Things to Ponder about the Portion of the Week (Mishpatim)
In Chapter 24:7 of Exodus, it states:
They said, “All that G-d has said, we will do and we will listen.”
In Living Each Week, Rabbi Abraham Twersky suggests that we will do, refers to fulfillment of mitzvot and we will listen, refers to the study of Torah(p.154). He proceeds to discuss that some study Torah because it helps them fulfill some deed(ie. building a Sukkah) and others study Torah just lishma, or for the sake of study…
I like to think of this studying things that help us make a living, vs. studying things to help us make a life. How many of us continue to study things that may help us with building a career, finding a job, etc., and do so at the expense of making time to do things that help us enrich our lives?
The paragraph which concludes his discussion of this verse provides a model for parents, but also for us. I would love to talk more about this tomorrow night at our session of spirituality but have a feeling we will be snowed out…So…feel free to comment and hopefully I will respond O:-)
“Parents who are concerned that their children have a secure economic future will provide them with an education that enables them to earn, but may be less enthusiastic about giving them a quality Torah education, since they cannot see what tangible results the latter will produce. An awareness of “naaseh v’nishma”, the declaration whereby we became the nation of G-d, should help parents realize that they have at least as great a responsibility to provide their children with a goal in life as they do in providing them with the means of life.” (p.155)
What do we do in our own lives to”make a life?” There are those who believe that each college student should be required to get a degree in some field of liberal arts in order to help us become more well rounded students.
Thoughts/ comments?????
Rabbi Bruce
baft@gmu.edu