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Beshalach- Free Time: Blessing or Curse?
For this year’s Parsha Lesson I will be applying the lesson that can be derived from the Dvar Torah to the world as we know it today.
Background
In this week’s Parsha, we read of the Jewish nation’s journey after leaving Mitzrayim (Egypt). We read of the amazing splitting of the sea and the great revelation of G-d that happened at the sea. After singing the famous Shiras HaYam (Song of the Sea- a song of praise to Hashem inspired by the events of the sea) the Jewish people then proceeded to travel to Eretz Canaan (Israel) through the desert. After being in the desert for a bit of time, their provisions ran out and the Jewish people did not have any food. It was at that point that Hashem introduced the food which would sustain the entire Jewish nation for the rest of the 40 years that they would spend in the desert: Manna.
When Hashem introduced the Manna, Hashem told Moshe that He would ‘rain down bread from the heavens’ and the people would then have what to eat. Hashem explained that He would provide for them sustenance in this way, in order to ‘test them- will they go in the ways of my Torah or not’?
The Ohr HaChaim explains that really Hashem could have provided them sustenance in many different ways. Hashem chose to provide for them food which required no preparation, in order that they can be completely free- in order to test them if they will go in the ways of the Torah.
Question
How is this a test if they will travel in the ways of the Torah!? It would seem to be just the opposite! If Hashem is providing for them with all of their needs, it would be very easy to go in the ways of the Torah! If Hashem really wanted to test them to see if they would follow the Torah, Hashem should make life difficult for them. Hashem should make their livelihood challenging for them, Hashem should make them too busy with other things to learn Torah. That would be a test!
How is it a ‘test’ to have all of one’s needs provided for on a ‘silver platter’?
Answer
The Chovos Halevavos (Shaar Habitachon, Perek 3) explains that one of the reasons why Hashem ‘constructed’ the world in a way that people must work for their needs, is because if people had everything prepared for them they would look to fill their time with all sorts of sin and frivolity.
The first man, Adam, was put into the Garden of Eden where all of his needs were provided for him. It was Adam’s job only to appreciate all of the pleasures and delights that Hashem prepared for him and to plumb the depths of wisdom. What actually happened? Adam and Chava (Eve) sinned and rebelled against the will of Hashem. The ‘punishment’ therefore was for man to need to toil and work for his needs going forward.
Understood in this light, we can appreciate that this punishment was not really a punishment in a punitive manner but rather this was part of the course of treatment for the malady that man has. Man is, as a general rule, unable to properly enjoy life and spend his time productively, if all of his needs are readily prepared for him. Therefore, by necessitating that man work for his needs, Hashem was giving man a course of behavior and action which would direct his life in a manner in which man can develop himself and improve- which is the purpose of life on this world.
The generation that left Mitzrayim were on a very high level of knowledge, wisdom and spirituality and did have the potential to sit back, in a virtual Garden of Eden, and appreciate the bounty and goodness of Hashem and develop their wisdom. Therefore, Hashem was ready to put them to the test- by providing for them the manna.
In fact, Chazal tell us, everything was prepared and taken care of for the Jewish people. Their clothing and shoes were always fresh and never wore out- without them having to do anything. Water was provided for them, plentifully and easily. They didn’t even have to use the facilities!
So what was this test? This was the fundamental test of man on this world: can man properly enjoy the pleasures and goodness that Hashem provides for him, or does man need to be busied with toil and work in order to not fall prey to rebellion, sin and frivolity?
Lesson for our world
We live in a very comfortable and luxurious world. With the technological advances of the Western world, we can satisfy all of our needs easily and plentifully. Do we take advantage of this blessing and spend the enormous amount of time that these advances have afforded us, to focus on developing our wisdom and connecting to and appreciating the goodness of Hashem? Or do we seek to create new ‘needs’ for ourselves and become lost in a world of unchecked physical pursuit and a hedonistic lust for pleasure?
Do we seek to develop ourselves into people of fine character and nobility- in accordance with the ways of Hashem? Or do we get caught up in the ‘rat race’ of garnering for ourselves honor in the eyes of others and look to have the most and the best?
If we are not using our free time productively and properly, can we have any complaint when Hashem makes our lives more harried, busy and difficult? Wouldn’t we readily agree that given the circumstances, and how we are turning to sin and frivolities with the free time and luxury that we have been given, that it is better for us to have to toil for our needs?
If instead, we develop within ourselves a proper focus on character development, a sense of gratitude and appreciation with which we can notice and appreciate the goodness that Hashem bestows upon us- then perhaps it will be fitting for our lives to be freer and easier. Perhaps when we appreciate the tremendous capacity for wisdom and the development of our mind (which is the seat of our neshama, our heavenly soul), in the way of the Torah, and the attainment of wisdom becomes the focal point of our life, perhaps then we will be people who can handle the challenge of luxury and goodness coming to us easily and without toil. And then perhaps Hashem, who only does goodness and kindness with all of humanity, will see fit to our being deserving of the ease and plenty that we think we want.
Wishing you a wonderful Shabbos,
Rabbi Eli Meir Kramer
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