A tiny letter (vov) at the beginning of this week’s portion encapsulates the secret of man's spiritual building.
This was at the end of a lecture at the seminar that dealt with the sanctity of the Sabbath and the many details of its laws.
Rabbi, one of the participants wanted to understand, “Why does Judaism devote so much time to all these small details?” “For a very simple reason,” the lecturer replied. “Because in Judaism there are no small or big details. All details are great.”
It is easy for a person to get excited about a great vision, to soar towards uplifting experiences and lofty ideas that raise the horizon and expand the heart. But the place where man is built and his true growth takes place is not on the top of the firmament but on the ground of the reality of everyday actions. In order for the grand vision to have a real impact, it is necessary to break it down into practical deeds.
The Israelites had just stood at the foot of Mount Sinai and experienced an amazing Divine revelation that changes the entire course of history. Their eyes saw and no stranger and their ears heard the sound rising out of the fog and the burning torches. For a brief moment, the heavens opened and the entire nation of Israel ascended to the level of prophecy and saw the act of God. Everyone experienced an unparalleled spiritual peak.
But then the sounds pass and the lightning passes, the torches go out, and the big lights have to be lowered into the gray and mundane reality. The great class ended and soon the Israelites would continue their journey to the expanses of the desert sands. This is where the real test moment begins, because it is easy to get excited and admire a one-time sublime event, but it is much harder to persevere and live the grinding daily life out of the constant sanctification of God.
One of the most important letters in a portion of sentences is the essay that appears at the beginning of its opening verse; "And these are the sentences you will put before them." On this little hook (vov) hangs basically the entire Torah. This hook (vov) connects what preceded it – the Great Revelation, the status of Mount Sinai, "I am the Lord your G-d" – to what immediately follows: the encounter with ordinary life with all its pettiness and annoyance. An ox that butchered the cow, a pit in the public domain, pests and damages, a thief who has nothing to pay, an ox of your enemy lying under his burden, lies and bribes.
The contrast between the two portions could not be greater, and nevertheless the Torah emphasizes: "And these are the sentences" If you wish that the great occasion will not remain a one-time event but will become a way of life of "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation", then immediately they must be translated into laws and sentences that will meet you in all the tangles and curves of life and will shine the light of holiness even on its dark corners.
"G-d wanted to refine Israel – therefore they were given many Torah and mitzvot/ these were meant to refine and elevate every aspect and area of a person's life, and since life consists of many areas, it is inevitable that Torah and mitzvot must be increased.
This phenomenon is prominent among the maintainers and ba'al teshuvah. The first stage, the seminar itself, is likened to the status of Mount Sinai in miniature and suddenly it becomes clear to a person that there is God in the world, that He has given us a comprehensive guidebook, and that there is meaning and purpose to our existence. These are all sensational discoveries that change man's entire approach and outlook on life.
The excitement is immense. At the symposium, which takes place on Saturday night at the end of the seminar, people go on stage and, with tears in their eyes, accept mitzvot. One takes upon himself Shabbat, another takes upon himself modesty, and another declares that he will study Torah. These declarations are real, and only those who have been privileged to be present on such a occasion know how much electricity is in the air. But if the "Arachim" chairmen were satisfied with this, the teshuva movement would not have reached its large scope. For after every Saturday comes Sunday. The seminar participants return to their place of residence and routine. The great lights dim and are finally completely buried beneath the mundane dust. The exciting parallels can turn into mere nostalgic memories.
The secret of the success of "Arachim" is in the department that bears the obscure name, follow-up care, here lies the great transformation and the real change. For months and years after the seminar, Avrachi "Arachim" come to the home of each participant, keepin constant contact with him, accompany him through all the ups and downs of life, and teach him how to integrate the great lights he received into life itself.
And these are the sentences.
Man's spiritual stature is made up of countless small acts that accumulate on top of each other. "Be cautious in a mitzvah as light as in severe, that you do not know the reward of mitzvot" [Avot 2:1]. We do not have a standard for assessing the value of an action whether it is small or large, and it is possible that it is precisely the small actions, those that create a person's reality, that are actually the great actions, since they are the most influential. Like the drops of water that erode stones, the small deeds done with consistency and perseverance gradually erode a person's spiritual image, for better or worse.
