Parshat Toldot

MITZVAH SENSE

Hello Chaim, how are you?

Fine Mr. Jacobs.

Where are you going Chaim?

Home from school Mr. Jacobs.

Do you mind if I walk with you?

Not at all. Mr. Jacobs, aren’t you a botanist?

Yes I am Chaim.

What type of tree is that?

That is a Japanese maple. Next to it is a peach tree. Do you want to know more?

Sure, Mr. Jacobs. That would be great. Plants have always fascinated me.

So, the two walk home together. Mr. Jacobs identifies every tree, bush, flower, grass and even moss that they find along the way.

Mr. Jacobs this is so interesting. You are so knowledgeable. You have pointed out things that I have seen many times, but have never given a second thought. I just walk right by them.

Chaim, when you learn something well, and work at it, you become very aware of it. Because I studied botany, I can identify all of these plants. Therefore, I notice them.

It is almost as if you have developed a "sixth sense" for plants, Mr. Jacobs.

Exactly, Chaim.

Mr. Jacobs, thank you so much.

It was really nothing, Chaim. I enjoy talking about plants.

That was very interesting. I am also thanking you for a wonderful insight that you have given me.

Really, Chaim. An insight about what?

About our forefather Yitzchak Avinu.

Did Yitzchak Avinu study botany?

Not that I know of, but he did have a "sixth sense" as you do.

In what way, Chaim?

Toward the end of his life, Yitzchak Avinu blessed his twin son’s Yaakov and Eisav. Yaakov appeared first, disguised as Eisav. Yitzchak smelled the "scent of the field" (Bereshet 27:27). The famous Bible commentator, Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, who is known to us as Rashi, explains that Yitzchak smelled the scent of the Garden of Eden. Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz explains that this was not a normal smell, the way that we understand fragrances. This was a spiritual perception. Yitzchak Avinu was so steeped in Torah and spirituality that he saw past the externalities, and could sense down to the spiritual essence of something. He could see its mitzvah qualities.

What you are saying, Chaim is that Yitzchak Avinu had a "sense" for mitzvot. Just as I can identify all of the plants that I see due to my knowledge of botany, he could identify the mitzvah value in everything he saw.

Exactly. One of the great Torah scholars of our generation had this sense. He would walk down the street and describe all of the mitzvot he saw. For example, he would see a lost object, and point out the mitzvah of "returning lost objects". He would see the roof of a building and point out the mitzvah of "building a guard rail around the roof". He would see an apple tree and point out the mitzvot of taking tithes and making blessings on foods. He would see an animal and identify the mitzvah of "do not cause pain to animals".

That is really something, Chaim. The world is full of mitzvot!

It surely is Mr. Jacobs. We just have to train ourselves to see them. When we walk down the street, we must make sure that we are wearing our "mitzvah glasses". Then we will see how many mitzvot there really are in this beautiful world that G-d made for us.

A camel has 3000 bananas. He wants to go over a one thousand-mile stretch of the desert. He has to eat one banana for each mile he walks. However, he can only carry 1000 bananas at a time. Waiting for him on the other side is his family. He wants to find a way to bring as many bananas to them as possible. Hint: He doesn't have to go all the way at the at once and he can leave bananas in the desert because he and his camel family are the only camels that eat bananas. Can he bring any extra bananas? - If so, how many?

Answer to Last Week's Question

Question:

There are three boxes. One is labeled "APPLES" another is labeled "ORANGES". The last one is labeled "APPLES & ORANGES". You know that each is labeled incorrectly. You then pick one fruit from one box that you choose. Which box do you draw from and how can you label the boxes correctly?

The Answer!

You draw from the "APPLES & ORANGES" box and whatever you pull out is what that box is labeled. Say you draw an apple. You then label the old "APPLE" to "ORANGES" and you label the old "ORANGES" to "APPLES & ORANGES". If you draw out a orange, then you re-label the opposite box.

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