Monday, Tammuz 28, 5780 / July 20, 2020

While the Shabbat Torah readings are now the same in Israel and the Diaspora, the Pirkei Avot (Chapters of our Fathers), which we recite each Shabbat, are not. In Israel they will recite, this Shabbat, the third chapter, while we in the Diaspora recite the second chapter.

Although written two thousand years ago, these lessons are valid today as they were then.  Here is a lesson from the second chapter: “Be as careful in the performance of a[seemingly] minor mitzvah as that of a major one, for you do not know the reward given for mitzvot.”

Q.  Why can’t we judge which mitzvot are minor and which are important ones?

A.  What we see from our perspective may not be exactly the way the mitzvahs are in reality from

G-d’s point.  We, from our vantage point, cannot correctly evaluate the real value and effect of individual mizvot. A mitzvah which may seem minor to us or a transgression which may seem insignificant to us, may in fact be very major. Thus, we have to be extra careful with every mitzvah. The following story illustrates the point.

A poor man once came to the home of a wealthy person and asked for some old clothing.  The people in the house had pity on the man and told him to go to the attic and choose some clothing.

The poor man went to the attic, found some old clothing, which he decided to take.  Looking around for rope to tie his bundle, he saw some rope wrapped around a nail on the wall.  Without thinking much of it, he took out his pocket knife and cut a piece of rope.

Instantly he heard a tremendous crash down below. Before long, everyone came racing to the attic, “You broke our beautiful chandelier!” they screamed.

“But I only took a small piece of rope!” the poor man tried to defend himself. “How could I have broken your chandelier?”

They answered bitterly: “This smallropewas holding the chandelier to the ceiling. By cutting this small piece of the rope, the chandelier fell to the ground and broke, causing a bigdisaster!”

Our sages teach us that it is the same with mitzvot. Some mitzvot may seem insignificant, but in truth, just as the small piece of rope holding up the chandelier, they may be very very significant.

This is why our sages tell us not to judge the value of mitzvot. What may seem small and insignificant, may indeed be very great and valuable with so much depending on it.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

Please note:  Torah Fax will not be published regularly during the next three weeks