Behukosai 5782 – Embracing the Yoke of Avodas Hashem
Consider sponsoring a shiur
Visit YTATorah.org
Shiur presented in 5778
Consider sponsoring a shiur
Visit YTATorah.org
Shiur presented in 5778
In this week’s parshah, the Torah teaches us about the mitzvah of bikurim. The Torah tells us that when you plant fruit trees in Eretz Yisrael, you’re supposed to bring the first of the growth to the Beis Hamikdash, to be given to the kohanim. These first fruits are unique because they’re brought to the kohen in the Beis Hamikdash, but they’re not offered on the mizbeach. They’re given to the kohen. The Torah tells us the very great procedure that we have to do. There’s a whole meseches Bikurim that talks about the process of how you have to tie a string around the first fruit that emerge, and when they ripen you have to put them in a basket and then you have to march to Yerushalayim with pomp. A most tremendous mitzvah!
Since the Torah on Har Sinai required a kabalas haTorah, it’s important for us to think about whether we are ready for a kabalas haTorah. Rav Chaim Volozhiner writes that kabalas haTorah is not something you do once a year. You should do it every time you learn. A person should be mekabel Torah before he learns. He should think to himself, Na’aseh v’nishma.
Now, this principle of Creation and Control is such an important principle because everything about life for every individual, Jew, and non-Jew, is built upon these two things. It refers to the fact that I’m created and the fact that somebody exerts control over the world and over my life.
In this week’s parshah, it says that Moshe Rabbeinu told Klal Yisrael to come forward with their donations for the Mishkan. The passuk (Shemos 35:21) mentions two classes of people. There were people who were naso libo and there were also those people that were nedava rucho.
Today, we’re going to discuss one of the most powerful tools for reaching out and inspiring others. In the world of sales, it’s all about marketing. If you want to sell a product, you have to know what the customer is looking for and how to present it to the potential customer. If you have those two ingredients, they say the sale will go down by itself.
“These are the journeys of the Israelites…” Rashi cites Chazal, who ask why the Torah lists all their travels, and he answers that it was in order to make Klal Yisroel aware of the chessed of Hashem that they stopped and rested from one station to the next.