PARSHAS VA’ESCHANAN

 “Then Moshe separated three cities.” (Devarim 4:41)

Rashi explains that Moshe knew these arei miklat would not begin affording refuge until the remaining cities were set aside in Eretz Yisrael. Nonetheless he set aside these three saying: “A mitzvah that I’m able to fulfill I’ll fulfill.”

This teaches us that although a person may not be able to finish a mitzvah he should endeavor to fulfill whatever he’s capable of. (Chofetz Chaim al haTorah)

“But why” my nine-year-old whined as I handed her another pile of laundry to put away. “Why do we have to do so much laundry?”

“Because we have a lot piled up from the Nine Days and we need to finish it!” I tried to answer calmly despite the loads that still waited.

“But why?” she sighed again not bothering to pick up her pile. “We’re never going to finish anyway. As soon as we get through all this the hamper is going to fill up again. What’s the point?”

What’s the point indeed?

After relating that Moshe separated three cities of refuge the pasuk says (4:44): “And this is the teaching that Moshe set before Bnei Yisrael.”

What’s the connection between this pasuk and the arei miklat?

According to Rashi’s explanation we see that this action of fulfilling part of a mitzvah was what Moshe sought to teach Bnei Yisrael. They too should learn to fulfill the desire of Hashem as much as possible even if they can’t complete the mitzvah. (ibid.)

What’s the point?

So often that nagging question formulates in my own mind. The laundry will never finish the dishes will find their way back into the sink and my son will still not remember his math despite daily review. Why do I bother?

Someone once approached a gaon with the following question: If he didn’t have kavanah in most of davening and he’s already nearing the end of tefillah is it still worth exerting himself to have kavanah just at the end? The gaon answered with a mashal:

A girl stood in the marketplace with a large basket of vegetables to sell. A gentile came and started grabbing from the basket. The girl was paralyzed with fear. A wise man exhorted her: “Don’t wait for him to grab everything. You also grab and whatever you catch will be yours!” (ibid.)

One summer we planned a family trip to the Chermon. All week long the kids and I were anticipating snowy peaks and cool breezes.

Yet despite our best planning we only managed to get to the Kinneret. True there were breezes there but they were hot and humid. And in place of snowy peaks there were hazy shimmering waves of heat rising from the sidewalks.

The kids were so disappointed and so was I. If we’d only been able to travel just a little bit further we could’ve gotten to the Chermon! How did we end up here?

So too the yetzer hara overcomes a person with laziness and foreign thoughts causing him to lose kavanah. But don’t wait until he grabs everything; you grab too and urge yourself to have kavanah in the brachos that are still left. Even if the yetzer hara won today rouse yourself to fight against him further! (ibid.)

People choose a path in life yet in the daily gallop of events they realize just how blind their horse is.

How did I get so far from the path I originally set for myself? I intended to reach the heights to see glistening snow but my intentions are melting in the heat of anger and frustration. My view of life is so disappointing.

Yet the Chofetz Chaim teaches us that even in the midst of those lackluster moments golden opportunities arise. You can create the land you were trying to reach a lone island in the middle of the desert.

You can grab some fallen fruits. Perhaps your basket won’t be as full as you wanted but who said that Hashem desires only full baskets?

Gathering up apples from the ground is much harder than proudly holding the full basket. Putting a smile on a sour face requires tremendous effort. And swallowing your pride and admitting your mistakes while they’re still scattered around you is true greatness.

If we put our best foot forward we’ll find that the view from halfway up is also breathtaking.