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Lehavas David · Parshas Vayeira · Maamar ו

Eight Days of Longing: The Reward for Yearning

From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Bereishis 21:4
וַיָּמׇל אַבְרָהָם אֶת־יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ בֶּן־שְׁמֹנַת יָמִים כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה אֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים
And Avraham circumcised Yitzchak his son at eight days old, as God had commanded him.
1“And Avraham circumcised Yitzchak his son at eight days old, as God had commanded him.”1 My holy ancestor, the Rebbe of Lentshna, zt"l, notes a precise point in the wording, as recorded in the holy sefer Toldos Adam.2 Why does the verse say shemonas yamim, when it would have been more exact to say shemonah yamim?3 We may also ask: what is meant by “as God had commanded him”? We know that Hashem had already commanded him about circumcision, in Parshas Lech Lecha: “Every male among you shall be circumcised.”4 True, Chazal learn from our verse that the obligation of circumcision rests on the father, and not only on the beis din, the rabbinical court.5 Still, as the verse says, “there are still words to say on God's behalf”:6 there is more to explain here.
וַיָּמָל אַבְרָהָם אֶת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ בֶּן שְׁמוֹנַת יָמִים כַּאֲשֶׁר צִיוָּה אוֹתוֹ אֱלֹקִים (כא, ד). כ״ק זְקֵנִי זצללה״ה מלענטשנא (בספר הקדוש תולדות אדם ד״ה וימל) דִּקְדֵּק, מַהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב ׳שְׁמוֹנַת׳, וְהָיָה מְדוּקְדָּק יוֹתֵר לוֹמַר ׳שְׁמוֹנָה׳ יָמִים. וְעוֹד יֵשׁ לְדַיֵּיק מַהוּ ׳כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה אוֹתוֹ אֱלֹקִים׳, דַּהֲרֵי כְּבָר יָדוּעַ שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ צִוָּהוּ עַל הַמִּילָה, מִן הַפָּסוּק בְּפָרָשַׁת לֵךְ לְךָ (יז, י) ״הִמּוֹל לָכֶם כָּל זָכָר״, וְאַף שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ חז״ל (קידושין כט, א) מִפָּסוּק זֶה שֶׁחִיּוּב הַמִּילָה מוּטָּל עַל הָאָב וְלֹא עַל רַק עַל בֵּית דִּין, אַךְ עוֹד לֶאֱלוֹק מִילִּין.
  1. Bereishis 21:4. ↩
  2. Toldos Adam, s.v. Vayamal. The Toldos Adam is by R' Yehoshua of Ostrova, son of R' Shlomo Leib of Lentshna, and father-in-law of the first Biala Rebbe. ↩
  3. Shemonas is the form that means “eight of”; the plain word for “eight” is shemonah. ↩
  4. Bereishis 17:10. ↩
  5. Kiddushin 29a. ↩
  6. Iyov 36:2. ↩
In shortWhy does the verse say shemonas yamim, not shemonah yamim, and why add “as God had commanded him” when the command was known?
2It seems we can explain this with the words of my holy ancestor in the same passage. Avraham Avinu longed greatly to fulfill Hashem's mitzvah. The moment Hashem commanded him to circumcise his son Yitzchak, he was eagerly awaiting the time when he could circumcise his only son. But he had to wait eight days, and all those days and nights he waited and longed to fulfill this mitzvah. It was like what is told of the holy Kedushas Levi, R' Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, zt"l. As the time for the mitzvah of lulav and esrog drew near, he would dance and rejoice all night long, longing and waiting for the moment when he could take the lulav and esrog in his hand and make the blessing over them. Since Avraham longed for the mitzvah through all eight days, every single day and every hour counted for him as though he had fulfilled the mitzvah of circumcision in it. This is the meaning of “And Avraham circumcised … shemonas yamim,” read as “the eight days” themselves: for all eight days Scripture credits him as though he had fulfilled the mitzvah of circumcision, because of the intensity of his longing for his son's circumcision. Those are my holy ancestor's words.
