“A Little Balm”: Effort According to One's Trust
From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Bereishis 43:11
וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲבִיהֶם אִם־כֵּן אֵפוֹא זֹאת עֲשׂוּ קְחוּ מִזִּמְרַת הָאָרֶץ בִּכְלֵיכֶם וְהוֹרִידוּ לָאִישׁ מִנְחָה מְעַט צֳרִי וּמְעַט דְּבַשׁ נְכֹאת וָלֹט בׇּטְנִים וּשְׁקֵדִים
And Yisrael their father said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take of the choicest produce of the land in your vessels, and bring down to the man a gift: a little balm and a little honey, spices and lotus, pistachios and almonds.”
1“And Yisrael their father said to them, ‘If it must be so, then do this: take of the choicest produce of the land in your vessels, and bring down to the man a gift: a little balm and a little honey.’”1 But why did Yaakov speak at such length, saying “If it must be so, then do this”? It would have been enough to say, “Take of the choicest produce of the land …” We must also ask why he told them to take only “a little” balm and “a little” honey. After all, Chazal said, “One who gives a gift gives generously.”2 We will also explain a verse about Yaakov Avinu: “And he took from that which came to his hand a gift for Esav his brother.”3 What does “from that which came to his hand” mean?
וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲבִיהֶם אִם כֵּן אֵפוֹא זֹאת עֲשׂוּ קְחוּ מִזִּמְרַת הָאָרֶץ בִּכְלֵיכֶם וְהוֹרִידוּ לָאִישׁ מִנְחָה מְעַט צֳרִי וּמְעַט דְּבַשׁ (מג, יא). יֵשׁ לְהָבִין, מַה כַּוָּונַת אֲרִיכוּת הַלָּשׁוֹן ׳אִם כֵּן אֵפוֹא זֹאת עֲשׂוּ׳, הָיָה דַּי בְּאוֹמְרוֹ ׳קְחוּ מִזִּמְרַת הָאָרֶץ׳ וְגוֹ׳. וְעוֹד, לָמָּה צִוָּה רַק ׳מְעַט׳ צֳרִי ו׳מְעַט׳ דְּבַשׁ, הֲרֵי אָמְרוּ (בבא בתרא עא, א) הַנּוֹתֵן מַתָּנָה בְּעַיִן יָפָה הוּא נוֹתֵן. וּנְפָרֵשׁ גַּם הַכָּתוּב בְּיַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ (בראשית לב, יד) ״וַיִּקַּח מִן הַבָּא בְיָדוֹ מִנְחָה לְעֵשָׂו אָחִיו״, מַהוּ ׳מִן הַבָּא בְיָדוֹ׳.
In shortThree questions: why Yaakov added “If it must be so, then do this,” why only “a little,” and what “that which came to his hand” means.
2We may explain all this as follows. The Midrash comments: “‘Fortunate is the man who has made Hashem his trust’: this is Yosef. ‘And did not turn to the arrogant’: because he said to the chief butler, ‘Remember me … and mention me,’ two years were added to his time in prison.”4 The commentators, among them the Derashos Maharit and the Binah Le'itim, point out that the Midrash contradicts itself.5 First it says, “who has made Hashem his trust: this is Yosef,” which shows that Yosef was a man of trust. Then it says that he was punished for turning to the arrogant, meaning the chief butler.
