In order to connect the sated to the thirsty. Hashem will not wish to forgive him. (Devarim 29:18-19)
Jews are Thirsty
This pasuk speaks of those who are thirsty, and of their opposite, those who are sated. Chazal learn an important principle from this:
Said Rav Yehudah, said Rav: Regarding someone who returns a lost object to a non-Jew, the Torah says, “In order to connect the sated to the thirsty. Hashem will not wish to forgive him.”
Rashi explains that non-Jews are called “sated.” They feel they have had enough already and they are not thirsty for their Creator. Jews are called “thirsty” because they thirst and desire to fear their Creator and keep His mitzvos. When a person returns a lost object to a non-Jew, he is in effect “connecting” and equating non-Jews to Jews.
And what exactly is the problem with returning a lost object to a non-Jew?
When a person returns a lost object to non-Jews, although there is no mitzvah to do so, he is treating them the same as he treats Jews, to whom there is indeed a mitzvah to return a lost object. This shows that in his eyes, returning an object is not a mitzvah of his Creator.
So explains Rashi.
Here we see the difference between a non-Jew and a Jew. A Jew is “thirsty” and a non-Jew is sated. The non-Jew might not always be sated, but for him, there is such a state. If he has a house and home, if he has everything he needs, that’s it. He is relaxed and at peace with life.
A Jew is always “thirsty.” He is always looking for “water.” He is never truly relaxed and at peace with life.
It’s that way also in gashmiyus. A friend of mine told me that he stayed in a hotel in Europe. The owner, a non-Jew with a chain of hotels around the world, said to him as follows: every person in the world, if you give him good service, he will be satisfied. But not a Jew. No matter how hard you try, he is never satisfied. He always has complaints. Whatever you give him, he will always want something else, something better.
My friend replied to the hotel owner that this is because a Jew is always searching for something greater. I would offer a different explanation. A Jew does not just search for ruchniyus. He also despises all gashmiyus. Material things cannot satisfy him.
In any case, the principle we learn from the above-quoted pasuk is that a Jew is thirsty by nature. He never feels sated. He cannot be satisfied by the pleasures of this world because this is not our world. And this is something every Jew needs to know.
Doing Mitzvos is Who We Are
The Ramchal teaches us a principle in Sefer Mesilas Yesharim:
A person’s essential being in this world is only to keep mitzvos and serve Hashem and withstand trials. Regarding worldly pleasures, it is fitting for a person to partake of them only as a help and assistance so he will be settled and clear-minded, so he can focus on the avodah he must perform.
It is not for enjoyment and pleasure that we came here, to this world. There is no moment that a Jew can say that right now he doesn’t need to learn Torah, or that right now he can’t learn because he is restless for something else, after all, he needs to live life, too... this goes against the true Jewish feeling toward life and its purpose.
Many of us don’t understand this. We realize that our main purpose in this world is Torah and mitzvos. We know this is the most important thing of all. But many of us think that after all, life is life. A human being is a human being. And this world is a world, too. Sometimes you need to rest a little, you deserve a break....
There is a story about a schnorrer who went to the US to collect money. When he got off the plane he saw a dollar bill on the floor. Someone said to him, “Nu, pick it up!” he replied, “I didn’t start working yet.”
We are taught that we need to do mitzvos at every moment. That we need to collect every mitzvah that we can get ahold of. But we feel like replying, “First let me rest a little, then I will start to work. In two weeks, I will travel back to the yeshivah, and when I get there, I will learn and daven like I should. But right now, I am on vacation (or I am between sedarim). Let me live!”
The Ramchal taught us in the above-quoted principle that according to true Jewish outlook, there is no such thing as that. Even when it comes to material enjoyments, for instance, a person picks out for himself a new suit or a nice tie, it is not because he has a right to “live life.” Such a thing is against the whole Jewish hashkafah! It’s because if you wear a nice tie, it will make you feel good, and then you can learn with more zest and energy. But without this goal, it goes against your whole being as a Jew, both generally and personally.
On the practical level, it is obvious that not everyone is able to live with such tension. A person is permitted to take enjoyments so he will feel settled and be clear-minded. But we can’t forget what we are here for. A person needs to keep in mind מה חובתו בעולמו, as the Sefer Mesilas Yesharim calls it. This is a matter of hashkafah, of feeling, of believing that only for Torah and mitzvos did we come to this world.
Charedim
Unfortunately, there are Jews who don’t look at it this way.
This is what sets true bnei Torah apart from those who vaguely describe themselves as “religious” or “Orthodox.” It is this feeling. It is in fact quite appropriate that in Israel, the community of which bnei Torah form the core is called “Charedim.” This term implies total care and concern for Torah and mitzvos. Literally, it denotes those who shake from fear of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Because this is what our whole being is supposed to be.
We should be in fear twenty-four hours a day. We should not be relaxed and comfortable. We should not be at rest at all; we should be constantly seeking to serve Hashem more and better.
This is what sets true bnei Torah apart. Those who vaguely describe themselves as religious Jews do indeed have religion in their lifestyle, but they are not in constant fear and trembling over Torah and mitzvos. They learn, they go to shul, but they also live their lives.
This goes against the true Torah hashkafah. To a ben Torah, the world means nothing. It has no significance, and neither does this-worldly pleasure and enjoyment. A wealthy man who once visited the home of the Chofetz Chayim asked him, “Where is the furniture?” Why don’t you have any furniture to speak of in your home? The Chofetz Chayim answered that he is in the middle of a journey from one place to another. He didn’t get where he is going yet, so he doesn’t have furniture while on the road.
This world is not our place. We have no rest here. This is true Jewish hashkafah. We don’t have a home because we are travelling; we are on the road. We grab a bite to eat here and there so we can keep going. We are not settled down in this world, not even for a moment.
It is a matter of hashkafah, of knowing the truth. A person needs to know that this world is nothing but a place to prepare and get ready for what comes next. Every moment, we are at work. We need to live in the world, but we need to always remember that this is not our world. There is a world that is ours, and when we get there, we will rest. These short seventy years are like a train ride. We are constantly in motion, traveling toward our true destination.
Practically Speaking
So far, we have talked about the theory of the matter, the hashkafah. How do you practice this hashkafah in real life, in daily life?
Do all your deeds for the sake of Heaven.
What we have been talking about is a tremendous subject. Being connected to it is the peak of human greatness. But it needs to be divided into two.
The first part is to know clearly what you are doing here. When people feel tense, they often get themselves something sweet to eat. The person feels that he is on a break right now, or he is on vacation, and he wants to relax.
But we need to know that in hashkafah, there is no such thing as, “I am on vacation right now.” We can do it, we can get ourselves something tasty to eat, because it calms us down. But when we do this, it needs to be with the clear understanding that we are eating so we will be able to continue on with renewed energy.
