Friday, July 24, 2009

Parshas Devarim

Sorry no post for such a long time. I haven't been feeling so well this week, and it's been pretty busy. Anyway, here's the weekly(ish) dvar torah.

From Parsha Potpourri by R' Oizer Alpert:

Why did Eisav merit receiving Mount Seir as his inheritance immediately and without any hardship (2:5) while Yaakov and his descendants were forced to descend to Egypt and suffer centuries of backbreaking slavery before they were finally able to receive the land of Israel as their inheritance? (Rav Aharon Bakst quoted in Peninim MiShulchan Gevoha)

Rav Aharon Bakst notes that baby animals are capable of walking and caring for themselves a short period of time after their births. Human babies, on the other hand, are literally helpless and completely dependent upon their parents for survival for years. He explains that the greater the spiritual potential something possesses, the more time is required for it to develop and prepare itself to accomplish its mission. Because animals have little to accomplish in the spiritual realm, they are able to mature and fulfill their roles quite quickly, whereas humans, who are the pinnacle of the Creation, need much more time to develop and prepare themselves to fulfill their spiritual potential. Similarly, Eisav’s descendants have much less to accomplish relative to the Jewish people, and they were able to immediately receive their inheritance. The Jews, on the other hand, required 210 years of purification in Egypt before they were able to emerge to receive the Torah and fulfill their lofty spiritual mission.

4 comments:

itsagift said...

Wow - so that shows that we have so much more to accomplish in life and that is why it takes us longer to develop...meaning we have more hardships and pain in our lives to help us develop our neshamos into sterling diamonds!! The b'nei Eisav, on the other hand, sail through life!
What a powerful message and an interesting twist on 'tzaddik v'ra lo!' We go through pain because of our great potential! We can't become great without first going through those hardships which make us into better people!!!
Thank you for this post!!

Melissa said...

I learn so much from your posts.

Shabbat Shalom!

Staying Afloat said...

Beautiful- thanks for sharing.

Refuah Sheleimah!

Melissa said...

I hope you do post about the Chofetz Chaim. I would love to read what you write.


My Partner in Torah sent me a book on his teachings. He would have been an amazing man to have known, but at least we can know him through his writings.

Melissa

Related Posts with Thumbnails