01 Jun BEHAALOSCHA: SMALL DEEDS, GREAT DEEDS

It states (12:15)
“Miriam was confined
outside the camp for
seven days [when
she had tzaraas]. The
nation did not travel
until Miriam had
been readmitted to the
camp.”
Rashi writes, “Hashem
showed her this honor
because of the short
moment that she waited
for Moshe when he was
cast into the Nile river,
as it says (Shemos 2:4),
‘His sister stood at a distance to see what
would become of him.”
Darkei Musar (Shemos) asks that, as it
appears to us, Miriam did something that any
sister would do. If a brother is thrown into the
Nile, a sister will stand nearby to see what will
happen to him. Why was Miriam rewarded for
this apparently “average” deed that any sister
would do? Why was she rewarded that the
entire nation waited for seven days?
He answers, “Indeed, the deed that Miriam did
was small, but the benefit that came from it was
very great. This is because Moshe didn’t want
to nurse from an Egyptian woman. If Miriam
weren’t there, Moshe would die from hunger,
chas veshalom. The redemption of Bnei

Yisrael was dependent on Miriam being there.
Therefore, although the deed wasn’t so great,
since the results of this deed were enormous,
she merited a reward that all Yisrael waited
for her. This is a great lesson for each person,
to be cautious with his small deeds, because
through it, something great might emerge.”
In addition, every small deed is truly very
great. As the Chovas HaLevavos (Cheshbon
HaNefesh 5) writes, “Don’t consider any good
thing you do for Hashem – even a word or a
look – to be small, because what is small in
your eyes is great in Hashem’s eyes. The best
example of this is the sun’s rays that move one
amah on earth, and in the sky, it has moved
enormous distances.”
Also, from a small deed, one can reach very
high levels. Therefore, there really aren’t
“small deeds.” But even if there were “small
deeds”, Hashem takes into account the good
that comes from the deed he did. In this
instance, Miriam waited for Moshe, and this
resulted in the salvation of all of Klal Yisrael.
We say in the first brachah of Shemonah Esrei
Koneh Hakol. Toras Avos writes in the name
of Rebbe Moshe of Kobrin zt’l that this means
that Hashem buys and accepts every good
deed we do. Even when the good deed doesn’t
appear so wonderful, and it might even appear
minor and trivial, Hashem is Koneh Hakol
accepts and acquires every good deed we do.
Hashem is pleased with all our achievements,

both large and small.
It states (Shir HaShirim 4:9) “You have
captivated my heart… with one of your eyes.”
This hints to us that even for guarding one
eye, this also makes an immense nachas ruach
for Hashem. It isn’t perfect, but Hashem is
Koneh Hakol, accepts and treasures every
good deed we do.
It states in last week’s parashah that the
nesi’im donated oxen to the mishkan. Hashem
told Moshe to accept the oxen, and (7:5)
V’hayu Laavod Es Avodas Ohel Moed, “they
will be used in the service [of the Mishkan],”
such as to carry the walls of the Mishkan
when traveling in the desert. The Midrash
(Bamidbar Rabba 12:18) says that V’hayu
means that they existed forever. “They were
given existence so that they will survive
forever.” The Tana’im have various opinions
on how long they existed. One view is that
they were brought as korbanos in the mishkan
in Gilgal, Nov, or in Givon. Another opinion
is that Shlomo HaMelech sacrificed these
animals in the Beis HaMikdash (five hundred
years later). Reb Meir says, “Until today, the
calves and oxen are still in existence. They
never received a blemish, they never became
old, and they never broke.”
The Midrash concludes with a kal v’chomer:
“If the calves that had some connection with
the Mishkan were given existence to live
forever, Yisrael, who connect themselves to

Hakadosh Baruch Hu, will certainly survive.
As it states (Devarim 4:4) ‘You who cleave
to Hashem your G-d are alive, all of you, this
day.”
Let us think about this. The animals performed
a service for the Mishkan for a short time, and
in this merit, they were blessed with very
long lives and good health. Certainly, how
great will be the reward of the people who do
Hashem’s service, even if it is for a short time,
and even if the service is performed without
knowledge (similar to the animals who didn’t
know what they were doing). This is because
every good deed that a Yid does, the rewards,
the kedushah, and the specialness of the deed
are endless.