THE WORK OF OUR HANDS
By Roy S. Neuberger
The world is in such a mess! How can Moshiach emerge from this disaster? If you start to enumerate the problems, you will run out of ink and paper before you finish. “Rabbi Yochanan said: Moshiach] Ben Dovid will come only in a generation that is [either] entirely virtuous or entirely guilty.” (Sanhedrin 98a) If you are at the bottom, what can you do?
I have often written about the most fateful day in my life, January 10, 1966. I really did not expect that day to be remarkable, because I was in complete despair. We had been married several years, and it seemed as if there was no way of saving the marriage. I was in graduate school and I couldn’t concentrate on my work because of my personal problems. I awoke in the middle of the night and saw a chasm open before me, a black hole which was about to suck me into a chaos of eternal oblivion. There was no way out.
And then this crazy thought came to me:
“Could there be a G-d?
“Hold on! How can I, a ‘normal’ American boy, believe in a Being I can’t see? How absurd! Am I a Medieval monk?
“No! Wait! Maybe I have it wrong! I am completely hopeless. My life is falling apart! I am falling off the cliff!
“I need You! Help me! Help me! Help me! I believe in You! G-d, save me!”
And that is how I came to know that Hashem is Real! I needed a brush with death to find Life. “Although I walk in the valley of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.” (Tehillim 23)
In this week’s Parsha, Moshe Rabbeinu performs perhaps the most incredible act of courage in history. He takes the Luchos written with the Finger of G-d, throws them down and smashes them. For this action, Moshe is later commended by the Master of the Universe. “As it was taught in a Baraisa: Moshe Rabbeinu did three things on his own understanding and Hakadosh Baruch Hu agreed with him … [one of which was that] he broke the Tablets.” (Shabbos 87a)
When our ancestors understood the consequences of having worshipped the aigel, they were plunged into despair. Their crowns were stripped from their heads. (Shemos 33:5-6) Their glory was thrown in the dust and all – it seemed – was lost. Was there any way out of this catastrophe?
And then, Moshe Rabbeinu returned to Hashem and pleaded for Am Yisroel. This is how Hashem answered: “Carve for yourself two stone tables like the first ones, and I shall inscribe on the Tablets the words that were on the first Tablets, which you shattered.” (Shemos 33:18) The new Tablets were indeed “like” the first ones, but they were not identical. There was a crucial difference, because this time Moshe Rabbeinu had to carve the stone himself!
This, my friends, is the story of our entire life, the story of mankind outside Gan Eden and Am Yisroel in Golus. We need to carve out those Tablets. There is a route back to paradise, but we have to work to get there. “Rabbi Yitzchak said … ‘If someone tells you … I have not labored [in Torah] yet I have succeeded, do not believe him. [If, however, he tells you] I have labored and I have succeeded, you may believe [him].” (Megillah 6b) Torah is acquired only through intensive labor. Through “zaias apecha … the sweat of our brow,” we can return to favor in the eyes of Hashem. We can find life after death. We can rise from the ashes. We can come back from the Black Hole.
It is of course no accident that Moshe Rabbeinu was instructed to carve the second Tablets right after Hashem tells him, “I shall make all My goodness pass before you and I shall call out the Name ‘Hashem’ before you … I shall show favor when I choose to show favor and I shall show mercy when I choose to show mercy.” (Shemos 33:19)
In order to survive, we have to know Hashem exists. We have to know the Reality of a Perfect and All-Powerful Being, and then we can rise from the dead. Similarly, the bracha “Techias Hamaisim” directly follows the bracha “Avos” in Shemoneh Esreh. The Avos, who lived in a pagan world, demonstrated that Life comes from death. “Min ha maitzar … from the straits did I call upon G-d; He answered me with expansiveness.” (Tehillim 118)
One cannot arise to life unless one has walked “through the valley of death.” In this week’s Parsha, our ancestors learned not to despair even after terrible mistakes; they showed us the route to future redemption. “Hashem is close to the brokenhearted; those crushed in spirit, He saves.” Tehillim 34) The same lesson was taught in Egypt: unless you go down to Mem Tes Shaare Tumah there is no way you are going to get out of Mitzraim.
Those who think they can make it on their own are doomed. But if we know the Ribono shel Olam is with us, then we will be able to carve out the Second Luchos.
Why is Parshas Ki Sisa juxtaposed with Parah Aduma? Para Aduma is our way back from being buried in tumah. When we slaughter our slavery to taiva, then we are released to return to our Creator. Am Yisroel had to burn the aigal and eat the ashes in order to free themselves.
This is our life: to carve out those stones! No one can do it for us! It requires exertion, sweat and tears, but, in the end, Hashem will write upon those stones! He will bless our efforts, and those stones will be placed inside the Aron Kodesh! Then Hashem will send His Shechina. From the rebuilt Bais Hamikdosh will emerge a light which will save the universe.
May we see it soon in our days! “U’ma’asai yadainu … May [Hashem] establish the work of our hands!” (Tehillim 90)
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Roy Neuberger, author and public speaker, can be reached at roy@2020vision.co.il.
© Copyright 2017 by Roy S. Neuberger
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