Time is everything - Mussar from the Parsha - SHEMOT

Time is everything - Mussar from the Parsha - SHEMOT

Pharaoh commanded that "Let the workload be made heavier on the men and let them do it; and let them not be occupied with idle talk".

The Ramchal - Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato is one of the most renowned authors of works of ethics and rebuke - Mussar - the most famous of with is Mesilat Yesharim - Path of the Just.

In the "Path of the Just", the Ramchal writes that one of the cunning techniques of the evil inclination is to keep a person so busy with sinful and destructive activities and thus to deny him the opportunity to actually stop, think and ponder the direction his life is taking, and where he wants it to go.

"For the evil inclination knows that if people had the time to stop and plan their life plan carefully they would feel regret for their sinful actions, and eventually transform their lives into lives of righteousness and goodness."

This is the same principle as Pharaoh's plan. By keeping them preoccupied with their back-breaking labour they had no time to focus on serving God or their redemption from slavery.

However, the Shem MiShmuel points out that this exact same stratagem can be inversely used for the good. By filling up one's time with constructive and useful good deeds, one has no time to sin. When one is so absorbed in good, it is just impossible for any sliver of wickedness to creep in.

The Talmud relates that Rava, the 4th generation Babylonian "Amora" Talmudic sage was once so engrossed in his learning that he failed to realise that a bench had falled and completely crushed his foot to a pulp. He did not even notice this severe fose of excruciating pain.

Similarly, the great Chassidic Master, Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk told his Chassidim - followers:

"I want you to refrain from sinful activity not because you are repelled by its defilement and baseness, but simply because you have no time for it."

We are all so busy these days, running to and from work, school, home, etc but we have to set aside time for the things that really matter to us in life.

A recent global campaign was held a few months ago which encouraged users to disconnect from all digital devices - iPhones, Blackberries, iPads, Android, Windows mobile devices - you name it - and devote one hour - smartphone-free - for the things that really matter; from spending time with the family to volunteering at an old-age home or an institution distributing food for the needy. The principle was that we should fill our time with what is good and important - and we should just open our eyes and realise what is what.

Commencing with Pharaoh and continuing with all the "Pharaohs" that have been around since, they strive for our spiral into despair. We must only move uni-directionally.

And that way is up.

Ethics from the Parsha - Vayechi

Ethics from the Parsha - Vayechi

OPEN YOUR EYES - VAYECHI

This week’s Torah portion entitled Vayechi is unusual in one respect; it continues without pause from the previous Torah portion of Vayigash, which we read last week. Usually, there is a gap or pause between two portions, which indicates where each one starts and stops. But not so for Vayechi. Why is this so?

The biblical commentator Rashi explains that the Torah portion is “closed” – meaning that it continues from last week’s portion and there is no gap or indicative spacing in the text, is because the “eyes of the Jewish people were closed.”

In today’s world, we are truly witnessing amazing phenomena. The strides the world has taken in politics, economy and technology, amongst other fields is outstanding.

On a daily basis we witness sighs of redemption in the world; but not always do we realise this and take note of what is happening.

One such sign that redemption is on its way is the general treatment of the Jewish people by would leaders. More Jews than ever now have full access to Judaism, with no regimes such as the Soviet Union to restrict religious observance.

The fact that there is also a Jewish state; one in which religious observance is unhindered and where one can fully live like a Jew in the open without the existing levels anti-Semitism that is still prevalent even in civilised western countries is another such sign.

The Jewish perception in the world is another such sign. Whilst persecution of the Jews was ripe even until just before the Second World War and beyond; where a religious Jew couldn’t even hold a job in America as working on the Sabbath was required. Today one can see Jews sporting traditional Jewish garb on the executive boards of major global companies and corporations.

However, what is painful is that many of us take these signs for granted. The world is changing and it is changing in the path of eternal good.

The longing of thousands of years is no longer an unrealistic dream - it is within grasp.

All we have to do is open our eyes.

Only then will we be able to usher in the ultimate redemption.

Shabbat Shalom.