Begin With The End In Mind
This week's parsha contains the account of G-d's giving the Torah to
the Children of Israel on Mount Sinai. About that great event the Torah
states: "...And all of the people in the encampment trembled.(Exodus
19:16)" At the time that the Torah was given, and the presence of The
Creator descended on Mount Sinai, the people who were gathered there
trembled from fear. Rabbi Yeruchem Levovitz questioned the fear of the
Children of Israel. "G-d was coming to give valuable gifts, and not to
punish them. Why then, would they be so filled with fear?
Reb Yeruchem quotes an analogy to illustrate the answer. Once a wealthy
man stood up with a purse filled with gold coins and announced that
anyone who wished to borrow money from him was welcome to do so. Upon
hearing his announcement, everyone began running in the other direction.
No one wished to borrow money from him. Why was everyone running away?
The reason is that it was known that when he comes to collect, no one
can stand up to him. What would be if, by some chance, they would not
have the money at the time the debt was due to be repaid? So too, G-d
came down on Mount Sinai to give the Ten Commandments on which the world
is founded, and the Children of Israel were trembling - what will be
when G-d comes to exact payment from those who transgressed the words of
the Torah?
Reb Yeruchem explains that the Children of Israel didn't just think of
the here and now. They understood that G-d may be giving them a valuable
gift, but there is a responsibility attached to it. They understood the
gravity of accepting G-d's Torah, and it instilled fear in them, and
they visibly trembled The Torah is life-giving, and its fulfillment
carries with it a great reward, yet the Children of Israel hesitated and
trembled because they looked at the whole picture - that there was an
expectation from G-d, and consequences for not carrying it out successfully.
Reb Yeruchem explains that there is another personality trait we find in
contradistinction from fear. That is false confidence. There are some
people who only see why they have nothing to worry about in any given
endeavor. They don't take any possible risks into consideration, and in
the end they find themselves in terrible danger and unfortunate
predicaments.
Reb Yeruchem identifies the trait of "fear," taking every possibility
into consideration, as positive in other ways as well. He explains that
when it comes to compromising one's principles, a person who fears would
not make excuses and give in. Someone who does not take possible risks
in consideration always finds a reason why "in this case" principles can
be compromised. Such a person is always plagued in the end by regrets.
Several times in the Torah the positive trait of "fear" is noted in
people who could have had good excuses to violate his/her principles,
but didn't. For example, Abraham, whom G-d commanded to bring Isaac as
an offering to G-d. Abraham did all he could to fulfill G-d's directive,
and made no excuses, as valid as they would have been. Abraham is
referred to as "someone who fears G-d." Needless to say, the fear we are
discussing here is a healthy, positive concern for one's well being
which leads to thoughtful action, as opposed to neurotic, baseless fear
which leads to being petrified and unable to act.
We said that the Children of Israel trembled when G-d descended on Mount
Sinai to give them the Torah. By extension we should note that on a
constant basis G-d gives us life - a miraculous gift. Perhaps we need to
tremble when we think about what we will answer when He comes to take it
back!? It might be worth our while to apply this trait of "fear"
accordingly when we make decisions in our lives, and when we think about
living by principles, and being accountable for our actions. Perhaps we
need to wonder whether we should rely on the excuses we sometimes make,
or if maybe we are better than that. Are we only living for the here and
now, or should we invest our energies in the future? Are we using this
gift from G-d the way He intended us to? Our forefathers, The Children
of Israel, answered these questions for themselves 3300 years ago. Let
us take the time as well to give these questions some serious thought.
Good Shabbos!
Text Copyright © 2002 Rabbi Dovid Green and
Project Genesis, Inc.
