Relationship Precedes Commitment.
Last week, we read about the Divine revelation at Mount Sinai and the giving of the Torah in Parshat Yitro. In this week’s parsha, Mishpatim, we hear the lofty response of the Jewish nation when accepting the Torah: Na’aseh V’nishma (we will do and we will listen)!
There is a famous and instructive question about this response: how is it that one can enter into any agreement or pact by agreeing to the terms before even seeing what it is that the deal entails? You can’t take upon yourself what you don’t yet know. So, how did Bnai Yisrael respond first with “we will do” and only after that, “we will listen” (to the requirements)? The answer is one that I think we can all learn from.
Perhaps it is precisely the response and the obvious trust of the people in their relationship with Hashem that has the ability to set the stage for generations to come. You see, we live in a generation when people often think things have to be “my way or the highway.” They not only scrutinize every detail of every action they take, but also only do things if they are done their way. We see this in the way people treat relationships and communal work, and it is also prevalent in one’s approach to Torah. The individual becomes the center of attention in the relationship, rather than focusing on the goal of what is being created. This is the antithesis of a Jew’s relationship both with the Torah and with Hashem.
The Torah had to come into play through blanket acceptance because that formed the basis of the entire relationship. True, it is important to study, understand and struggle with the details; as Jews we are encouraged to learn, and we should all be learning more. But underlying the relationship must be an unconditional commitment to our “partner.” Just as in a marriage, commitment means that regardless of what will come up in the future, we are 100% committed to this relationship, so too should we be 100% committed to Yiddishkeit.
Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Lipner