וְנִרְאֶה בָּזֶה עַל פִּי דִּבְרֵי קָדְשׁוֹ שֶׁל כ״ק זְקֵנִי זצ״ל (שם), שֶׁאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ ע״ה הִשְׁתּוֹקֵק מְאֹד לְקַיֵּים מִצְוֹת ה׳, וּמִיָּד כְּשֶׁנִּצְטַוָּוה מִפִּי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לָמוּל אֶת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ, תֵּיכֶף הָיָה חוֹשֵׁק וּמְצַפֶּה כְּבָר לָמוּל אֶת בְּנוֹ יְחִידוֹ, אַךְ הָיָה מוּכְרָח לְחַכּוֹת שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים, וְחִיכָּה וְצִיפָּה כָּל אֵלּוּ הַיָּמִים וְלֵילוֹת לְקַיֵּים אֶת הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁמְּסַפְּרִים עַל הרה״ק הַקְּדוּשַּׁת לֵוִי זצללה״ה שֶׁבְּעֵת שֶׁהָיָה מַגִּיעַ לְמִצְוַת לוּלָב וְאֶתְרוֹג, שֶׁהָיָה רוֹקֵד וְשָׂמֵחַ כָּל הַלַּיְלָה וְהִשְׁתּוֹקֵק וְצִיפָּה מָתַי יָבֹא עֵת שֶׁיּוּכַל לִיטּוֹל הַלּוּלָב וְהָאֶתְרוֹג לְיָדוֹ וּלְבָרֵךְ עֲלֵיהֶם. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהִשְׁתּוֹקֵק לְכָךְ כָּל שְׁמוֹנַת הַיָּמִים, עַל כֵּן כָּל יוֹם וְיוֹם וְכָל שָׁעָה נֶחְשָׁב לוֹ כְּאִילּוּ קִיֵּים בָּהּ מִצְוַת מִילָה. וְזֶה הַפֵּירוּשׁ ״וַיָּמָל אַבְרָהָם וְגוֹ׳ שְׁמוֹנַת יָמִים״, הַיְנוּ שֶׁכָּל שְׁמוֹנַת יָמִים אֵלּוּ מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ קִיֵּים מִצְוַת מִילָה, מֵחֲמַת עוֹצֶם הַתְּשׁוּקָה לְמִצְוַת מִילַת בְּנוֹ, עכד״ק.
In shortAvraham longed for the mitzvah all eight days, like the Kedushas Levi before the lulav, so the verse credits him with circumcising throughout them.
3This also helps us explain the verse “For I have known him, so that he will command his children … so that Hashem may bring upon Avraham that which He spoke concerning him.”7 Rashi comments on “so that Hashem may bring”: “This is what he commands his children: ‘Keep the way of Hashem, so that Hashem will bring upon Avraham …’” But this is difficult, for Chazal said, “Do not be like servants who serve the master in order to receive a reward.”8 There is a further difficulty: “there is no reward for a mitzvah in this world.”9 So how can the verse say that if they keep the way of Hashem, Hashem will bring upon Avraham what He spoke to him, which is a reward in this world?
וּבָזֶה יֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ מַה שֶּׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (יח, יט) ״כִּי יְדַעְתִּיו לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה אֶת בָּנָיו וְגוֹ׳ לְמַעַן הָבִיא ה׳ עַל אַבְרָהָם אֵת אֲשֶׁר דִּיבֶּר עָלָיו״. וברש״י ז״ל, לְמַעַן הָבִיא, כָּךְ הוּא מְצַוֶּה לְבָנָיו שִׁמְרוּ דֶּרֶךְ ה׳ כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּבִיא ה׳ עַל אַבְרָהָם וְכוּ׳. וְקָשֶׁה, הֲרֵי אָמְרוּ רז״ל (אבות א, ג) אַל תִּהְיוּ כַּעֲבָדִים הַמְּשַׁמְּשִׁים אֶת הָרַב עַל מְנָת לְקַבֵּל פְּרָס. וְעוֹד קָשֶׁה, הֲלֹא שְׂכַר מִצְוָה בְּהַאי עָלְמָא לֵיכָּא (קידושין לט, ב), וְאֵיךְ אוֹמֵר שֶׁאִם יִשְׁמְרוּ דֶּרֶךְ ה׳ יָבִיא ה׳ אֶת אֲשֶׁר דִּיבֶּר לְאַבְרָהָם, דְּהַיְינוּ שָׂכָר בְּהַאי עָלְמָא.
