To be ‘shomer mitzvot’ does not mean to keep mitzvot!
That is the surprising view of the Or HaChaim Hakadosh. If that’s the case, what does being ‘shomer mitzvot’ mean? The Or HaChaim explains that it means ‘to look forward to the performance of mitzvot.’ He derives this from a passuk that we’re all familiar with from our kiddush on Shabbat: ‘ՈՒՄՐՈՒ ԲՆԵՅ ՅԻՐՁԱԵԼ ԱՃ ՀԱՐԲԱՃ ԼԱՐՔՈՃ ԱՃ ՀԱՐԲԱՃ’ which we usually translate as, ‘and the people of Israel shall keep the Shabbat to perform the mitzvot of Shabbat.’
The Or HaChaim points out that ‘ԼԱՐՔՈՃ ԱՃ ՀԱՐԲԱՃ’ surely means ‘to do Shabbat’ – to perform the mitzvot of Shabbat, which we usually call ‘keeping’ Shabbat, so if that’s the case what is ‘ՈՒՄՐՈՒ ԲՆԵՅ ՅԻՐՁԱԵԼ’ – ‘and the people of Israel shall keep’?
With regard to Shabbat, he explains, it means to look forward to each and every Shabbat.
Where does he derive this from?
It’s from Parshat Vayeishev. In Parshat Vayeishev, we read about the dreams of Yosef. The reaction of his brothers in Bereishit 37:11 was, ‘ԱՀԻՈ ԲՈ ՈԻՓՆԱՈՒ - His brothers were jealous of him,’
But what was the reaction of his father Yaakov? ‘ՈԱԲԻՈ ՈՄՐ ԱՃ ՀԴԲՐ - and his father was shomer this matter,’ meaning Yaakov knew that Yosef’s dreams were prophecy and therefore he looked forward to the day when he would see the fulfilment of these dreams, when the rest of the family and all of society would pay homage and respect to Yosef who would be a great ruler.
Shomer therefore means to look forward to, and as a result to be ‘shomer mitzvot’ means to have a passion for mitzvot. To be ‘oseh mitzvot’ of course means to fulfil the mitzvot, but from here we learn a very relevant and important lesson for us today. Is it not only important to technically and practically carry out mitzvot, through which we can check a box with their fulfilment. If we want to preserve our tradition and guarantee that future generations will be as passionate as we are about mitzvot, we should celebrate them and perform them with absolute passion. We are so fortunate and privileged through the Torah, to have a code of law and a guide to a fulfilling meaningful and joyous existence.
Let us therefore be truly ‘shomrei mitzvot’ looking forward to the performance with passion of each and every precept that Hashem has gifted us.
So let us join together and pray with all our hearts for the healing of all those injured, for the safe return of those taken as hostages, as well as Divine Protection for our brave IDF soldiers, police officers, medical professionals, firefighters, ZAKA members, security personnel and all those citizens protecting us in Israel as well as around the world, and for those who need healing, shidduchim, children or parnassah and may we be blessed to have the most awesome, gorgeous, beautiful, peaceful, healthy, amazing, relaxed, spiritual, safe, quiet and sweet Shabbat, happy Chanukah and Chodesh Tov.