Avrohom Yitzchok Stern headed to Stern’s Bakery after cheider. Totty had to work late, but didn’t want to miss learning together, so today they were going to learn together in Totty’s office. As Avrohom Yitzchok approached the bakery he looked over at the new building that had recently been built across the street. There was a long line of people waiting to enter.
“GRAND OPENING: Pete’s Kosher Bake Shoppe Extreme!” read a brand new sign in front of the building. “The ONLY place for Orthodox Jews to buy their baked goods!”
Avrohom Yitzchok frowned. He didn’t like the sound of this. He quickly crossed the street and entered Stern’s Bakery. Waving to the cashier, he headed through the “staff only” door, past the giant ovens where challos were being baked, around the chocolate chip cookie and donut machines, and through the door to the next room.
Avrohom Yitzchok didn’t even stop to look at the different experimental pastries being made in the experiment room as he quickly rushed towards the hallway leading to the corporate offices.
“Hi Avrohom Yitzchok, your father is waiting for you,” said Totty’s executive assistant cheerfully.
“Thanks,” said Avrohom Yitzchok as he walked into Totty’s office.
“Avrohom Yitzchok, what’s wrong?” said Totty, looking up from his desk and noticing his son’s worried face. Avrohom Yitzchok told Totty about Pete’s Kosher Bake Shoppe Extreme.
“Totty, the sign said that they have the best pastries in the world,” he said. “And they have seven experiment rooms and they say that they managed to invent a donut that only has half a hole in it! Totty, they’re going to put you out of business. What are you going to do???”
“Avrohom Yitzchok, sit down,” Totty said warmly. “First of all, parnasah is in the hands of Hashem. He is the One who decides whether or not my business succeeds, not some goy named Pete who decided to sell his used car dealership and open a kosher bakery.”
“But Totty, donuts with half a hole! How are you going to compete with that?”
“Open your Chumash to Parshas Bo,” said Totty. “I want to show you something.”
Avrohom Yitzchok opened his Chumash and Totty pointed to a posuk.
“Hachodesh hazeh lachem rosh chadashim,” Totty read. “This month is the first of the months for you. Now why is that? Rosh Hashanah is in Tishrei. Now turn to the beginning of the Chumash and look at the very first Rashi.”
Avrohom Yitzchok turned to Parshas Bereishis.
“Rashi says that the Torah really could have started with ‘Hachodesh hazeh lachem’,” he said.
“Exactly, said Totty. “The Torah started off by telling us how Hashem created the world, but it really could have skipped until the first mitzvos were given to Klal Yisroel.
“Now, before I continue, I want you to take a look at this.”
To Avrohom Yitzchok’s surprise, Totty pulled out a bag with the words “Pete’s Kosher Bake Shoppe Extreme” on it and emptied it out onto his desk. But instead of the delicious-looking pastries that had been advertised, a few burnt pieces of dough was all that was there.
Someone knocked on Totty’s office door.
“Come in!” called Totty.
“Mr. Stern,” said a young man, opening the door. “Pete’s Kosher Bake Shoppe Extreme just filed for bankruptcy. The store is closed and they are out of business.”
“Thank you for the good news, Heshy,” Totty said, before turning back to Avraham Yitzchok. “You see, a used car salesman can’t just build a building, call it a bakery, and expect to succeed. Pete didn’t know anything about baking pastries. All of his ‘bakers’ were just retired mechanics, and his ‘experiment rooms’ didn’t even have any ovens in them. That’s not really a bakery, is it?
“So too, Hashem created the world, but there would have been no point in it had we not been given the mitzvos. Just like a bakery is not a bakery if they don’t actually bake bread and pastries, this world is not a world if there are no mitzvos for the Yidden to do.
“And that’s why, just like Rosh Hashanah and Sefer Bereishis are about the creation of the world, Chodesh Nissan and Sefer Shemos are about the creation of the true purpose of the world.”
Avrohom Yitzchok smiled. “Thank you Hashem for giving our family parnasah. And thank you Hashem for creating the universe and giving us mitzvos which make this world a successful creation.
Have a Wonderful Shabbos!
Let’s Review:
- Why should the Torah have started with Parshas Hachodesh?
- What was the purpose of Hashem’s Creation?
