Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Ki Savo (2): From Darkness to Light

היום הזה ה' אלוקיך מצוך לעשות את החוקים האלה ואת המשפטים
On this day Hashem your G-d commands you to do the these decrees and the laws.

The Beis Aharon of Karlin explained that "היום הזה" is not a timing of when we are commanded to do the Mitzvos (Hashem had been giving us Mitzvos over forty years - certainly not just on "this day"), rather היום is a directive as to how we are supposed to carry out those instructions. We are supposed to do the Mitzvos in a style of "היום הזה" "This day". Let's explain.

Chazal teach us that the Jewish day works in the opposite of the secular day. The gentile begins his day with the morning and ends his day with the night. The Jewish experience is converse: ברישא חשוכא והדר נהורא - First darkness and then light. The Jewish day starts in the evening and daytime comes as the second half of the cycle.

This is how we often experience Avodas Hashem, ברישא חשוכא והדר נהורא. First it is dark: Sometimes we don't have a feeling for a certain Mitzvah; we don't enjoy it or understand its meaning. But after there is light: But if we persevere and carry out the Mitzvos with Emunah that Hashem knows what's best, eventually we are given the sweetness of the Mitzvah as a gift.

We do the Mitzvos like the set-up of the day. Push through the darkness to get to the light.

This also explains the end of the Pasuk: את החוקים האלה ואת המשפטים, the decrees and the laws. As we know, Chukim (decrees) are Mitzvos that are beyond rationale, but Mishpatim (laws) are Mitzvos that speak to our logic and are understandable.

If we accept that sometimes Mitzvos will come across as tasteless Chukim, and yet we do them with dedication nonetheless, eventually Hashem will bless us that they will transform into Mishpatim and our understanding will deepen and our appreciation will strengthen.\

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