Midreshet Amit

Torah

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Inspiration and Avoda

By: Mrs. Dara Knapel


The end of Sefer Bereshit flowed very nicely into Sefer Shemot – it is actually a continuation of the same theme and story line. What is the connection between the end of our Parsha – the end of Sefer Shemot and Sefer Vayikra? It would seem that Sefer Shemot should have lead directly into Sefer Bamidbar , the continuation of the Journey to Eretz Yisrael.
 
I think an answer I heard many years ago not only answers the question, but teaches us a valuable lesson for our own Judaism today. If one looks at the entire journey of the Jews up until this point one sees that there is never a “break in the action”. There is one event that happens after the other. Skipping to Sefer Bamidbar again we have one exciting incident after another. In each the Jews feel the power of Hashem – either to destroy and enemy, punish a transgressor or in some type of miracle. The resting of the Shechinah in the Mishkan after the event of Matan Torah must have been a major spiritual inspiration to the Jews.
 
Then comes Sefer Vayikra with so many Parshiot that have no action – only details. The laws of the Korbanot are repeated twice, tzarat, tumah and taharah – all very detailed laws that do not affect the average Jew on a regular basis. Why now- why not wait until the end of all the adventure to discuss such minutia. Here the Torah is telling us the real way to live our lives. Inspiration comes once in a while – but we are obligated to be ovdei Hashem always when we are inspired and when we are not, when we like the law and when we do not – doing things we understand and enjoy and doing things that we do not. Yes Matan Torah is a very important “happening” in our history as a nation – but it only goes so far. We need to incorporate Hashem into our everyday – regular – boring – non “inspirational event life”! That is the real Avodah of the Oved Hashem.
 
May we all be zocheh to be inspired by the everyday, to be oved constantly and consistently. Shabbat Shalom and Chodesh Tov!