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Daily Chizuk #0802
Weekly Parasha
Spellbound by Hashgacha: Analyzing Life in Hindsight
Parashat Vayigash: How Can We Repay Hashem?
In this week’s parasha Vayigash, we read about Yaakov reuniting with Yosef after 22 years of thinking he was dead. And while Yosef was hugging Yaakov, Chazal tell us Yaakov was saying Shema. The Maharal explains what type of keriat Shema this was. Yaakov Avinu was so overwhelmed with feelings of love to Hashem for bestowing this wonderful chesed upon him that he wanted to show his hakarat hatov by performing the mitzvah of proclaiming Hashem’s Oneness and accepting the Ol Malchut Shamayim upon himself. We learn from Yaakov how to respond when we feel indebted to Hashem for something He did for us. We should make an improvement in our service to Him. מה אשיב לה' כל תגמולוהי עלי– how can we repay Hashem for all the good that He does for us? אנה ה' כי אני עבדך– we can become better servants of His.
The Chovot HaLevavot writes in the Shaar HaBechina, the more a person receives from Hashem, the greater his responsibility becomes to show his appreciation.
Hashem wants to give us everything, but He doesn’t want it to ruin our mission in this world. The Gemara says people who write Sifrei Torah, Tefillin and Mezuzot, as well as all other people involved in doing Hashem’s holy work, will not be blessed with wealth. The reason being, their jobs are too important and if they had a lot of money they would stop doing their holy work. However, the Gemara continues, if they are working purely l’shem Shamayim and they would continue their jobs even if they were wealthy, then Hashem will bless them with wealth. If we appreciate our mitzvot and do them for the right reasons, and having extra blessings won’t affect our avodah negatively, Hashem will look to bless us with more. It’s up to us to focus on all of the berachot that Hashem has already given us, appreciate them and show our hakarat hatov by doing more. And when we come to a real love of Hashem, we will be motivated to do all of His avodah purely l’shem Shamayim.
Shabbat Shalom!
In this week’s parasha Vayigash, we read about Yaakov reuniting with Yosef after 22 years of thinking he was dead. And while Yosef was hugging Yaakov, Chazal tell us Yaakov was saying Shema. The Maharal explains what type of keriat Shema this was. Yaakov Avinu was so overwhelmed with feelings of love to Hashem for bestowing this wonderful chesed upon him that he wanted to show his hakarat hatov by performing the mitzvah of proclaiming Hashem’s Oneness and accepting the Ol Malchut Shamayim upon himself. We learn from Yaakov how to respond when we feel indebted to Hashem for something He did for us. We should make an improvement in our service to Him. מה אשיב לה' כל תגמולוהי עלי– how can we repay Hashem for all the good that He does for us? אנה ה' כי אני עבדך– we can become better servants of His.
The Chovot HaLevavot writes in the Shaar HaBechina, the more a person receives from Hashem, the greater his responsibility becomes to show his appreciation.
Hashem wants to give us everything, but He doesn’t want it to ruin our mission in this world. The Gemara says people who write Sifrei Torah, Tefillin and Mezuzot, as well as all other people involved in doing Hashem’s holy work, will not be blessed with wealth. The reason being, their jobs are too important and if they had a lot of money they would stop doing their holy work. However, the Gemara continues, if they are working purely l’shem Shamayim and they would continue their jobs even if they were wealthy, then Hashem will bless them with wealth. If we appreciate our mitzvot and do them for the right reasons, and having extra blessings won’t affect our avodah negatively, Hashem will look to bless us with more. It’s up to us to focus on all of the berachot that Hashem has already given us, appreciate them and show our hakarat hatov by doing more. And when we come to a real love of Hashem, we will be motivated to do all of His avodah purely l’shem Shamayim.
Shabbat Shalom!
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