07 May KEDOSHIM: MAKING DECISIONS

One of the commands in
Parashat Kedoshim is Lo
Ta’auninu (19:26), which
refers to a certain type of
witchcraft which was
common in the ancient
world. The people would
decide what to do based on superstitions,
determining that certain days of the week
or the month were “luckier” than
others. They would choose what to do,
and when to do it, based on irrational
factors, using various superstitious
theories.
We are forbidden from following these
practices, because we are to make
decisions sensibly, based on reason, and
with emunah, recognizing that ultimately,
the outcome of our decisions rests in
Hashem’s hand, and He will determine
whether our decisions will succeed.
Many people struggle when it comes to
making decisions. Whenever they need
to decide, they have a very difficult time.
Indecisiveness can be stifling. It
consumes a great deal of time and energy,
leaving us exhausted, and preventing us

from being accomplished. The tendency
to be indecisive, the fear of making the
wrong decision, is likely what led the
idolaters in the ancient world to their
superstition. They came up with random
systems to decide for them, so they would
not have to make the decisions
themselves.
One thing we can do to help cure the ill
of indecisiveness is to remember that
everything depends on Hashem. We are
of course to make the best decision we
can, to think the issue through and give it
our best shot. But once we recognize that
the outcome is determined solely by
Hashem, the process becomes so much
easier, so much less stressful, and so
much less time-consuming. When we
have a major decision to make, such as
where to live, whom to marry, which
career path to take, and so on, we need to
think through all the different factors,
while placing our faith in Hashem, and
trusting that everything is ultimately in
His hands.
In the 19th century, there was an
illustrious yeshiva in Lithuania that was

known as the “mother” of all
yeshivot. The Volozhin Yeshiva
produced the greatest Torah
minds of Eastern Europe, and
many outstanding yeshivot
were outgrowths of this
yeshiva. It was a citadel of
Torah learning, the crown jewel
of advanced Torah scholarship
at that time. In 1892, the
decision was made to close the
yeshiva. The Russian
government wanted to exert its
control over the yeshiva, and
sought to impose changes to the
curriculum. There was a great deal of
controversy surrounding the question of
what the yeshiva should do, and
ultimately, the decision was made to shut
its doors.
Fast forward 130 years later. There is a
town in New Jersey with a large yeshiva
– the largest yeshiva outside Israel – that
was established following the model of
Volozhin. This town now has dozens
upon dozens of yeshivot, and thousands
of yeshiva and kollel students. This town,
of course, is Lakewood. Interestingly

enough, there is a sign in Lakewood that
reads, “Established 1892.”
The Rabbis who decided to close the
Volozhin Yeshiva made the best decision
they could, and left the rest in Hashem’s
hands. Sure enough, He was already
planting the seeds for the rebirth of the
Volozhin style of learning across the
ocean, in New Jersey.
Making decisions can be frightening,
but it becomes less difficult when we
approach our decisions with emunah,
recognizing that ultimately, the outcome
depends on Hashem, who always does
what is best for us.