Free from Freedom

The message of Judaism is that to reach a genuine spiritual high one must spend years, indeed a lifetime, in its pursuit. Spiritual gains require a life of devotion to G-d’s commandments, coupled with profound study and deep meditation. Jewish Messianism is nothing less than an insistent demand for us to plunge into the pursuit of holiness, by self-refinement, study, observance of the Mitzvos and personal dedication to the ideals of love and unity. LIGHT FROM THE FUTURE ESSAYS ON PARSHAS BEHA’ALOSECHA

Easy Street

When the Jewish people grew tired of the Manna that they miraculously received as their staple in the desert, they reminisced about the “good old days” in Egypt. “We remember the fish that was given to us by the Egyptians gratis,” they rebelliously proclaimed.

The Talmud, as cited by Rashi, raises the obvious question. If the

Egyptians wouldn’t even give the Israelite slaves straw for their bricks, why would they give them fish for free? The Talmud answers that it wasn’t the fish that was free; it was that they, the Jewish People in Egypt, were “free” from doing the Mitzvos. When they were slaves in Egypt, as painful as that experience was, they had no responsibility to observe any of the commandments.

ESSAYS ON PARSHAS BEHA’ALOSECHA

Thus, according to our Sages, it was not the lack of meat or fish per se that upset them, it was that they now had responsibilities that they did not have when they were brutalized as slaves in the Land of Egypt.

Two Paths to Riches

To appreciate what they were actually complaining about, we must discuss the fundamental difference between the dynamics of achieving goodness and holiness as opposed to the dynamics of accessing that which is evil and unholy.

In the realm of the unholy, it does not take much effort to obtain the “desired” result. A simple example from the world of crime illustrates this point. While an upstanding citizen might have to work for many months to make $50,000, a bank robber can get that amount in a single heist.

In stark contrast, the degree to which we are able to achieve our positive goals is related to the degree of effort that we bring to the task.

Another illustration of this notion can be found in the Talmudic tradition that before babies are born, an angel teaches them the entire ESSAYS ON PARSHAS BEHA’ALOSECHA Torah. At birth, an angel strikes the babies above the lip, causing them to forget it all.

But, why would G-d want us to forget everything that His specifically appointed angel taught us? The answer is that the Torah knowledge that we were taught “free,” without our active involvement, is not really what Torah is all about. Judaism teaches us that Torah knowledge must be acquired through toil and effort. Torah cannot be bequeathed to us or be absorbed by osmosis.

Instant Bliss

Many spiritual paths promise adherents great spiritual bliss, with only minimal effort. By mastering certain meditational techniques, for example, many people may experience a spiritual high that is said to resemble the feelings of one who consumes mind altering drugs. The promise that a person can (apparently) attain such marvelous, blissful feelings in such a short amount of time is anathema to Judaism.

Judaism demands a lifetime of effort at self-refinement, along with a dedication to the Torah and its Mitzvos involving the totality of the person, to gain access to true, G-dly delight.

ESSAYS ON PARSHAS BEHA’ALOSECHA

The analogy of two alternative pathways to acquire wealth applies just as well to the acquisition of spiritual wealth. As before, there are movements out there that promise their devotees instant bliss. All you have to do, they claim, is master a certain technique and you’re all set.

The message of Judaism is that to reach a genuine spiritual high one must spend years, indeed a lifetime, in its pursuit. Spiritual gains require a life of devotion to G-d’s commandments, coupled with profound study and deep meditation.

Many of the recently freed Jewish people were upset about the new system that was to govern their existence once they received the Torah.

From that time onward, they had to work hard and long for everything spiritual. They had to expend their energy to obtain the spiritual results that they desired.

In a way we can say that they were “spoiled” by the initial G-dly initiative that “plucked” them out of Egypt with great miracles. They quickly became used to being carried on the wings of eagles, and they cherished that free and easy manner of experiencing G-d’s presence.

However, they totally missed the point. True liberty is when we have the freedom to fulfill our G-d-given mission. At Mount Sinai, G-d gave us the formula for true freedom: commit yourselves to G-d’s Torah and ESSAYS ON PARSHAS BEHA’ALOSECHA its Mitzvos. Any “freedom” that disregards the importance of action on our part is actually freedom from true freedom.

Keep On Truckin!

If there was ever a time that demanded action, it is now. We can understand why the Jews wanted everything free when they first became a nation. Now, after thousands of years of life, through the thick and thin of Two Temples and cruel exiles, we’ve matured. We’ve learned that those generations of Jews that remained Jewishly active survived and flourished. Those who were passive in their Judaism, unfortunately, could not meet the challenges of modern life.

If there were ever a time for this lesson about remaining actively Jewish to be applied it is now as we stand poised to make the last leg of our long journey through history. We, as a people, are tired and worn out.

And it is precisely that feeling of fatigue which is the greatest threat to our ability to appreciate true freedom.

As we come so close to fulfilling our mission, the challenge we have now is this desire to slow down and rest. We cannot afford to sit back and just wait for the utopian age to come. If one’s hopes for a better future are not matched by vigorous action and dedication to the ideals ESSAYS ON PARSHAS BEHA’ALOSECHA of Moshiach, then one has not really grasped what Moshiach is all about.

Jewish Messianism is nothing less than an insistent demand for us to plunge into the pursuit of holiness, by self-refinement, study, observance of the Mitzvos and personal dedication to the ideals of love and unity.

From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Behalosecha by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.