B"H

Friday, Sivan 20, 5783 (Hakhel Year) / June 9, 2023

This week's Torah portion is Beha'alotcha.  This Shabbat, we recite the second chapter of Pirkei Avot.   Amongst the many teachings in this chapter are the following teachings of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi: 

“Be as careful in the performance of a [seemingly] minor mitzvah as of a major one, for you do not know the reward given for the various mitzvot. Reflect upon three things and you will not come to sin: Know what is above you; An Eye that sees, an Ear that hears, and all your deeds are recorded in a Book."

"Know what is above you" - The Hebrew words for, "Know what is above you", are "Da mah l'ma’alah mimcha."  This can also be translated as, "Know that what happens above is from you."  According to the teaching of our sages, whatever happens in heaven above and the reward in the World-to-Come is directly affected by the good deeds we perform in thisworld. 

“Know what is above you" - The story is told of a group of children who had a contest to see who could climb to the top of a tall ladder.  One after the other, the children climbed about halfway, became frightened, and gave up.  Only one boy managed to make it to the top. 

His grandfather asked him, "How did you accomplish what the others couldn't?" 

The boy answered, "The other children kept looking down as they climbed the ladder, thus, realizing how high they were, and they became frightened.   I, on the other hand, continuously kept looking upand realized how low I was, so I wanted to go higher and higher.  This is why I was able to reach the top."

“Know what is above you," says Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi.  By “looking up” we will be encouraged and strive to go higher and higher spiritually, thus we will not come to sin.

"An Eye that sees" - A Rabbi paid a wagon driver to take him from one town to another.   On the road they passed a field full of hay and the driver decided to help himself to some bailed hay.   He stopped the wagon and jumped to the ground.

"Rabbi, if you notice anyone watching, let me know immediately!"  Assured that nobody was watching, and the Rabbi was on guard, he ran toward the field.

No sooner did the wagon driver start gathering the hay, when the Rabbi yelled out, "Someone's watching! Someone's watching!"   The driver dropped the hay, ran frantically back to the carriage, and drove away as quickly as he could.

After a while, he turned to the Rabbi and said, "Rabbi, I didn't see anyone!  Are you sure someone was watching?" "Definitely!" replied the Rabbi, pointing upward, "G-d was watching!"

SHABBAT SHALOM

Montreal candle lighting time: 8:24 / Shabbat ends: 9:40