YISRO - SPIRITUAL STATURE

May 19, 1993

"Now therefore, if you will hearken to My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then you shall be Mine own treasure from among all peoples; for all the earth is Mine;  and you shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation."  Exodus 19:5

 A story is told in the Gemmara (Zvechim 116a) that when the leaders of the world saw the tumult that accompanied the Jews leaving Egypt, involving the 10 plagues and the splitting of the Red Sea, that they were frightened.  They feared that because of the evil in the world this could be a prelude to a second flood that would destroy the world.  So they came to Bilaam, who assured them that G-d had promised no more floods.  But, they asked, perhaps the world will be destroyed by fire?  No, Bilaam answered, G-d has promised He will never again destroy all flesh.  Then what is all this tumult?  Bilaam answered: G-d has a new solution for dealing with the evil in the world.  Instead of destroying it, He is giving His Treasure (the Torah) to His Children (the Jews) who will use it to transform the evil into good.  The nations were relieved, and said 'May He bless His people with peace'.  They were grateful that instead of destroying the world because of itsevil, the Jews had come to misaken (fix) the evil in the world.

Rabbi Chaim Luzzatto says it this way: "G-d thus made the rectification and elevation of all creation totally dependent on the Jews...Through their deeds, they can cause (His Light) to shine forth and have influence, or, on the other hand, hold it back and conceal it." (page 141 of Feldheim edition).

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsh says: "It is Israel's mission to sow G-d's seeds by implanting spirituality, morality, and integrity ... The process of nurturing the seeds until they are ready for harvest can be agonizing... but the crop, the eventual harvest of homage to righteousness and truth, will be reaped in joy." (Artscroll Tehillim for Psalm 126 - Shir Hamallos).

This is what G-d was referring to when He said at Har Sinai that we are to be a 'Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation'.

It is G-d's plan to have the Jews fix the spirituality of the world.  We are to have such great spiritual stature that how we act and talk will generate so much light that it will transform and uplift the world.

This is a message that is easy to forget as we are involved in the details of life, of supporting a family, of accomplishing our daily tasks, of performing the details of Judiasm itself.

It is important to keep this 'big picture' in mind because it encourages us to give the task the priority it deserves.  This is the Covenant, the contract, we have with the Almighty.  We agree to perform this task that He wants us to perform, and in turn he elevates and protects us.

The Gemmora in Zvachim ( ) describes an analogous situation, where G-d talked to Moses at the burning bush about the mission that he wanted Moses to perform, namely to liberate the Jews from Egypt.  The Gemmora says that G-d was prepared to heal Moses' speech impediment to facilitate this task.  But then Moses hesitated, and said he didn't feel up to the job, that he'd rather G-d chose someone else for this mission. The Gemorra says that as a result, G-d did not cureMoses's speech defect.  Moses had to live the next 40 years unable to talk well because he hesitated with regards toG-d's mission.

Unfortunately, this is what is meant by the phrase 'Nakeme Brit', the revenge of the covenant, a phrase that appears during the section describing the Tochacha, the chastising from G-d if the Jews don't treat His mission seriously enough.

And this explains why a Kohane is liable for the death penalty if he is in the Temple with a spot on his clothes.  And why a Rabbi has a similar injuction against having a spot on his clothes.  And why the Gemorra in Yuma mentions that while most sins can be atoned for and then forgiven, an example of an unforgivable sin (only death atones for it) is when a recognizably religious Jew does not talk softly, or may merely APPEAR dishonest .

The message of G-d throughout the Scriptures and history is to say you MUST take My mission seriously, you have no choice.  We have been chosen for this task, and we can't unchoose ourselves.  We must be a nation that exhibits spiritual stature, and through that spiritual stature, inspires the world and helps it be a worthy place.