Let’s Get Practical
Now, that’s going to be our talk for tonight – Beyond the Line of Duty – but we need to explain what it means first, how to do it, because a lot of people get snagged on that. How do you fulfill lifnim mishuras hadin?
Of course, there are many ways. I want to note there’s somebody here tonight who recently did something beyond the line of duty. One of our people was stranded in the big snowstorm and this man went out of his way in a remarkable demonstration of concern for a fellow Jew! Absolutely, we include that in lifnim mishuras hadin, in going beyond the duty for the sake of a fellow Jew. But we’re going to see now that there’s an entirely different area of this subject that is not discussed enough. And we’ll speak about a few examples in order to better understand the subject.
The Din of the Doorpost
In the Torah there’s a requirement that on the doorway, every doorway of a Jewish house there must be a mezuzah – a parchment with two parshiyos of the Shema inscribed on it – and that’s why in every home where they are loyal to the Torah, it’s axiomatic that they will hang mezuzos on all the doorways. And sometimes you might spend a good deal of money buying a very choshuv mehudar mezuzah and maybe even an expensive case for the mezuzah. It's beautiful as it stands in the doorway.
And yet when a Jew puts up a mezuzah, even the most beautiful and expensive one, you have to know that this man is not fulfilling all that the Torah requires of him! The din, the minimum requirement, he’s fulfilling, but actually he is falling short of the Torah! He’s being disloyal to the Torah by not fulfilling beyond the line of the minimum. And we’re going to see now what that means.
Shema Ideals
In the parsha of Shema we are taught some of the most important principles of Torah living. It speaks there about how we have to make Hashem our One interest, about loving Him and thinking about Him, about speaking words of Torah and giving our lives to Him. Other things too.
Now, about all these ideals the Torah says, ה∆ּל≈‡ יַרָב¿ּ„ ̇∆‡ ם∆ּ̇¿מַׂ ̆¿ו – you should put these words of Mine, ם∆כ¿בַב¿ל לַﬠ – upon your hearts, ם∆כ¿ׁ ̆¿פַנ לַﬠ¿ו – upon your souls (Devarim 11:18); it means you should impress them upon your mind and character. And it tells you that one of the expedients of doing that is by putting a mezuzah on your doorway: ך∆ ̇יּ≈ב ֹ̇זוּזו¿מ לַﬠ םָּ̇¿בַ ̇¿כּו. And so immediately we see that the mezuzah is given – not to be a door decoration; it’s for reminding, for thinking. In order to put these principles on our hearts and on our souls, we should put mezuzahs on our doorways.
Satisfying Hashem
Now, we understand of course that the Sanhedrin will not force you more than just to hang it up. As long as a man is willing to keep the laws of the Torah in its most minimal way, the Sanhedrin cannot step in and chastise or even criticize. After all, the Torah is dealing with a multitude. Not everybody has the same intelligence; not everybody is capable to the same degree. And so if the beis din will walk into your house and see mezuzos they won't bother you about anything more; they’re satisfied with you keeping the din.
But Hashem is not satisfied! “Is that what I gave you the mitzvah for?” He says. “Just to put it on the door and forget about it? I gave you this mitzvah with a purpose of reminding you of the Torah principles. And if you’re going to remain a person who functions at the lowest level and is satisfied with a mechanical observance, then certainly you are transgressing the purpose of My Torah. You’re not fulfilling the requirement of lifnim mishuras hadin that I want from you.”
The Mezuzah Program
Now we know people are human. We cannot expect people to be angels. But does that mean that you can pass in and out in and out, and each time without giving any thought at all to what the mezuzah is saying? And it’s saying many things! So you’ll sit back all your life, stuff your ears and do the bare minimum? No. The Torah obligates you to do more.
So make a program – I’m giving you homework now – open the siddur to Shema and look at the two parshiyos that we put in the mezuzah and make a plan, a list: “Each day when I pass the mezuzah, at least once I’ll choose something to think about.” That’s called living; that’s called living according to the principles of the Torah. Less than that, Hakadosh Baruch Hu says, “I'm looking for more! Not only ה∆ׂ ֲ̆ﬠַּמַה ̇∆‡ I want. I’m looking for ןּוׂ ֲ̆ﬠַּ̇ ר∆ׁ ֲ̆‡, that you go beyond the line of duty.”
Beyond the Strings
Now, that’s only one example. Mezuzah is a good example because it’s so available and so underutilized but there are so many other opportunities. Here's a boy wearing tzitzis. So the din, the minimum, he’s fulfilling. Very good!
But sometimes he knows as much about the purpose of tzitzis as a cow. Isn't that a pity? ם∆ּ̇¿רַכ¿זו'ה ֹ̇ו¿ˆƒמ לָּכ ̇∆‡ – It’s a reminder, you should think about all the mitzvos (Bamidbar 15:39). But he doesn't even think once. And he grows up and becomes a big old ox wearing tzitzis. Isn’t that a pity? How hard would it be to add a little thought? Every day he can choose one mitzvah to think about when he sees his tzitzis and to a certain extent he’s already fulfilling beyond the line of duty. He’s already a head taller.
