B"H

Thursday, Sivan 10, 5778 / May 23, 2018

 

Each Shabbat between Passover and Rosh Hashanah, many recite one chapter of the Pirkei Avot (Chapters of our Fathers). Thus, throughout the summer months we go through these chapters a few times.

 

After reciting each chapter, we conclude with the saying of Rabbi Chanania son of Akashia; “The Holy one, blessed is He, wished to confer merit upon Israel; therefore He gave them Torah and mitzvot in abundance."

 

The Torah commands us to fulfill 613 mitzvot.  The Talmud explains that the mitzvot are divided into two general categories. There are 248 positive commandments; and 365 negative commandments (prohibitions). 

 

The 248 positive commandments represent the limbs/organs of a person. The number 365 prohibitions represents the days of the year. The reason for these numbers is that Mitzvot serve to involve and protect a person's whole being and to cover every day of the year.

 

Our sages explain that G-d gave us Torah and mitzvot in abundance for our benefit. With so many mitzvot, there will be at least one or more mitzvot which each person can perform to perfection.

 

We must be careful not to change the mitzvot to conform to our standards. Rather we must raise ourselves to the standard of the mitzvot.

 

The following parable of the Magid of Dubna explains this point. A general once toured his training camps to check his soldiers' level of readiness. In one of the camps, the soldiers were shooting arrows at targets. Upon observing closely, he noticed that one of the soldier's arrows were all in the center of the target. The general was very impressed.

 

"You are a great marksman!  How did you manage to get every arrow exactly in the center?" the general asked with amazement.

 

That's simple," the soldier replied. "The other soldiers first set up their target, then they try to hit it. I, on the other hand, first shoot my arrows, only afterwards do I place the target around them. Thus, I never miss..."

 

G-d gave us many mitzvot so that we can aim for perfection at some of them. He even commanded us to perform mitzvot which we would logically do on our own, even without being commanded, in order that we may be rewarded for them. It is far better to aim at the Divine targets, even if we miss a few, rather than create our own targets in order to feel satisfied and accomplished all the time.

 

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY