Bereishis: Believe We Can Fix

By: Rabbi Judah Mischel

A well-to-do business man brought a swath of expensive material to a tailor and was fitted for a new pair of pants. When he returned to the tailor a week later, the pants were not ready. He came back another week later, and still, the pants weren’t ready. Week after week the scene repeated itself, until finally, after six weeks, the pants were done.

Though the customer was quite frustrated, when he tried them on, the fit was perfect, the tailor had done an excellent job. Satisfied with the final product, he still couldn’t resist giving a little shtuch, a parting jibe to the tailor:

“You know,” he said. “It only took Hashem six days to create the world. And it took you six weeks to make just one pair of pants!”

“Ah,” said the tailor. “But look at this pair of pants—and look at the world!”

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“Hashem took man, vayanicheihu, placed him in Gan Eden l’ovda u-l’shomra, to work and to guard it” (Bereishis 2:15). Chazal explain that this duality is a reference to the categories of positive commandments (l’ovda) and negative commandments (l’shomra) that humanity would eventually receive as guidance for creating and safeguarding the world. L’ovda u-l’shomra are also commandments related to working for and keeping Shabbos. We are meant to work for six days in preparation for the seventh day. When Shabbos arrives, we are instructed to rest, thereby guarding, or keeping (being shomer) Shabbos.

Rashi describes Hashem introducing Adam HaRishon to these responsibilities, “enticing him b’devarim naim, with pleasant words.” This implies that mankind needs some prodding and encouragement to accept the Divine challenge to work and safeguard the world. Indeed, without perceiving any Divine encouragement, it’s possible to see work as a curse to be disdained, cruel punishment, or a necessary evil, or at least an unfortunate inconvenience.

But if we understand that we are honored above all creatures to work for the Creator, we can proactively embrace our toil as the fulfillment of a greater Divine plan. When we internalize the fact that Hashem’s intention is to engage us as partners in Creation, that we are to sustain the world together, not only is our job bearable, but we can be highly motivated to succeed. As empowered shareholders in Olam Hazeh, this world, we will naturally take full responsibility for it.

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Rav Zelik Epstein, zt’l, the wise Rosh Yeshiva of Shaar HaTorah in Queens, NY offered a parable relating to how we see our relationship to Torah and Yiddishkeit. Imagine the difference between two apartment buildings: one managed by the owner, the other by a superintendent. While both managers might be capable of doing the job of protecting and maintaining the buildings, there’s a clear difference in how they will respond when a problem arises. No matter how careful and attentive the hired superintendent may be, his response is that of an employee. While he may fulfill his professional responsibilities completely, the job is not personal.

The owner however, is vested in the long-term success of the building; it is actually his. Taking care of an electrical problem or plumbing issue is way beyond simply fulfilling his responsibility to the tenants. “Es iz nisht genug tzu zein nor shomrim oif der Torah—It is not sufficient to be superintendents of Torah.” “Mir darf zein baalei batim oif der Torah—We need to feel as though we are the landlords of the Torah.”

It is not enough for us to learn, live, or even dance with Torah. Even taking responsibility and protecting the honor of Torah does not fulfill our obligation. Ki heim chayeinu, “Torah is our life and the length of our days.” When we stood at Har Sinai and proclaimed, Naaseh V’nishma, “We will do and we will hear,” we actually committed to being part-owners, baalebatim over Torah.

As with Torah, so it is regarding our place and role in this world. We are not just employed as superintendents. We are also personally vested as partners in sustaining Creation: “And Hashem said, ‘Naaseh Adam, let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, and they shall rule over all the earth…’” (1:26) 

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The great Tosher Rebbe, Rebbe Meshulam Feish Halevy Lowy, zy’a, once had the opportunity to complete the writing of a Sefer Torah. The scribe and Chassidim gathered around the tzaddik to watch which letters the Rebbe would choose, and to observe his hanhagah, the holy way that he would fulfill the mitzvah.

The Rebbe looked at the words of the last pasuk in the Torah: “And by all the strong hand and awesome power asher asah Moshe, that Moshe had done l’einei kol Yisrael, before the eyes of all of Israel” (Devarim34:12). When he raised his hand and filled in the letters of the word asah, “had done,” the Rebbe repeatedly whispered the words of our Sedra, “Asher bara Elokim la’asos—Which Hashem created to do.” This is a reference to Hashem creating the world in order for man to do: to work, to guard, to create, and to sustain.

May our return to Sefer Bereishis empower us with the confidence that we have the wherewithal, the ability, and materials to be Hashem’s partners in creating and repairing the world. This new year may we rise to the challenge of being Jews and human beings: l’ovda u-l’shomra, to work for and defend humanity, to fulfill the reason for G-d’s creation of this world: la’asos, “to do.”

Our world needs quite a lot of mending, and it could use a good tailor. Let’s get to work! 

Excerpted from Baderech: Along the Path of the Torah, forthcoming (Mosaica Press, Elul 5786).

Rabbi Judah Mischel is Executive Director of Camp HASC, and Mashpiah of OU-NCSY.