Appealing Apples

The little bird was perched atop a high branch enjoying the summer breeze. Suddenly, the tree began swaying, as a bear began to climb the trunk.

“What are you looking for?” asked the bird.

“Don’t mind me, Birdie,” answered the bear. “I came up here to eat apples…”

“But Bear, this isn't an apple tree,” the bird pointed out. “There are no apples here!”

“That’s ok,” answered the bear. “I brought my own apples.”

***

Rebbi says that the desired path in life for man to choose for himself, is one that serves to beautify its followers, and brings beauty to those around him. (Avos 2:1)

A number of questions arise at first glance:

A) Is Rebbi really saying that choosing a proper path in life is something that should be left for Man to choose? Isn’t the obvious path of Torah whose “paths are the pathways of life…” already the established choicest path for life?

B) How can we even leave such an important choice up to Man, a being that is subjective, self-serving, and interested in promoting only his best interests? Surely such a nature precludes the ability to objectively choose The Right Path…

C) Even if such an important choice is in fact left for Man to choose, if the Torah is giving criteria for making a proper choice, shouldn’t the criteria be more purposeful than merely “that which brings benefit to the doer”? Obviously a person’s self-interest clouds the ability to make an honest assessment and judgment of what is truly beneficial for him, or those around him.

D) Even if Man has the integrity needed to make such a determination, wouldn’t his quest to please those around him sway him from his convictions? Surely the opinions of those around him can discourage Man from what is right, especially if doing what is right is determined by what brings benefit and beauty to them!

***

A woman once came to her Rabbi to discuss family challenges she was having at home.

The Rabbi encouraged her to start keeping Shabbos. “Start with Friday night,” the Rabbi said. “Set a nice dinner table, light Shabbos candles, turn off your phones, the television… Just spend the evening enjoying your family…”

The woman left, upset. “How will this religious hocus-pocus help me in real life?”

Subsequently, she found a therapist and began the long process of talking, discussing, “come back next week”, rehashing, discovering, “come back next week”, etc. Despite the cost, she felt she was making progress, and continued the weekly sessions.

At the end of one session, a couple of months down the line, the therapist said: “Let’s try something to begin putting things back together again... Once a week, perhaps on a weekend, call the family together for a nice dinner at home, light some candles; make it a special, family time: no cellphones, no television… just you and your family. Try it… It will do you wonders!”

It took many months of therapy to realize it, but the woman finally came to the realization, and soon began to experience, firsthand, how the path that brought most benefit was the path of Torah.

***

This is what Rebbi is telling us. Obviously, the Torah’s path is the established best path in life. Yet, the best way of living one’s life according to Torah is when one appreciates the beauty in it, even (and especially) in a physical sense, and realizes that Torah is the only path to a truly beautiful, fulfilling and purposeful life.

True, doing whatever Hashem tells us to do without questioning or needing an explanation is important - Na'aseh. Yet, our Avoda is not complete, it is not the "best path", until we experience the Nishma – the life-transforming step of living, appreciating and understanding how indeed, the best path in life is the one of Torah.

And when a Jew is true to this directive, those around him see the beauty and benefit in his doing so. Furthermore, his manner of following the path of Torah inspires those around him to see the beauty and light of Torah and choose it’s path as their path in life as well.

***

Drawing on a point made in a previous post:

The Tzadik does not venture to secular studies, modern influences for guidance in life. He knows that in order to live a fulfilling and purposeful life, all he needs is the the Torah – the Mon that fell right in front of his tent.

The Rasha (and to some extent the Beinoni) ventures away from Torah, to the edge of the camp, to Others, only to learn that there is no sustenance or fulfillment “out there, in the outskirts of the camp” of secularism and goyishe studies. Everything he needs was delivered to him in the Torah.

May we merit to appreciate the beauty of Torah, and not need to "grind it", or "bake it" in order to reap its full benefits. 

We have our own apples...

Let’s enjoy them!

Based on a Sicha from Shabbos Parshas Tzria-Metzorah 5748