Parshas Devarim 5786: A Blessing, Not in Disguise

 

Torah Parallels

Parshas Devarim

לעלוי נשמת האדא בת מרדכי

A Blessing, Not in Disguise 

In the middle of Moshe's mussar, reflections, and remarks to B'nei Yisroel , Moshe reminds B’nei Yisroel that throughout their forty years in the desert, Hashem had blessed them with everything - לֹ֥א חָסַ֖רְתָּ דָּבָֽר.   

Rashi (Devarim 2:7) elaborates that Moshe was saying as follows, "because Hashem has blessed you, you should not make yourselves appear poor." 

At first glance, this is surprising. Aren't we taught to display ourselves with humility and simplicity, as opposed to flaunting wealth? Why would Rashi interpret the passuk as an encouragement to appear affluent and "show off" in response to being the recipient of beracha from Hashem? Is this a middah we really want to strive to achieve? 

Perhaps Rashi is teaching something much subtler. He isn't encouraging us to project wealth; he is telling us not to project poverty. There is a difference. 

When Hashem has showered us with blessings, presenting ourselves as though we have nothing isn't humility, it is failing to acknowledge His kindness. Projecting a life devoid of beracha reflects an outlook that has lost sight of the countless acts of hashgacha that fill our lives. If we do not truly recognize ourselves as recipents of Hashem's kindness, it becomes difficult for that gratitude to find expression. Acting as if there is no beracha when there in fact is, is a symptom that we are failing to recognize the hashgachas Hashem and have overlooked the beracha that is already here. 

That balance can sound delicate, but perhaps it is actually quite simple. We don't need to exaggerate our successes or hide our struggles. We simply need to live with an outlook of gratitude, optimism, and appreciation that reflects the good Hashem has placed in our lives. 

Think about one of the most common questions we ask each other: "How are you doing?" 

Often the answer falls into one of two categories: Either a quick "Baruch Hashem" before moving on, or a detailed account of everything that's going wrong – the pressures, the frustrations, and the challenges. What is missing is the reality of kindness and beracha that each of us have and just need to either better identify or better appreciate. The struggles are real, and they shouldn't be ignored. But if they become the whole story, we risk presenting a picture that isn't true. We may be overlooking the health, family, friendships, Torah, opportunities, and countless daily kindnesses that Hashem has also given us. 

Perhaps  this is exactly the mussar Moshe was giving B'nei Yisroel and what Rashi is highlighting here. Gratitude is not only something we feel inside. It should naturally express itself visibly in the way we speak, the way we carry ourselves, and the way we describe the lives Hashem has blessed us with. 

May we merit, especially during these challenging times, to recognize Hashem's many blessings even amid the difficulties, and may He soon grant us such open and obvious miracles and abundant berachos that the entire world will recognize and rejoice in together.