“RABBI’S MUSINGS (&
AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh
Parshas Shoftim
6 Elul Av 5776/ September
9, 2016
Pirkei Avos – Perek 6
It’s fascinating how new
words are constantly being added to our lingo, based on the advancements of
technology. People casually speak about doing things that would have made no
sense just a few years ago, such as sending tweets and whatsapping pictures.
One of the greatest
technological advancements in regards to travel has been the creation of Waze.
These days before driving somewhere we ‘put the destination into Waze’ and within
seconds we are informed of the ideal route to take as well as the predicted time
of arrival.
It’s not that
infrequent that I will be driving somewhere and Waze will lead me along a route
I have never gone before. At first glance I am often skeptical of the
unfamiliar route, but I remind myself that Waze takes into account traffic, and
calculates the ideal way to get to the destination in the least amount of time.
Waze is also great because if the driver makes a mistake and misses a turn, within
seconds Waze recalculates a new route.
It struck me how
intriguing it is that we place so much faith in an electronic app, especially
in traveling to places and along routes that are completely foreign to us. The
reason we are willing to do so is because we have had sufficient past
experiences using Waze to know that the app is reliable. It’s a good feeling
when you can bypass heavy traffic by driving along a quiet side road that you
didn’t know existed. At times experience has also taught us that when ignoring
Waze’s route, we encounter traffic we could never have known existed.
We often speak about
having emunah peshutah – ‘simple
faith’, or some might say blind faith, in G-d. The truth is that we are not charged
to merely believe. We are charged to develop faith that stems from knowing the
truth in our hearts. Based on numerous past experiences – both our own, others,
and of Klal Yisroel generally, we are to recognize that Hashem is running the
world based on a divine plan. Faith begins where knowledge ends.
We rely on an app based
on previous experiences, and blindly follow its direction into the unknown with
confidence that it will lead us to our destination, and that it will take into
account the things that could impede us that we have no way of knowing
beforehand. Should our faith in the Omnipresent be any less?
Very often we find the
roads of our lives proverbially being recalculated. We suddenly find ourselves
and in areas and heading in a direction that is totally unfamiliar to us. At
times it’s our own fault that we ended up there, based on our own erroneous
decisions. At other times, it’s the result of events beyond our control. But we
are always charged with the mission of forging ahead with faith that the Ways
(waze) of our lives are not random or haphazard. We believe that there is a
destination we are working towards, even when we can’t see it.
One of the noted
allusions to the month of Elul is in the pasuk regarding one who murders inadvertently
and has to flee to one of the ordained Cities of Refuge. The pasuk (Shemos
21:13) states “אנה לידו ושמתי לך – (But for one who
has not lain in ambush and G-d has) caused it to come to his hand, I shall
provide for you a place (to which he shall flee).” The first letters of the
middle words contain an acronym of the word Elul.
The message from this
verse is that even when the unimagined and unexpected occurs, G-d prepares a
place for us. The truth is wherever we find ourselves – literally and figuratively
– is exactly where we are meant to be. That is part of our focus during the
month of Elul, to remind ourselves that we have a mission that is unique to us
and we are directed towards its fulfillment. Beyond that, it’s all up to
us.
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos,
R’
Dani and Chani Staum