And not only your own tzitzis; ל∆ˆ≈‡ הָּיƒ‡¿רƒּבּהָנ¿ׁ ̆∆ּי∆ׁ ̆יםƒר≈חֲ‡ – tzitzis is also for everyone else, for the people around you who can see them (Menachos 43a). So here's a mother with a lot of little boys in the house. The din, the minimum, she fulfilled; she bought tzitzis for all her children and she reminds them in the morning to put them on. But the Torah demands more from her. The Torah wants us to utilize the tzitzis, to constantly see tzitzis and be reminded of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. ֹו ֹ̇‡ ם∆ ̇יƒ‡¿רּו – And you should see Him! (Bamidbar 15:39). You should be reminded of Hashem when you see tzitzis.
That’s how a person can begin getting greater and greater each time; by understanding that tzitzis is not a mechanical thing. And how great would be the effect upon the Jewish nation if once more they awoke and they began to understand the treasures that lie in mitzvos.
Beyond Kosher
I can’t help myself so I’ll say another one or two examples. Let’s say, eating kosher. Which good Jew is not careful to eat only kosher foods? He’s very careful with what goes into his mouth; he’s concerned about the ingredients and only the best hechsher he’ll rely on.
But he doesn’t realize that he’s satisfying himself with the minimum. Because you know what kosher means? It says openly in the Torah: הָ‡≈מ¿ּטַל הָרֹה¿ּטַה הָמ≈ה¿ּבַה ין≈ּב ם∆ּ̇¿לַּ„¿בƒה¿ו – and you should separate between kosher and non-kosher ..., ם∆ ̇יƒי¿הƒויםƒׁ ֹ̆ו„¿ ̃ יƒל – and you should be holy to Me, יƒנֲ‡ ׁ ֹ̆ו„ָ ̃ יƒּכ'ה – because I am holy, יםƒּמַﬠָה ןƒמ ם∆כ¿ ̇∆‡ לƒּ„¿בַ‡ָו – and I separated you from the nations, יƒל ֹ̇יו¿הƒל – to be Mine (Vayikra 20: 25-26). That's said in the parshah of forbidden animals.
“You cannot eat these forbidden foods because I have separated you from the nations to be holy to Me.” Kashrus, that's our greatness; it’s our mark of distinction.
Greatness at the Dinner Table
So imagine you’re sitting down to eat at your kitchen table. And of course you’re eating only kosher food. Excellent! We’re proud of you! But remember, Hakadosh Baruch Hu is waiting for more – He’s waiting for your mind! Because according to the principle of going beyond the minimum he should think, “I thank You Hashem that You gave me a privilege of being from the aristocratic nation, a nation that has a special royal diet. My wife didn’t go to the salumeria, to the Italian delicatessen, to buy meat. She went only to the kosher butcher because we’re an aristocratic family.”
And even if it’s a small nosh so you're thinking, “These Lieber chocolates are a mark of loyalty, a sign of distinction from the nations of the world.” That’s what the little kosher symbol means; it means a badge of royalty forever. And it means that every time you check for a hechsher or even every time you eat – you can’t do it every time, so you do it as much as you can – if you’ll add this thought that it’s a demonstration of your greatness, a reminder of your elevated status, that’s called fulfilling the Torah יןƒּ„ַה ַ̇רּוּׁ̆ƒמ יםƒנ¿פƒל.
Beyond Shabbos
One more example and then we’ll move on to the second part of the subject. Here’s a frum family, a big family of shomrei Shabbos. They fulfill everything. They’re dressed for Shabbos, they make kiddush and eat all the Shabbos meals. And they would never think of chillul Shabbos. Even if they would find a pencil on the table, nobody would think of moving it. It’s a tremendous thing, the achievement of such a holy family.
But compared to what they could do, it’s only the minimum. Because what is Shabbos all about? Is it only about keeping all the dinim of Shabbos, of not doing melachah on Shabbos? Of course it’s that too but still it’s only the minimum. Isn't that a pity, week after week you should keep Shabbos but not fulfill what Shabbos is? Isn’t it a pity to be a minimum Jew, a minimum family, when you can be so much more?
Remember the Creator
So what is the purpose of Shabbos? Shabbos means ןƒיַ‡≈מ ׁ ̆≈י םָלֹעוָה ַ̇‡יƒר¿ּב the world is made out of nothing. It means other things too but number one, Shabbos wants you to think, “Hashem made the world with His Word and His Word continues to keep everything in existence.” Shabbos means other things too; we spoke at length about it once. It means ה∆נָּבƒי „∆ס∆ח םָלֹעו and it means ל≈‡ָרׂ¿ ̆ƒי י≈נּ¿ב ין≈בּו יƒינּ≈ב too. There’s a lot of lifnim mishuras hadin to fulfill on Shabbos.
But how many times did you think about that this past Shabbos? When you took the first bite of challah, were you thinking? Nothing? Isn't it a pity? It means to a great extent you’re missing out on Shabbos. Of course you’re keeping Shabbos with all its details. Excellent! But lifnim mishuras hadin...
