The Power Of Our Mitzvahs

This Dvar Torah is Dedicated
By Moshe Gaerman
לע״נ באשע ליבא ע״ה בת אברהם

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In this week's parsha, Vayeira, Hashem sent an angel to destroy Sodom and Amora (Gomora). He said, "Should I conceal from Avraham what I am about to do? Seeing that Avraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and through him all the nations of the world will be blessed. For I cherish him, because he will instruct his children and his household after him and they will keep Hashem's way (literally path) to do righteousness and Justice . . ."

Why does Hashem use the terms "conceal" and "path?" The word hamechaseh, which means to cover up or to conceal is not the usual word used in this context. Therefore we must ask, why is it being used? The word derech means a path. Why is following Hashem's way called a path?

The verse says that Hashem cherishes Avraham, "because he will instruct his children and his household after him and they will keep Hashem's way to do righteousness and Justice . . ." What about everything Avraham did until that point? Wasn't he tested over and over again? Didn't he work on teaching people about Hashem? Shouldn't Hashem cherish him for those things?

It seems to be saying that Hashem cherishes Avraham because of us, being that in the future, we will do the mitzvahs. And because of that He is revealing what is concealed.

To understand this, allow me to take you to a deeper place.

The word derech is a way or a path. A path connects two places and allows travel between the two. One place can be a great city and the other can be a small village. They could have nothing in common, yet they are connected. Even more than that, travel goes both ways, someone from the great big city can travel on the path to the small town, and he can return on the same path to the great big city.

In our verse, the words "he will instruct his children," refer to Torah, "and they will keep Hashem's way," refers to the Mitzvahs. The next words seem superfluous, "to do righteousness and Justice," which again means to do the mitzvahs. What do we learn from the extra words?

Though Hashem is beyond the world and there is nothing in common between this lowly limited world and the unlimited infinite Hashem. Nevertheless, Hashem created a pathway for us to connect with Him. First through Torah, drawing from His infinite light down into our limited lives, and then through doing mitzvahs we reach up and connect with even higher levels than where Torah comes from. Because Torah is Hashem's wisdom and mitzvahs are Hashem's will, and will is higher than wisdom.

This is how we make the world into a home for Hashem, not by destroying the lowly physical state and turning it in to spiritual, rather it remains the same world, but we make it ready to receive His presence through our Torah and mitzvahs.

All this is with regards to the part of Hashem that is, so to speak, related to the world. But there are higher parts, that are beyond any connection to the world, they are referred to as "concealed." Hashem is saying that He will reveal these as well. How do we tap into these higher levels?

That is where "to do righteousness and Justice" come in. There are two levels in doing mitzvahs. The first is an outcome of Torah, we draw down G-dliness through the study of Torah, we do the mitzvahs as an outcome of understanding the Torah, thereby reaching even higher levels.

Then there is the greatness of mitzvahs on their own, and not as it relates to Torah study. The power of our mitzvahs will be recognized when Moshiach comes, and it is our mitzvahs that reveals and connects us to the concealed levels of G-dliness.

This is what Hashem cherishes about Avraham, that we, his descendants, will do the mitzvahs, Hashem's will, and therefore He reveals what is concealed.

Even though the power of our mitzvahs will only be revealed when Moshiach comes, meaning, that we will see the power of our actions. Nevertheless, although we don't see it now, it accomplishes the same thing, and we have the power to tap into the concealed levels of G-dliness.

Our mitzvahs are so powerful and Hashem cherishes each and every one of us, because of our commitment to doing them.

Knowing this, we should try to add to the mitzvahs we do, and do them with more enthusiasm. Perhaps it will be your mitzvah that will tip the scale and usher in the coming of Moshiach. The time has come.