וּלְבָאֵר כָּל זֶה אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר בְּדֶרֶךְ זֶה. דְּהִנֵּה אִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (בראשית רבה פט, ג), ״אַשְׁרֵי הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר שָׂם ה׳ מִבְטַחוֹ״ (תהלים מ, ה) זֶה יוֹסֵף, ״וְלֹא פָנָה אֶל רְהָבִים״ עַל יְדֵי שֶׁאָמַר לְשַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים ״זְכַרְתַּנִי וְהִזְכַּרְתַּנִי״ (בראשית מ, יד) נִיתְוַסֵּף לוֹ שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים. וְהִקְשׁוּ הַמְּפָרְשִׁים (דרשות מהרי״ט מקץ, בינה לעיתים חנוכה דרוש א, ועיין ביפה תואר) דְּדִבְרֵי הַמִּדְרָשׁ סוֹתְרִים מִינֵּיהּ וּבֵיהּ, דִּתְחִילָּה אוֹמֵר הַמִּדְרָשׁ ״אֲשֶׁר שָׂם ה׳ מִבְטַחוֹ״ זֶה יוֹסֵף, הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיָה יוֹסֵף בַּעַל בִּטָּחוֹן, וְשׁוּב אָמְרוּ שֶׁנֶּעֱנַשׁ עַל שֶׁפָּנָה אֶל רְהָבִים.
- Bereishis Rabbah 89:3; Tehillim 40:5; Bereishis 40:14. ↩
- Derashos Maharit (R' Yosef di Trani), Mikeitz; Binah Le'itim (R' Azariah Figo), Chanukah, Derush 1; see also Yefeh To'ar (on Midrash Rabbah). ↩
In shortThe Midrash calls Yosef a man of trust, yet says he was punished for asking the butler's help: a contradiction, the commentators say.
3We can resolve this through the well-known story of our master the Baal Shem Tov, zt"l.6 Once he had no money for the needs of the holy Shabbos. On Friday, Erev Shabbos, he went and knocked on his neighbor's window, said that he needed money for Shabbos, and went straight on his way. The neighbor came out at once, ran after him, caught up with him, and asked what this meant. The Baal Shem Tov answered that every person's livelihood is prepared for him by Hashem, Who feeds and sustains all His creatures. Each person, though, must make some effort for his livelihood, according to the measure of his trust in Hashem, and the effort must come from trust that it is Hashem Who provides for everyone. “At my level of trust,” he said, “the very smallest effort is enough for me. Once I had done what was mine to do, I left at once.” In other words, a person must not rely on his effort as though his salvation will come from it; he must simply make the effort. That is why the Baal Shem Tov went on his way as soon as he had made his effort, and did not wait there for his salvation to come from it.
וְאֶפְשָׁר לְתָרֵץ עַל פִּי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַיָּדוּעַ בְּמָרָן הַבַּעַל שֵׁם טוֹב זצללה״ה (דברי יחזקאל פרשת וישב), שֶׁפַּעַם אַחַת לֹא הָיָה לוֹ מָעוֹת עַל צָרְכֵי שַׁבָּת קוֹדֶשׁ, וּבְעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת קוֹדֶשׁ הָלַךְ וְדָפַק עַל חַלּוֹן שְׁכֵנוֹ וְאָמַר שֶׁצָּרִיךְ עַל צָרְכֵי שַׁבָּת קוֹדֶשׁ, וּמִיָּד הָלַךְ לְדַרְכּוֹ. וְזֶה הַשָּׁכֵן תֵּיכֶף יָצָא וְרָץ אַחֲרָיו וְהִשִּׂיג אוֹתוֹ, וּשְׁאָלוֹ פֵּשֶׁר הַדָּבָר, וְהֵשִׁיב לוֹ שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד מוּכָן לוֹ פַּרְנָסָתוֹ עַל יְדֵי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ הַזָּן וּמְפַרְנֵס לְכָל בְּרִיּוֹתָיו, אֶלָּא שֶׁצָּרִיךְ כָּל אֶחָד לַעֲשׂוֹת מַעֲשֵׂה הִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת לְפַרְנָסָה כָּל אֶחָד כְּפִי עֵרֶךְ בִּטְחוֹנוֹ בְּהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, אָכֵן הַהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת מִתּוֹךְ בִּטָּחוֹן שֶׁה׳ הוּא זָן וּמְפַרְנֵס לַכֹּל. וַאֲנִי לְפִי מַדְרֵגָתִי בְּבִטָּחוֹן, דַּי לִי לַעֲשׂוֹת הִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת קְטַנָּה בְּיוֹתֵר, וְכַאֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי מַה שֶׁמּוּטָּל עָלַי לַעֲשׂוֹת, הָלַכְתִּי מִיָּד. וְהַיְינוּ שֶׁאֵין לִסְמוֹךְ עַל הַהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת שֶׁמִּשָּׁם תָּבוֹא יְשׁוּעָתוֹ, רַק דְּצָרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת הַהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת, וְעַל כֵּן מִשֶּׁסִּיֵּים לַעֲשׂוֹת הַהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת הָלַךְ לְדַרְכּוֹ, וְלֹא הִמְתִּין שֶׁמִּשָּׁם תָּבוֹא יְשׁוּעָתוֹ.
