Bereishis



This is in the merit of my grandmother Esther bat Mazal. May she have a speedy and complete recovery.



A note: Comments within double brackets, [[abc]], are notes I write for myself so that when I look back later on the topics I discussed, I see all the sources I looked at and how I understood them. Readers are encouraged to skip them.







Question:



Why was the snake punished for "tricking" Eve into eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil if it, being an animal, lacked free will?





Work Ethic



It is obvious that hard work is necessary in developing one's religious personality. As Rav Wolbe put it, "there is no automatic in Judaism" (introduction to one of the versions of Alei Shor), serving G-d takes work. While we can be guided along a path so our energies are not wasted, nothing can remove the need to exert effort. No pain, no gain.



But while this is true regarding "religious" matters, what of "mundane" or "secular" issues? Should we work hard and strive for excellence when performing "secular" tasks or should is this striving for greatness reserved for religious tasks?



I think in this week's Torah portion, the former, always working hard, is advocated.



"God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to work and to serve" (Genesis 2:15).



If the Garden of Eden was perfect, what need was there for Adam to work and serve? It must be that there is some inherit value in work. In fact, it is only after the command to work is (what we would understand to be) a religious command is given:



"God gave the man a commandment, saying, 'You may definitely eat from every tree of the garden. But from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, do not eat, for on the day you eat from it, you will definitely die'" (Genesis 2:16-17).



We could say from here that since the "religious" command immediately follows the "secular" command, a good work ethic is fundamental to religious growth and must precede it.



Our Sages say "Derech Eretz precedes the Torah" (Vayikra Rabba 9:3). What is derech eretz? Elsewhere the Talmud says "Four matters require strengthening, and they are: Torah, good deeds, prayer and derech eretz" (Brachos 32b). Rashi there explains what it means that derech eretz requires strengething:



"If he is a craftsman, he should be strong in his craft; if he is a trader, he should be strong in his trade; if he is a warrior, he should be strong in his martial skills"



We see that working hard is fundamental to religious growth and that in all of our activities, we should be striving for excellence.



When Reb Yaakov Kamenetsky was Rosh Yeshiva of Torah Vodaath, a group of high school students started learning Mishnah Breuerah (a Jewish legal book) during their secular classes (which were required by the yeshiva). Despite the fact that Reb Yaakov forbade it, some continued. Years later, Reb Yaakov noted that none of the students who disobeyed him were recognized as Torah scholars. The reason he gave was that laziness in one area (here in secular studies) will eventually permeate all areas of life. (Artscroll Biography, pages 325-326).



Lets all work hard in whatever we do.



[[http://vbm-torah.org/archive/develop/01develop.htm]]



Biography for Reb Yaakov Kamenestky

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaakov_Kamenetsky





Food for further thought and discussion:



How do we understand these statements in light of what we have just said:



Rabbi Meir said "Minimize business and involve yourself with Torah" (Ethics of the Fathers 4:12)

Rabbi Nechunya ben Hakanah said "Whoever takes upon himself the yoke of Torah, from him will be taken away the yoke of government and the yoke of worldly care; but whoever throws off the yoke of Torah, upon him will be laid the yoke of government and the yoke of worldly care" (Ethics of the Fathers 3:6)



Have a good Shabbas,
Mordechai