Take me, not them!

Hi,

"Rabbi Yonatan said: Yonah only went to destroy himself in the sea, as it is written, 'Pick me up and throw me into the sea.' You will find the same behavior by our ancestors and prophets, who gave themselves for the Jewish people.

"What does it say regarding Moshe? 'And now, if You will bear their sins, fine. But if You will not bear their sins then erase me from the book You have written. (Exodus 32)'…

"What does it say regarding David? 'I have sinned, and I have been crooked, but what have these sheep done? May Your hand be against me and my family (Samuel II 24).'"

(Midrash, Mechilta Bo)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Perform a single mitzvah well

Hi,

"That which grows in a garden is not like that which grows in a field; a field is planted with only one or two varieties, as opposed to gardens which have many kinds of seeds. Still, each garden has one central variety, and small quantities of other varieties are planted around it.

"So, too, each Jew is filled with the mitzvot of Gd, but each has one special mitzvah in which he is extra careful, as is seen in Mechilta Beshalach 251, “One who performs a single mitzvah, faithfully, is worthy of Divine inspiration.”"

(Netziv, Haamek Davar to Bamidbar 24:6)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Do it yourself!

Hi,

"‘[The Jews carried the matzah] Bound up in their clothes’ – R’ Natan said: Did they not have animals? But the Jews loved the mitzvot, and they went and did it themselves in order to receive reward for going and doing."

(Midrash, Mechilta d'Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai 12:38)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A Pesach lesson: Performing mitzvot personally

Hi,


"The Torah says, ‘The nation carried out its dough before it could rise, their burdens bound up in their clothes, upon their shoulders.’

"R’ Natan asked: Did they not have animals? But the Jews loved the mitzvot, and they went and did it themselves in order to receive reward for going and doing…"

(Midrash, Mechilta d’R’ Shimon bar Yochai 12:38)

Have a great Moed,
Mordechai

Sh'virat haMidot [breaking one's engrained traits]

Hi,

"If you will bend your will to treat your enemy as a friend, I [Gd] pledge that I will transform your enemy into your friend."

(Midrash, Mechilta of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai 23:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai