us that there is an amazing lesson to learn from the word, “כבד”. The Torah is coming to teach us here of the sterling Middos of Avrohom Avinu. Although we see numerous times that Avrohom Avinu had the midah of zrizus, being quick and alert to perform the commands of Hashem, he did not act like that in every aspect of his life. 12:4 “וילך אברם כשאר דבר אליו ד'” – “And Avrom went like Hashem spoke to him” – he went immediately and with great alacrity, even though he was already elderly, as he was seventy-five years old at the time. 22:2,3 “ולך לך אל ארץ המוריה, והעלהו שם לעולה” – “And go to the land Moriah and bring him there as a Korbon Olah.” Avrohom Avinu was commanded to bring his beloved son, Yitzchok Avinu, as a Korbon Olah, and he got up early in the morning and went to do it with great zrizus. We see clearly the midah of zrizus that permeated Avrohom Avinu. One may have thought that perhaps this was his personality; he likes to get things done quickly. To this the Torah tells us, “ואברהם כבד מאד “ – כבד – from a Loshon of heavy, being weighed down by it, doing it slowly. In regards to matters of Gashmiyos – cattle, silver, and gold – he did not act with zrizus. That was not what was important to him. It was only Ruchniyos that mattered to him, and all matters of Ruchniyos he did with great zrizus. Serving Hakodosh Boruch Hu with zrizus is a good crown for a person, for through it one can perform Avodas Hakodesh the way it should be.
Avos 5:23 “הוי עז כנמר, וקל כנשר, ורץ כצבי, וגבור כארי לעשות רצון אביך שבשמים” – “Be strong as a leopard, swift like an eagle, swift like a deer, and brave as a lion, to do the will of Your Father Who is in Heaven.” The Mishna is telling us that one of the fundamental middos needed to serve Hakodosh Boruch Hu is with zrizus, like the deer. Every midah, such as zrizus and the like, have a source for how one can achieve that midah. The source of the midah of zrizus is the midah of Simcha, having joy in Torah and Mitzvos. That is the nature of people, that anything that one will have joy from it, he is quick to do it – he does it with zrizus. If one does not enjoy it, and makes him sad, then he will be lazy about it, and procrastinate. Thus, the midah of Simcha is the mother of the midah of zrizus, and these two middos are bound together – excellent middos for one to have.
Are You Lazy?
How to Conquer That Trait in Avodas Hashem
- RABBI YAKOV YOSEF SCHECHTER
