THE SWEETNESS OF TIME

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THE SWEETNESS OF TIME

Harav Y. Reuven Rubin Shlita

Today with our shtieble’s daily breakfast we had a huge sponge cake with cream filling and icing. No, it wasn’t a special birthday, actually, it was greater than just a measure of time. We all daven for others during our prayers, it’s what Yidden do. In our Chevra there is one of the Chaverim who has been going through a host of tests because the doctors feared he was suffering from a dreaded disease. Most of the chaburah had no idea what this fellow was going through, but the few who did inspired the rest to Daven with special urgency for his Refuah. Early this morning we received word that all is well, and one of those in the know ran out to purchase a fancy cake to celebrate. The olam were told that our tefillah’s had been heard and that an unnamed chaver was now on the road to a full recovery. Instead of a lechaim, (it is early in the morning and most of us drive to shul) we dived into the sweet cake. This all was spontaneous, and what captured my heart was the feeling of elation we shared that our humble tfilahs had been answered.

Parsha’s Voeschanan is alive with all the fire of Hashem’s love for his children and His exhortation that we follow HIs Will. The Ten Commandments are reiterated, as are a host of other vital passages. The first paragraph of the daily shema is read, telling us emphatically to live by these commandments for all time, even to the point of fastening their cherished words to the doorposts of our homes.

The Radomsker Rebbe Ztl shares a very sweet thought on this parsha, the Torah tells us “That your G-d is giving you for all time.”

Says the Rebbe, the lifespan of a mere mortal is comparatively short. In truth we have limited time in our days to use for service to Hashem. Most of our time is filled with the needs for our survival. Work, business, providing food etc. sadly this leaves a finite time to serve Hashem. This is especially true when we measure the years of us mere mortals and the years of Hashem. As we say in tehillim, “For a thousand years are in Your eyes like yesterday, which passed, and a watch in the night.”

But if a Yied does what he can, he uses his time mindful of Hashems Will and does so as best as he can give his situation and abilities. Then Hashem gives us a spiritual gift as if we actually did spend every moment possible in holy service. As the passage tells us “That your G-d is giving you for all time.”

We few Yiedelech, sitting this morning in front of that fancy cake, hopefully we are trying to be mindful of who and what we are. We may stumble about, perhaps be found failing in some ways, but we daven to Hashem, we pray for others who are in pain, and yes, we seek to be better in whatever place Hashem puts us. Life has a way of getting in the way of our will to grow. So many humps on the road, but our mitzvos give strength. All this creates the holy chain of our eternal souls, and as Hashem has told us, Hashem will give us His embrace, “For all time.”