I have learned so much about faith and trust in Hakadosh Baruch Hu from my computer. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not just referring to the myriads of Divrei Torah, inspirational messages and opportunities for chessed that I get on a daily basis. I am actually crediting technology with strengthening my belief in the omniscience of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Every morning when I get to my desk I turn to my computer screen and pray that the internet is working. Now I have absolutely no idea how a computer functions but I totally rely on it to work. Sometimes I get angry or frustrated because my plans are not working out right, but somehow there is always a way of correcting, fixing the spelling, doing the math. The computer knows and is there to assist me. What an amazing memory a computer has, megabytes and gigabytes. Not only can it remember and keep all my work in files but somehow it can even predict what it is I want to purchase or explore. Time doesn’t seem to matter, a day ahead, a day behind, all over the world somehow that satellite that controls the web traffic sees it all. Even my old GPS knows when I am veering off the derech and reminds me to recalculate. If a man made machine can do all this certainly Hakadosh Baruch Hu can!!
This reminds me of an email I read not long ago written to a “Web Rabbi.” The writer asked why is it in Judaism we seem to be focused on so many little details. Isn’t it enough to be a good person, in general keep the basic tenets of faith? The writer continues, “Why does it matter if I wait six hours or three hours? What difference does it make if I light my candles from left to right or right to left, what difference does it make what blessing is made over which food? Why so many details?” The writer adds one more thought, “Dear Rabbi, I guess you don’t like these kind of questions because I have emailed you already four times and you still have not replied. This is the last time I will try.”
The Web Rabbi writes back “My dear friend, forgive me for not writing back sooner, but it seems your previous emails did not reach me. The email address must have been written incorrectly. My email is Web.reb@gmail.com. Not Webreb. As you see there is a small dot between the letters. It appears that every little iota makes a difference in sending an email. And so it is with Judaism, every little detail counts for making sure that what you are sending out reaches the proper destination!
Yaakov Aveinu clearly understood this message long before there was Google. In this week’s parsha we are puzzled as to why Yaakov, who was blessed with everything, בכל, after making sure his family was safely transported over the river would return for פחים קטנים, for some small old jars. It seems that Yaakov recognized the value inherent in even the smallest, seemingly insignificant items. Yaakov was well aware that in life in general, but certainly in the life of Jew, every dot, comma, nuance will make a difference. Chazal say that the jug that Yaakiv returned for was the jog of oil he had used to anoint the monument (the stones he had slept on) in Beit El. This very same little jug of oil was the one later found by the Chashmonaim in the Beit Hamikdash which miraculously burned for eight days. Imagine if Yaakov Aveinu didn’t think that his time or effort was worthwhile to go back and collect the little jars.
The lesson seems clear. There is value in every little thing. And if there is a value in inanimate objects, how much more so is there a value in our actions however small or grandiose. Certainly, each and every person has innate value. We just have to remember to cross the T’s and dot those emails!
Have a Shabbat Shalom
Rochelle Brand, Ed.D
Head of School
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