2020-5780
Parashat BeChukotai speaks of the rewards and punishments for following Hashem and His mitzvot. Rashi states that the words “BeChukotai Telecichu” mean that we should toil in Torah, and be someone who is an Amal, a laborer, in Torah. This can be proven from the Gemara (Berachot 17) which states, “Ashrei Mi Sh’Gadol BaTorah V’Amalo BaTorah V’Oseh Nachato Roach L’Yotzro,’’ “Praised is he who was raised with Torah, and toils in Torah, and gives pleasure to his maker.” We see here the importance of being an Amal BaTorah. It would thus make sense that someone who does not work and grow in Torah, and does not realize that our lives are meant to be spent following Hashem and His Torah, that their lives are wasted. We say every night “Ki Heim Chayeinu V’Orech Yameinu,” because Torah is our livelihood, and increases our days. So too here, we see how important Torah is and how following it will bring reward, but also see the inverse of this as well.
We would think that if Hashem wanted to incentivize us to follow the Torah He would give us many blessings for such behavior. Maybe He would even throw in some punishments to warn us from committing an Aveirah. However, the Torah gives only 11 Pesukim of reward and yet 36 of punishment. How can it be that if Hashem loves and cares for us so deeply, that He warns so frequently about punishment for not following the Torah rather than the immense reward?
Ibn Ezra says that if we look at the blessings and the curses, we see that the curses are very specific and the blessings very generic. He explains that the curses are supposed to fill us with fear of Hashem, and will in turn lead us to follow Hashem and reap the benefits.
Rabbi Abba Wagensberg explains based on the Pasuk in Tehillim, “Your staff and Your rod have comforted me.” Rabbi Wagensberg says we would think that maybe a pillow and blanket can comfort you, yet a rod and a staff are used here to connote comfort. He explains his point based on the Mashal of a young boy who runs in the street after a ball. If the boy runs in a street to the surprise of a car, and the car stops just short of the boy, his life will be spared. A passerby may look in shock at the young boy, but when he sees that nothing happens he will continue with his life. However, if the boy's mother were to see what happened she would likely scream at her son for his careless actions. The reason behind the mother’s anger is due to her intense love and care for the boy, which in turn will cause her to scold him in order for him to understand the importance of what she is saying.
When the mother punishes the boy, the boy can choose to look at the situation in either of two ways. He can see the mother as punishing him and getting angry at him for no reason and questioning her, or he can see that she is angry at him and cares about him and wants to make sure he does not do it again. This is the same type of relationship we have with Hashem, and we have the choice of whether we will see how much Hashem cares about us, and see that He is giving us a push in the right direction, or we could see these punishments as a way in which Hashem is punishing us for no reason. When Hashem gives us a push we need to take the push, and use it to change ourselves, to refocus ourselves in the important things in life such as toiling in Torah and heeding Hashem's warnings to become stronger and closer to him.