Therefore Rabbi Yehuda ben Tema said: וְרָץ כַּצ. Why not like a cheetah?! Because the cheetah goes to rest when satiated – but for Mitzvot, a Jew never rests!
A Jew from Beitar called me this week and told me something wonderful; and what better than sharing a wonderful story from a genuine yid. We learned in last week’s Parsha that one should not belittle any Mitzvah; when a person comes to daven – wash your hands! Before a meal – wash your hands properly! And before Birkat Hamazon, wash with Mayim Acharonim. I know of a shul where people walk by an old faucet that has not seen running water for thirty years – they give it a few taps before rubbing their hands together. I once asked someone to share the water that came out, and I think it was the first time they realized the faucet was bone dry!
This Jew told me that two years ago, on Erev Rosh Hashanah, he took upon himself to wash his hands before davening, and indeed, everything went smoothly all year. A week ago, he took his wife to bathe in the sea in Tel Aviv, and left her there to go on a walk along the Yarkon. As sunset approached, he heard "Mincha, Mincha!!!" "Great! I'll daven Mincha!" – but there was a problem. No faucets to be found! He could have reasoned, "Ah, Ribono Shel Olam, I meant every word, but with the exception of the Yarkon! I meant if I were in a Shul!” But such is not a proper answer, so he set out to fulfill his obligation, grabbing a cup and descending down to the river to fill it so he could wash his hands! He then told me, “I put the cup into the water, and suddenly I see a hand floating on the surface! Surely, it's a doll, I told myself; but a second later, I see a head too! I jumped straight into the water, and suddenly I discover I'm lifting out a girl! Since I work in Hatzalah, I knew what to do – I applied the right pressure, and she coughed everything out! A few seconds later, B’Siyata Dishmaya, her breathing returned! Several minutes later, I heard her mother searching for her, Rivki! Rivki! If another minute had passed, we would have had a terrible casualty!"
The Gemara says (Yoma 83b): מַיִם אַחֲרוֹנִים הָרְגוּ אֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ. If Mayim Acharonim killed the soul, Mayim Rishonim saved the soul! A person accepted upon himself to wash hands before davening – a Mitzvah that a person tramples with his heels – and this saved a soul of Klal Yisrael! And what happens now? All the Mitzvot that this Jewish girl will perform — she and all her descendants and their descendants – will stand in merit for that Jew! For this it says: גּוֹמֵל לְאִישׁ חָסִיד כְּמִפְעָלוֹ – He rewards man with kindness according to his deeds!
We have learned that we must be like that צְבִי – running to a light Mitzvah as to a severe one; not to miss any Mitzvah or any merit! We have less than forty days until the upcoming Rosh Hashanah. Let's use the time for Teshuva, Mitzvot, and Ma’asim Tovim, and Hakadosh Baruch Hu will bless this month of Elul for us and send us Mashiach Tzidkeinu speedily in our days, Amen and Amen! ◊
