thought came to me as I helped our dear bar mitzva boy Shaya Scheiner).
As the early Achronim, such as the Ramchal explain, the purpose of creation was for Hashem to give and do good for mankind – מדרכו של הטוב להטיב. This means that the essence of Hashem is to do good, and this is why He created the world. As the Ramchal explains, the ultimate good is in the next world.
The Ben Ish Chai and other mefarshim assume that both Amoraim knew that the first set of dibros didn’t mentioned the word ייטב and the second did. The question was more philosophical: why was it so important to mention it in the second dibros? Even more difficult is the fact that we are taught, in Maseches Avos, that one should not do things for a reward, so why would this be a goal? In truth, a similar question is asked by the Maharsha in maseches Sota regarding the Gemara 13a that discusses Moshe Rabbeinu’s great desire to enter Eretz Yisrael. The Maharsha there also asks why is Moshe so focused on getting a reward?
The answer is a very fundamental one that is found in Rav Chaim Volozhiner in his peirush on Pirkei Avos. He says that when Chazal say don’t do mitzvos for a reward, that isn’t exact. It means that if the only reason why you’re doing mitzvos is for a reward then it’s indeed not so great, but in truth Hashem wants to give us a reward, so really we’re the mitzva because Hashem wants us to do it, in order than He can reward us. So although we are doing something for a reward, the real reason is that that’s what Hashem wants us to do.
There are a few things that are called tov, and they are in very good company, since Hashem is called Tov. A woman is called tov (see Gemara Brachos 8a) and the Torah is called tov (Pirkei Avos 6:3).
Since tov is the essence of Hashem and his Torah, it now makes sense why this was such an integral point for the Amoraim to discuss in regard to Aseres Hadibros.
As we mentioned, there is an inyan to recite Aseres Hadibros each day, and in truth some siddurim have the Aseres Hadibros hinted at in the verses of Kriaas Shma (this is based on the Yerushalmi in Brachos). It’s equally important to review the concepts and essence of why we received the Aseres Hadibros.
May we be zoche to see and feel the tov in everything we do, and merit the ultimate good with the coming of Mashiach, bimhera bayamineu.