- Divrei Yechezkel (R' Yechezkel Shraga Halberstam of Shinova), Vayeishev. ↩
In shortThe Baal Shem Tov only knocked and walked away: each must make an effort matched to his trust, never relying on the effort itself.
4Yaakov Avinu trusted in Hashem with great trust. Even when Esav came toward him with four hundred men and he was in danger, a small effort was enough for him. So he did not pick and choose to make the gift fine and large. Rather, “he took from that which came to his hand”: he took whatever happened to be at hand and sent it to Esav, for at his level of trust that act was enough.
וְהִנֵּה יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ ע״ה שֶׁהָיָה בּוֹטֵחַ בַּה׳ בְּבִטָּחוֹן גָּדוֹל, גַּם כַּאֲשֶׁר עֵשָׂו בָּא לִקְרָאתוֹ וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אִישׁ עִמּוֹ, וְהָיָה בְּחֶזְקַת סַכָּנָה, הָיָה דַּי לוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת פְּעוּלָּה קְטַנָּה, לָכֵן לֹא בָּחַר וּבֵרֵר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַדּוֹרוֹן יָפֶה וְגָדוֹל, אֶלָּא ״וַיִּקַּח מִן הַבָּא בְיָדוֹ״, הַיְינוּ מִמַּה שֶׁהִזְדַּמֵּן לוֹ לָקַח וְשָׁלַח לְעֵשָׂו, שֶׁלְּפִי מִידַּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן שֶׁלּוֹ הָיָה דַּי לוֹ בַּפְּעוּלָּה זֹאת.
In shortYaakov's great trust needed only a small effort even before Esav's four hundred men, so he sent whatever came to hand.
5But Yaakov's sons, the tribes, had not reached his level of trust. That is why he spoke to them in these words: “If it must be so, then do this.” He meant: you are obliged to do more, to make a greater effort and to seek out a fine gift. Even so, he said “a little,” to teach them to understand that this effort is only the “little,” the minor part. The main thing is to trust that Hashem, Who is good, will show us His miracles and wonders.
אֲבָל הַשְּׁבָטִים שֶׁלֹּא הִגִּיעוּ לְמַדְרֵגַת יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ ע״ה בְּמִידַּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן, לָכֵן אָמַר לָהֶם יַעֲקֹב בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה ״אִם כֵּן אֵפוֹא זֹאת עֲשׂוּ״, הַיְינוּ שֶׁאַתֶּם מוּטָּל עֲלֵיכֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת וּלְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל יוֹתֵר, וּלְחַפֵּשׂ דּוֹרוֹן יָפֶה, אַךְ מִכָּל מָקוֹם אָמַר בִּלְשׁוֹן ׳מְעַט׳, לְהוֹרוֹת לָהֶם שֶׁצְּרִיכִים לָדַעַת שֶׁזֶּה הַהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת הוּא רַק הַמְּעַט, וְהָעִיקָּר צְרִיכִים לִבְטוֹחַ בַּה׳ הַטּוֹב שֶׁיַּרְאֶה לָנוּ נִיסָּיו וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו.
In shortThe tribes' lesser trust required fuller effort and a fine gift, yet Yaakov called it “a little”: trust in Hashem is the main thing.
