5-Bullet Friday: Parshas Bechuoksai

~ Torah Parallels ~
5-Bullet Friday

This week is Parshas Bechukosai! Check out this week's d'var torah here.

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Here is this week's 5-Bullet Friday, a quick summary of thoughts I’ve been pondering during the week:
  • Question I'm pondering (on the parsha): Proper motive. When it comes to doing avodas Hashem, we know that performing the mitzvos “lishma” as opposed to “al means l’kabel p’ras” is the higher form of the two. Yet, in this parsha, we find that not only does the Torah tell us that “im bechukosai teilechu…” that there will be a reward. But even more so – the reward the Torah chooses is a physical one that rains of blessing  will come at the proper time, instead of the promise of olam ha’baah. So why is it that 1. The Torah is “promoting” keeping the mitzvos for a reward; and 2. Advertising the lesser of the rewards (reward in olam ha’zeh vs. in olam ha’baah)?
     
  • Concept I am considering: K’lal u’prat u’klal.  This is one of the 13 rules of Rebbe Yishmael of Torah shel ba’al peh tools that chazal could utilize to expound torah she’bichsav. This rule literally translates as “General, Specific, General” And refers to when the Torah lists a general rule, followed by specific examples, followed by a general rule. The Halacha is that we follow the general rule, but only on condition it is similar to the specific case. There are many examples of when this rule is used throughout shas. There are discussions and disputes in shas regarding certain parameters of this form of drasha. For example – if the second general rule has to be in the same verse as the other general rule. Or if the k’lalim could be of a different “denomination” than the k’lal (for example – if the k’lalim are for a mitzvas aseh but the p’ratim detail mitzvos lo sa’aseh. .  
  • Hashkafic idea I'm reflecting on: Everyoone counts! When it comes to sefiras ha’omer we do not rely on hearing the counting from someone else. Rather, every person is responsible to count. As we approach mattan Torah we should certainly keep in mind that we are both k’ish echad v’lev echad and also significant individuals where everyone counts literally and figuratively.
  • Middah on my mind: Zehirus. The mesillas yesharim explains the middah of zehirus as utilizing one's middah of bechira. One cannot be zahir on things that happen by default or that one falls into passively. Zehirus by definition requires zehirus. Indeed this is the first step in growing. One must internalize that one has bechira and then work on using the bechira.
  • Part of Tefillah I'm concentrating on: Ashrei. “Chanun v’rachum...” In this passuk we state that Hashem is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and of great kindness. Those attributes we must emulate. Just as Hashem is gracious and compassionate, we must be as well.
  •   
What's on your mind? 

Have a wonderful Shabbos!

Parallely yours, 

Daniel

P.S:
  • Topic I am thinking about: Focus on material relevance. Driving one day this week I saw a billboard advertising for a company that sells cars online and delivers the car to your home. The ad contained one line above a background of a new car being delivered on a flat-bed: “Life is too short to spend at an auto-dealer”. If you wanted to start working on personal time management, I do not think that I would recommend starting on purchasing cars online rather than going to dealerships. However, scratching out the last part of that line, what is something that you spend a lot of time doing which would better belong at the end of the sentence, “Life is too short to spend….”? We spend time thinking about things (worry, jealousy, anger, etc). We spend time talking about things (gossip, nonsense, etc). And we spend time doing things (scrolling through social media feeds, watching shows, etc.) Imagine a pie chart of your day demonstrating time allocations to each of these buckets and the sub categories within them. Choose something positive that looks smaller than you’d conceptually like it, and choose something negative that stands out as bigger than it should be, and focus on swapping the two. Life is the currency we spend. Spend wisely.
Have comments or thoughts on this week's bullets? Have other random thoughts on your mind? Send an email to torahparallels@gmail.com. Thank you!

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