* Translated by Janine Muller Sherr
Are the mitzvot a list of chores or a series of gifts?
Hadas Lowenshtern writes about Parashat Mishpatim and us:
“In the Ten Commandments we are presented with ten straightforward and logical mitzvot. But in Parashat Mishpatim, which we read this past Shabbat, we dive into specific details and are given dozens of mitzvot. Why does God give us such a detailed Torah?
It is written in the Gemara: “The Holy One, Blessed be He, sought to confer merit upon the Jewish people; therefore, He increased for them Torah and mitzvot.”
This is a revolutionary concept: God increased the number of mitzvot He gave us in order to offer us more opportunities! The more mitzvot—the more opportunities, and even the “smallest” one will bring us merit.
The question is how we view mitzvot. If we view them as an endless list of demands, we will be discouraged. But if we say to ourselves: The Master of the Universe loves me so much that He offered me a series of opportunities to connect with Him—through my actions, my clothing, and my speech—this is an entirely different way to think about mitzvot.
For many years, before I would fall asleep, I would ask myself: What didn’t I do today? But after going through various life experiences, I decided that before going to sleep I would think, instead, about everything I had accomplished that day, and that change in attitude transformed my life.
One can view mitzvot as a series of responsibilities and demands, or as a series of opportunities to do good and to gain merit. God increased our Torah and mitzvot—and if we truly understand this concept, it will change our lives.