6In this way we can also explain what happened to Yosef HaTzaddik, of whom the Midrash says, “Who has made Hashem his trust: this is Yosef.” At his great level of trust, a small effort would have been enough for him. So he was punished for saying to the chief butler “remember me and mention me,” and two years were added to his time, because for a man of his level this was too much effort. This rests on the explanation of the doubled wording “remember me and mention me” in the Daas Zekeinim MiBaalei HaTosafos, a Torah commentary by the Tosafists: “Remember me” yourself, “and mention me” through a messenger.7 Yosef HaTzaddik, with his great trust in Hashem, did not need so much effort. Had he said “remember me” just once, it would not have been counted as a sin. But by doubling his request and asking also to be mentioned through a messenger, he blemished his level of trust with that extra effort.
וּבְדֶרֶךְ זֶה יֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ הָעִנְיָן בְּיוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק, ״אֲשֶׁר שָׂם ה׳ מִבְטַחוֹ זֶה יוֹסֵף״, שֶׁלְּפִי גּוֹדֶל מַדְרֵגָתוֹ בְּבִטָּחוֹן הָיָה דַּי לוֹ בְּהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת מוּעֶטֶת, וְעַל כֵּן נֶעֱנַשׁ עַל מַה שֶּׁאָמַר לְשַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים זְכַרְתַּנִי וְהִזְכַּרְתַּנִי וְנִיתּוֹסַף לוֹ שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים, כֵּיוָן שֶׁלְּפִי מַדְרֵגָתוֹ עָשָׂה הִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת יְתֵירָה. וְהוּא עַל פִּי מַה שֶׁפֵּירֵשׁ בְּדַעַת זְקֵנִים מִבַּעֲלֵי הַתּוֹסָפוֹת כֶּפֶל הַלָּשׁוֹן ׳זְכַרְתַּנִי וְהִזְכַּרְתַּנִי׳, ׳זְכַרְתַּנִי׳ אַתָּה בְּעַצְמְךָ, ׳וְהִזְכַּרְתַּנִי׳ עַל יְדֵי שָׁלִיחַ. וְהִנֵּה יוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק לְפִי גּוֹדֶל בִּטְחוֹנוֹ בַּה׳ לֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לְהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת מְרוּבָּה כָּזוֹ, וּבְאִם הָיָה אוֹמֵר פַּעַם אַחַת ׳זְכַרְתַּנִי׳ לֹא הָיָה נֶחְשָׁב לוֹ לְחֵטְא, אֲבָל מַה שֶּׁהִכְפִּיל וּבִיקֵּשׁ גַּם שֶׁיַּזְכִּירֶנּוּ עַל יְדֵי שָׁלִיחַ, בָּזֶה פָּגַם בְּמַדְרֵגַת הַבִּטָּחוֹן שֶׁלּוֹ, בְּהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת הַיְּתֵירָה הַהִיא.
- Daas Zekeinim MiBaalei HaTosafos on Bereishis 40:14. ↩
In shortYosef's doubled plea, “remember me” himself “and mention me” through a messenger, was too much effort for his great trust, and cost two years.
7May the Holy One, blessed be He, help us to believe that He feeds and sustains all, and may we earn the redemption in the merit of that faith, as Chazal said.8 Amen, may it be His will.
הקב״ה יַעַזְרֵנוּ, שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְהַאֲמִין שֶׁהוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ זָן וּמְפַרְנֵס לַכֹּל, וּבִזְכוּת הָאֱמוּנָה נִזְכֶּה לִגְאוּלָּה (כמאמרם ז״ל ילקוט הושע תקיט), אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
- Yalkut Shimoni, Hoshea §519. ↩
In shortThe Rebbe prays that we believe Hashem sustains all, and through that faith earn the redemption.
Takeaway
Effort is required, but it is only “a little”; the main thing is trust that Hashem feeds and sustains all. How much effort a person must make depends on his level of trust, and what is fitting for one can be too much for another. Like the Baal Shem Tov, we can do what is ours to do and then walk on, without waiting as though the salvation comes from our effort.
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