  1. Bereishis 18:19. ↩
  2. Avos 1:3. ↩
  3. Kiddushin 39b. ↩
In short“So that Hashem may bring upon Avraham” seems to make reward the motive and to promise reward in this world, against Avos and the Gemara.
4aThe explanation is as follows. On the verse “If you walk in My statutes … then I will give your rains in their season,”10 the commentators ask, as the Kli Yakar reports from the Rishonim, the early authorities: but there is no reward for a mitzvah in this world!11 The holy sefarim, among them the Tiferes Shlomo, the Chida in Devash LePi, and the Arvei Nachal, answer this.12 Their answer rests on an explanation of why there is no reward for a mitzvah in this world, even though it is written, “On his day you shall give him his wage.”13 The reason is that this world does not hold enough reward to pay for even one light mitzvah. So it is impossible to pay reward in this world for any mitzvah at all.
אֶלָּא הַבֵּיאוּר הוּא, דְּהִנֵּה עַל הַפָּסוּק (ויקרא כו, ג ד) ״אִם בְּחוּקֹּתַי תֵּלֵכוּ וְגוֹ׳, וְנָתַתִּי גִּשְׁמֵיכֶם בְּעִתָּם״, הִקְשׁוּ הַמְּפָרְשִׁים (כלי יקר ויקרא כו, יד מדברי הראשונים) הָא שְׂכַר מִצְוָה בְּהַאי עָלְמָא לֵיכָּא. וְתֵירְצוּ בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (תפארת שלמה בחוקתי, ועיין דבש לפי לחיד״א מערכת שבת בשם הרב זרע בירך, ובערבי נחל חיי שרה דרוש ג), עַל פִּי מַה דְּאִיתָא לְפָרֵשׁ הַטַּעַם מַדּוּעַ שְׂכַר מִצְוָה בְּהַאי עָלְמָא לֵיכָּא, וַהֲרֵי כְּתִיב (דברים כד, טו) ״בְּיוֹמוֹ תִּתֵּן שְׂכָרוֹ״. אֶלָּא הַטַּעַם הוּא, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה אֵין דַּי שָׂכָר בִּכְדֵי לְשַׁלֵּם אֲפִילּוּ עֲבוּר מִצְוָה אַחַת קַלָּה, לָכֵן אֵין שַׁיָּיךְ כְּלָל לְשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה עַל שׁוּם מִצְוָה.
