Miller’s Musings – Parshas Shelach

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This week’s Miller’s Musings is sponsored in honour of the חתונה של נפתלי חיים ויוחנה לאה
	Quote of the Week: “Every action of our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity.”

Miller’s Musings

פרשת שלך-לך

The Thought that Counts?

Even those incidences in the Torah that appear at first glance easily understandable and even relatable, upon multiple readings generate any number of questions and complications. The entire episode with the one who gathered wood on Shabbos is one that may seem simplistic in terms of the narrative, yet in truth requires no small amount of work to comprehend. The most basic of all must be how and why would someone do something that was so clearly wrong and would so obviously lead, as it did, to the death penalty?

To believe that the one who broke Shabbos in this way did so as an act of willful rebellion or disregard for the Torah, is incongruous with how we understand the generation that stood at Sinai. Moreover, the mere fact that his name, Tzlofchod, is not mentioned in relation to this episode, is taken by the Sages to indicate the good intent in what he did. Rav Moshe Shternbuch explains that his motivation was to teach the Jewish people a very valuable lesson. He was concerned that the people would make an error in assuming that since they were all already punishable by death for the sin of the spies, they no longer had to keep the commandments. In order to show them that this was not the case, he committed an act that was patently against the Torah and would clearly bring about his death, showing them that the mitzvos applied as much today as it did before sending the spies and the repercussions of contravening them equally severe. His intentions were for the sake of Heaven, hence his name was left out in respect for his good intent. Nevertheless, despite this, he did receive a punishment, as he had expected. His motivations were good but the action was still that of a desecrator of Shabbos.

To have the right intention behind an action is certainly something valued and rewarded by Hashem. A mere intention can sometimes be enough to elicit a reward as if it had been performed and an act with the correct motivation is deemed far greater than one without it. But to live a Torah life only in one’s mind, or to claim that being a spiritual person is sufficient without actual practice of the Torah’s teachings, is never enough. We are punished to some degree for wrongdoing even if we truly believe it is for the best. Those who claim that being Jewish is something that resides solely, or mainly, in the heart are making a fundamental error. In truth these thoughts and beliefs are often rooted solely in selfish desires and a wish to do whatever they please. If someone can reject the mitzvos that are too challenging and still claim to be on a high spiritual level, they are getting the best of both worlds. But this is simply not true. Trying to convince oneself of something that plays into the hands of the Yetzer Horah is easily done. Yet nothing in life truly worthwhile is achieved without effort and a Torah life dictates that we must work, overcome and raise ourselves through challenges and striving. We must not only think, but also act according to Hashem’s will. The right beliefs are core to connecting with Hashem, but only through action can we ultimately forge the deepest relationship with Him.

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*May we appreciate this Shabbos the import of each act we perform.*

—
Shimmy Miller
Rebbe/Teacher/Counsellor/Tutor| Manchester Mesivta and Private
07531322970 | rabbimiller.mesivta| http://rabbimillersmusings.blogspot.co.uk/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/shimmy-miller/9/934/9a3

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