Harav Zweig on Parshas Bo.....

 

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Parshas Bo.......................................................................Shevat 5782 Based on the Torah of our Rosh HaYeshiva HaRav Yochanan Zweig Weekly Insights Printer Friendly Format Click Here This week’s Insights is dedicated in loving memory of Hachaver Avraham Ben Meir, Arnold Meyer. “May his Neshama have an Aliya!” To sponsor an issue of Insights Click Here Seeing is Believing And Bnei Yisroel went and did as Hashem had commanded Moshe and Aharon, so they did (12:28).   Rashi (ad loc) is bothered by the seemingly repetitious conclusion of the possuk. In other words, the beginning of the verse clearly states that Bnei Yisroel did as Hashem commanded Moshe and Aharon; so why did the Torah find it necessary to conclude with the words “so they did”?  Rashi explains that the words “so they did” is referring to Moshe and Aharon: they too, did the mitzvah of Korban Pesach. Maharal in the Gur Aryeh (Shemos 12:28) wonders; why is it assumed that Moshe and Aharon would not have had to bring a Korban Pesach thus making it necessary for the Torah to tell us otherwise? Additionally, if the Torah meant to tell us that “so they did” is referring to Moshe and Aharon, then why doesn’t the Torah state it expressly and leave no room for confusion? Very often, when telling our children to do something that we feel will improve their lives greatly (e.g. they should commit to studying Torah an hour a night), they silently wonder (and sometimes not so silently) why we ourselves are not modeling that very same behavior. Of course they don’t realize all the obligations that we are under (work, business meetings, school board meetings, home repairs, etc.), so how can they possibly understand why we aren't able to make that very same commitment to Torah study? But, in fact, our kids are actually right. Certainly, there are myriads of excuses we can make as to why we ourselves don’t do what we are asking our kids to do, but that’s exactly what they are – excuses. When one has many responsibilities there are conflicts that cannot be avoided. But our kids aren't fooled; they know when we are serious about an ideal and when we are merely paying lip service to one. Our kids also know that we have unavoidable conflicts, but they will absolutely judge what we consider to be important in our lives by how we choose to spend our free time. Leadership follows some of the same rules. Obviously, a leader has many responsibilities and obligations, after all, that is what leadership is all about – taking responsibility to get things done. Yet some leaders see themselves as above following certain laws that everyone else must adhere to. They forget that they too have a responsibility to follow the rules. The Torah is teaching us a remarkable lesson about what kind of leaders Moshe and Aharon were. On the night that Bnei Yisroel left Egypt, undoubtedly, there were a multitude of things to do and Moshe and Aharon could have easily been forgiven for not fulfilling the mitzvah of Korban Pesach. But that’s not the type of leaders they were; they led by example and did exactly what everyone else was supposed to do. That’s what the Torah is telling us by not mentioning their names: They fulfilled the Korban Pesach like everyone else – as ordinary members of Bnei Yisroel about to leave Egypt. Looking for more inspiration? Join one of Rabbi Zweig's live broadcast classes on RabbiZweig.com Contend or Pretend? And you shall guard the matzos… (12:17)    Rashi (ad loc) explains that guarding the matzos entails being very meticulous in their preparation in order to prevent them from becoming chometz (leavened). Rashi goes on to quote the Mechilta (Bo, parsha 9), “R’ Yoshia says – Do not read the word ‘matzos’ rather read it ‘mitzvos’ (although vowelized differently, the word matzos is spelled exactly the same as mitzvos) – just as people do not allow the matzos to become chometz (by delaying the process to completion), so too they shouldn't allow mitzvos to become “leavened.” Rather, if an opportunity to do a mitzvah presents itself, do it immediately.” In other words, just as we have to be meticulous in our process preparing dough to become matzo (eliminating all unnecessary delay), so too we must have the same attitude of immediacy toward fulfilling mitzvos. Yet the analogy seems flawed; if one delays doing a mitzvah, he can do it a little later or, at the very worst, he lost an opportunity. But if one fails to prepare the dough for matzos properly, he has created a far worse situation: he now has chometz on his hands, which on Pesach is a serious transgression. How are these two ideas analogous? Generally, people delay or push off doing things they wish to avoid doing. Procrastination is usually not a problem of time management or of planning. People simply delay doing things they don’t want to do. If we ask our children to clean up their room, even if they finally acquiesce, getting them to actually do it is often a battle. Imagine if after finally getting them to pick up their room we now ask them to set the table, and then clear and wash the dishes. Pretty soon they will to resent doing things we make them do and begin to object. Unfortunately, doing mitzvos can fall into the same rut. If one doesn’t perceive mitzvos as opportunities, but rather as onerous obligations, one will begin to resent doing them. Pretty soon one will delay and push off fulfilling them. Eventually, those delays will become noncompliance, which leads to nonobservance. When we force our children to get up, wash their hands, daven, make brachos, and the like, we are actually well on our way of getting them to resent doing mitzvos. That is to say, we are on the derech of getting them “off the derech.” We must slowly educate our children that mitzvos are really opportunities. Chazal tell us exactly how to do this; give them incentives every step of the way. Show them that learning Torah and doing mitzvos can be rewarding. When it comes to doing things like studying Torah and mitzvos the Gemara (Pesachim 50b) teaches, “Metoch shelo lishma ba lishma – if one begins by doing things for a selfish reason he will eventually come to do it for the proper reason.” After a while a person begins to realize how meaningful it is to begin the day off with a conversation with Hashem, or how intellectually stimulating and enjoyable studying Torah can be. There are very few mitzvos that aren't accessible to the emotions or intellect. This is what Chazal mean by we should not delay fulfilling mitzvos. We should perceive every mitzvah as an opportunity for ourselves; not merely as something we have to do. Need someone to say Kaddish for a loved one? Unable to attend shul for Yizkor? Worried about forgetting a Yahrzeit? Let us help perpetuate the blessed memory of your loved one. Visit GetKaddish.com This Week's When Hashem Fights it is Not a War Parsha Breaks are short Divrei Torah (generally 5-7 minutes long) given by the Rosh HaYeshiva between Mincha and Ma'ariv at one of the Yeshiva's daily minyanim. These links can easily be downloaded on your smartphone.