  1. Vayikra 26:3–4. ↩
  2. Kli Yakar on Vayikra 26:14. ↩
  3. Tiferes Shlomo, Bechukosai; see Devash LePi, Ma'areches Shabbos, citing the author of Zera Berach; Arvei Nachal, Chayei Sarah, Derush 3. ↩
  4. Devarim 24:15. ↩
4bBut all this applies only to the reward for actually fulfilling a mitzvah. For the preparations, and for love of the mitzvos, it is indeed possible to pay in this world. This is the meaning of “and keep My mitzvos.” The word tishmeru, “keep,” speaks of anticipation, as in “and his father kept the matter,” which Rashi explains as “he was waiting for when it would come.”14 A Jew who waits eagerly and asks, “When will a mitzvah come my way so that I may fulfill it?” is fit to receive reward for this in this world. And it is precisely this that the passage promises: “then I will give your rains in their season …”
אַךְ הִנֵּה כָּל זֶה הוּא רַק לְגַבֵּי הַשָּׂכָר עַל עֶצֶם קִיּוּם מִצְוָה, אֲבָל עַל הַהֲכָנוֹת וְאַהֲבַת הַמִּצְוֹות שַׁיָּיךְ כֵּן לְשַׁלֵּם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. וְזֶהוּ אֶת מִצְוֹתַי ׳תִּשְׁמְרוּ׳, שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן צִיפִּיָּה, מִלְּשׁוֹן הַכָּתוּב (בראשית לז, יא) ״וְאָבִיו שָׁמַר אֶת הַדָּבָר״, וּפֵירֵשׁ רש״י מְצַפֶּה מָתַי יָבוֹא, וְהַיְינוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְצַפֶּה מָתַי תָּבֹא מִצְוָה לְיָדִי וַאֲקַיְּימֶנָּה, עַל זֶה רָאוּי הוּא לִיטּוֹל שָׂכָר בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְדַיְיקָא עַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר שָׁם הַבְטָחַת ״וְנָתַתִּי גִּשְׁמֵיכֶם בְּעִתָּם״ וְגוֹ׳.
  1. Bereishis 37:11, and Rashi there. ↩
In shortNo reward in this world can pay for a mitzvah itself, but the longing beforehand, the “keeping” of “keep My mitzvos,” is rewarded here.
5We know that Avraham Avinu kept the entire Torah because his kidneys gave him understanding and counsel.15 He sensed and felt within himself what Hashem wanted him to do. He longed for mitzvos intensely, and as soon as a mitzvah was called for, his heart and soul were given over to fulfilling it. So he was fit to receive reward in this world for that longing, as we have explained. This also resolves the words “so that Hashem may bring upon Avraham.” They do not mean that Avraham served the Creator in order to receive a reward. On the contrary, all his reward in this world came because he desired and yearned, of his own accord, to fulfill Hashem's will. For he received no reward for the mitzvah itself, only for the preparation, the anticipation and the longing to fulfill it. And this is what he commanded his children and his household after him: to desire to do Hashem's will. As the verse says, “and they will keep the way of Hashem,” using the same word, shamar, as “and his father kept the matter.” Even before a mitzvah, they should long for a way to be privileged to fulfill it as Hashem wants, so that they too may be worthy of reward in this world.
וְהִנֵּה יָדוּעַ (עיין אבות דרבי נתן לג, א) שֶׁאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ ע״ה קִיֵּים כָּל הַתּוֹרָה, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיוּ כִּלְיוֹתָיו מְבִינוֹת אוֹתוֹ וְיוֹעֲצוֹת אוֹתוֹ, וְהַיְינוּ שֶׁהָיָה חָשׁ וּמַרְגִּישׁ בְּעַצְמוֹ מַה רְצוֹן הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה, וְהָיָה מְצַפֶּה בְּיוֹתֵר לַמִּצְוֹות, וּמִיָּד כְּשֶׁהָיָה נִצְרָךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוָה הָיוּ לִבּוֹ וְנַפְשׁוֹ נְתוּנִים לְקַיֵּים הַמִּצְוָה, וְעַל כֵּן הָיָה רָאוּי לְקַבֵּל עַל זֶה שָׂכָר בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר. וּמֵעַתָּה מְיוּשָּׁב אָמְרוֹ ״לְמַעַן הָבִיא ה׳ עַל אַבְרָהָם״ וְגוֹ׳, וְהַיְינוּ לֹא שֶׁעָבַד אֶת הַבּוֹרֵא עַל מְנָת לְקַבֵּל פְּרָס, וְאַדְּרַבָּה כָּל שְׂכָרוֹ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הָיָה מֵחֲמַת שֶׁמֵּאֵלָיו חָשַׁק וְהִתְאַוָּוה לְקַיֵּים רְצוֹן הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, שֶׁהֲרֵי בְּעַד הַמִּצְוָה עַצְמָהּ לֹא הָיָה מְקַבֵּל שָׂכָר אֶלָּא בְּעַד הַהֲכָנָה וְהַצְּפִיָּה וְהַתְּשׁוּקָה לְקַיֵּים הַמִּצְוָה. וְעִנְיָן זֶה הָיָה מְצַוֶּה לְבָנָיו וּבֵיתוֹ אַחֲרָיו, שֶׁיַּחְשְׁקוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹן הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְשָׁמְרוּ דֶּרֶךְ ה׳ שֶׁהוּא מִלְּשׁוֹן וְאָבִיו שָׁמַר אֶת הַדָּבָר, שֶׁמִּשְׁתּוֹקֵק עוֹד לִפְנֵי הַמִּצְוָה הֵיאַךְ יִזְכֶּה לְקַיֵּים אוֹתָהּ כִּרְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, בְּאוֹפֶן שֶׁיִּהְיוּ רְאוּיִים גַּם הֵם לְשָׂכָר בְּהַאי עָלְמָא.
