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should have more reasonably read, “Do things for the sake of the internalizing what you know and living in accordance with it. I told he sat and yearned and wanted, and suddenly his father opened the
One Who commanded us to do them.” But the actual formulation myself: if he does not have awareness, I can’t do anything with him. door and told him, ‘My son, I changed my mind. I myself will take
of this statement constitutes an explicit proof that Hashem is the you.’” That is because when a person has intent, not only does he
Actor Who performs every mitzvah that a person does. That being And I asked myself: What is the difference? Why is Yossi break down all of the barriers in his way, but the barriers themselves
the case, what part does the person play? His only relevant part is improving, whereas Danny is barely progressing? It was vital for are transformed into help and assistance. Thus, an individual who
his intention to act for the sake of Hashem, and his will to do the me to know this so that I may help others. Presumably, everyone had blocked him now supports him. The court will tell Shimon,
will of Hashem. wants to see a change for the better in his life. Who doesn’t want to “As soon as your wife yelled a little, you gave up and abandoned
live in the Garden of Eden of faith? Everyone wants to change, but your resolve. But when Naphtali’s wife stopped him by force and
Therefore, writes Rabbi Tzadok, we must say that a person’s sometimes something stops a person, and he himself doesn’t know threatened to divorce him, he continued to want with all his heart,
arena of freedom lies in his will and intent regarding a deed. If a what it is. Therefore, I prayed and asked my Father in heaven to until in the end she herself packed his bag and gave him money for
person wants to do something but he does not manage to do it, he illumine my eyes and help me learn and understand this basic point: the trip.”
has fulfilled his part completely, and the presence or absence of the to know the secret of what differentiates them, so that I will be able
deed is irrelevant. On the other hand, if he performed the deed but to help all people know from this day onward how to be worthy The court will tell each one of these people: “It is true that you
without intent, he did not accomplish anything! students who rise upon the path and change for the better, so that had intent, but it was weak. Therefore, when you were confronted
even upon this earth their lives are transformed into a Garden of by a weak obstacle, you abandoned your will. And when you did
Of all the acts of lovingkindness performed by Abraham Eden. that, the story was over. You didn’t attend the gathering. But
our patriarch, peace be upon him, and his hospitality someone else who had many more difficult obstacles or who had
to guests, the Torah mentions only what he did for the An Ancient and Well-Known Phenomenon absolutely no way of getting to the gathering did not abandon his
angels. But in truth, none of that constituted an act of will. His intent stayed strong and true. Therefore, although he faced
lovingkindness, because they had absolutely no need for I am not the first person to take note of this phenomenon. Our obstacles that were several times greater than yours, his will only
any of it. They had to pretend to eat solely for the sake sages preceded me in Pirkei Avot (5:12): grew stronger, and he truly wanted. Therefore, he succeeded and
made it to the gathering. Even when he saw that things were hard,
of Abraham’s honor. The only [relevant] factor here he continued to want, and he strengthened his resolve even more.
was the thought and good intention of Abraham our There are four types of people who attend the study He did not look for excuses. He did not say, ‘Leave me alone, it is
patriarch, peace be upon him. hall: a person who goes but does nothing—he receives too hard for me, this isn’t for me.’ He truly wanted, and therefore,
reward for going; a person who does [study] but does he arrived.
In this way, the Torah informs us that this is the not go to the study hall—he receives reward for doing;
principal part of all of a person’s deeds in his service of a person who goes and does—he is pious; a person who “And even if such a person didn’t actually make it to the
Hashem, and that we should not focus on the completion neither goes nor does—he is wicked. gathering, the heavenly court writes down that he did, and that
of the deed. he performed Hashem’s will fully, because he held firm to his will.
There are four types among those who sit before the You do not know what you might have succeeded in doing if only
Commentary: We know that Abraham was a pillar of sages: a sponge, a funnel, a strainer and a sieve. A sponge you would have had such intent. Even if you did not attend the
lovingkindness who in the course of his entire life performed deeds absorbs everything; a funnel takes in at one end and lets gathering, heaven would have no claims against you, because you
of lovingkindness and hospitality, and that his home was open to out at the other; a strainer removes the wine and retains fulfilled your obligation, which is your will, and you would receive
every traveler. Rabbi Tzadok points out that the Torah does not the sediment; a sieve removes the coarse and retains the complete reward, as though you had actually attended—and even
write explicitly about any of his many deeds of lovingkindness, fine flour. more reward than someone who did attend, but with little intent.”
except to provide a lengthy and detailed description of his act of
kindness for the angels. But the angels had no need whatsoever There is a person who goes and studies, and there As was stated earlier, when a person holds fast to his will, not
for the food that he gave them and derived no enjoyment from it. only does heaven have no claims against him, but it judges him in
is a person who goes but does not study. There is a accordance with his will. Therefore, even while he is in this world,