  1. See Avos deRabbi Nasan 33:1. In the Rabbinic image, the kidneys are the seat of understanding and counsel. ↩
In shortAvraham did not serve for reward; his reward in this world came for his yearning, not the mitzvah itself, and that longing he commanded his descendants.
6This also explains why the verse says they should keep the way of Hashem “to do tzedakah and justice,” and mentions no other mitzvos. Avraham commanded them to keep the Torah in the way we find with the mitzvah of tzedakah, where the heart of the mitzvah is the desire and the love. As the Shelah, the Shnei Luchos HaBris, explains, in the verse about tzedakah, “You shall surely give him, and let your heart not be grieved … for because of this thing Hashem will bless you,”16 the reward the Torah promises is for the desire and love of the mitzvah. Otherwise one would not deserve any reward, since the money is not his and he has given nothing of his own: “Mine is the silver and Mine is the gold, says Hashem.”17 This is what Avraham commanded his offspring: to keep all the laws of the Torah in this way. That is the meaning of “to do tzedakah and justice,” mishpat: they should do all the mishpatim, the laws of the Torah,18 in the manner of tzedakah, with love and desire for the mitzvos.
וּלְפִי זֶה יְבוֹאַר, מַדּוּעַ נִזְכַּר כָּאן שֶׁיִּשְׁמְרוּ דֶּרֶךְ ה׳ לַעֲשׂוֹת ׳צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט׳ וְלֹא נִזְכְּרוּ מִצְוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת, אֶלָּא הַכַּוָּונָה הִיא שֶׁצִּיוָּם שֶׁיִּשְׁמְרוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בְּמִצְוַת צְדָקָה, שֶׁעִיקַּר הַמִּצְוָה הוּא הַחֵשֶׁק וְאַהֲבָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּירֵשׁ בשל״ה (ווי העמודים יד) אֶת הַנֶּאֱמָר אֵצֶל צְדָקָה (דברים טו, י) ״נָתוֹן תִּתֵּן לוֹ וְלֹא יֵרַע לְבָבְךָ וְגוֹ׳, כִּי בִּגְלַל הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה יְבָרֶכְךָ ה׳״, דְּהַשָּׂכָר שֶׁמַּבְטַחַת הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה הוּא עֲבוּר הַחֵשֶׁק וְאַהֲבַת הַמִּצְוָה, כִּי לוּלֵא כֵּן אֵינוֹ רָאוּי לְקַבֵּל שָׂכָר, שֶׁהֲרֵי זֶה הַמָּמוֹן אֵינוֹ שֶׁלּוֹ וְלֹא נָתַן כְּלוּם מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, כִּי לִי הַכֶּסֶף וְלִי הַזָּהָב נְאוּם ה׳ (חגי ב, ח). וְזֶה צִיוָּה אַבְרָהָם אֶת זַרְעוֹ, שֶׁבָּזֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ יְקַיְּיימוּ אֶת כָּל מִשְׁפְּטֵי הַתּוֹרָה, וְזֶהוּ ״לַעֲשׂוֹת צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט״, שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ אֶת כָּל ׳מִשְׁפְּטֵי׳ הַתּוֹרָה (עיין בזוהר ח״ג קיג, ב) בִּבְחִינַת ׳צְדָקָה׳, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בָּהֶם אַהֲבָה וְחֵשֶׁק אֶל הַמִּצְוֹות.
  1. Shelah, Vavei HaAmudim, ch. 14; Devarim 15:10. ↩
  2. Chaggai 2:8. ↩
  3. See Zohar III 113b. ↩
In shortTzedakah is singled out because its reward is for the love behind it; Avraham wanted all the Torah's laws kept with that same love.
7On this basis it seems we can also answer our second question, on the end of the verse “And Avraham circumcised … as God had commanded him.” Usually, when a person first hears the word of Hashem, he feels great vitality and desire to do the mitzvah. But as time passes, that wonderful desire and will fades away. Of Avraham Avinu, however, the holy Torah tells us, “And Avraham circumcised … as God had commanded him.” In other words, even when he did the mitzvah after some time had passed, he did it with great desire and real fervor, with the very vitality that was in his heart at the moment he heard the command from Hashem.
וְעַל פִּי זֶה נִרְאֶה לְפָרֵשׁ סוֹף הַפָּסוּק הַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל ״וַיָּמָל אַבְרָהָם וְגוֹ׳ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה אוֹתוֹ אֱלֹקִים״, כִּי הִנֵּה הַדֶּרֶךְ הוּא, שֶׁבַּתְּחִילָּה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁשּׁוֹמְעִים אֶת דְּבַר ה׳, אָז יֵשׁ חַיּוּת וְחֵשֶׁק גָּדוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת הַמִּצְוָה, אֲבָל כַּאֲשֶׁר עוֹבֵר הַזְּמַן סָר וְהוֹלֵךְ לוֹ אוֹתוֹ הַחֵשֶׁק וְהָרָצוֹן הַנִּפְלָא לַעֲשׂוֹת הַמִּצְוָה, אַךְ בְּאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ ע״ה מַגֶּדֶת לָנוּ הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה ״וַיָּמָל אַבְרָהָם וְגוֹ׳ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה אוֹתוֹ אֱלוֹקִים״, דְּהַיְינוּ אַף כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הַמִּצְוָה לְאַחַר זְמַן, הָיָה זֶה בְּגוֹדֶל חֵשֶׁק וְהִתְלַהֲבוּת מַמָּשׁ כְּאוֹתוֹ הַחַיּוּת שֶׁהָיָה בְּלִבּוֹ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁשָּׁמַע הַצִּיוּוּי מִפִּי׳ ה׳ יִתְבָּרַךְ.
In short“As God had commanded him”: Avraham circumcised, days later, with the same fervor he felt when he first heard the command.
8May Hashem grant that each and every one of us be privileged to serve Him out of love for the mitzvos, so that through this the coming of the righteous Redeemer will draw near. Amen, may it be His will.
יִתֵּן הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לַעֲבוֹד אֶת ה׳ מִתּוֹךְ אַהֲבַת הַמִּצְוֹות, וּבָזֶה יִתְקָרֵב בִּיאַת גּוֹאֵל צֶדֶק, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
In shortMay our love for the mitzvos bring the righteous Redeemer nearer.
Takeaway

Avraham's eight days of waiting were not empty: because he longed for the mitzvah, every hour counted as though he were already doing it. Our anticipation and love before a mitzvah are what Hashem rewards even in this world, as with tzedakah, where the money is Hashem's and only the love is truly ours. And like Avraham, we can try to do each mitzvah, even after time has passed, with the same fire we felt when we first heard the command.

Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›

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