12 May SHAVUOT: BEING G-D’S SERVANTS

The Mechilta
famously tells that
before G-d gave
the Torah to Beneh
Yisrael, He offered it to
other nations. He first
asked the descendants of Esav if they wanted
the Torah, and they replied by questioning
what the Torah demanded. G-d said that the
Torah forbids murder – whereupon the people
of Esav said they could not possibly abide by
such a command.
G-d then offered the Torah to the nation of
Moab, and they, too, asked what it entailed.
He said that it forbids immorality, illicit
intimate relationships – and the people of
Moab refused.
G-d then offered the Torah to the nation of
Yishmael. When they heard that the Torah
forbids stealing, they declined.
One of the commentators to the Mishna – the
Mirkebet Ha’mishneh (Rav David Moshe
Abraham Ashkenazi, 1680-1745) – explains
the meaning and significance of this story. The
Mechilta here is teaching us that accepting
the Torah requires accepting the parts of the
Torah that we find difficult, that force us to go
against our natural instincts and inclinations.
Hashem first told the people of Esav about the
prohibition of murder – because they were
violent by nature, and in order to accept the

Torah, they needed to commit to restraining
their violent impulse. This is something they
were not prepared to do. And the same is
true of Moab and immorality, and Yishmael
and theft. The first thing G-d told each of
them was the command which they would
find most difficult – because this is precisely
what accepting the Torah requires: that we
be prepared to break our nature, to act in
opposition to our instinctive tendencies.
Rav Yisrael Salanter, in one of his more
famous letters (Or Yisrael, 17), elaborates on
this concept, on the need to observe the Torah
even when this is difficult, when this requires
struggle. He writes that even if a person
observes many Misvot, and generally follows
a religious lifestyle, he might still not earn the
title “Ebed Hashem” – a servant of Hashem.
An “Ebed,” a servant, is somebody who
works (“Obed”). If a person fulfills Misvot
only when he finds it convenient, what it does
not entail hardship or difficulty, then he is not
working, and so he is not actually serving
Hashem. We become Hashem’s servants
only when we commit to observe even those
Misvot which we find challenging, to abide
by Hashem’s rules even when this demands a
great deal of struggle.
There is a famous Yiddish expression among
Ashkenazi Jews, “Shver tsu zayn a Yid” – “It
is difficult to be a Jew.” This expression is
commonly viewed with disdain, as something

one should never say, as it reflects a cynical,
negative attitude toward Judaism. We are to
be proud of Jewish life and always emphasize
– to ourselves, to our children, and to others –
the unparalleled joy and beauty of Torah life.
I would suggest, however, a different
perspective on this expression, that it makes
an important and powerful comment about
what Judaism is all about. Being a Jew means
remaining committed even when this is
difficult. Of course, Jewish life is, generally,
beautiful. But often, it requires struggling to
overcome difficult challenges. And accepting
the Torah means committing ourselves to
follow the Torah even when this requires
struggle. Thus, indeed, “it is difficult to be a
Jew” – being a Jew means accepting that it
will sometimes be difficult.
When Hashem came to Beneh Yisrael to offer
them the Torah, they immediately responded
with the resounding declaration, “Na’aseh
Ve’nishma” – “We will perform and we will
hear” (Shemot 24:7). Curiously, however,
the Gemara (Shabbat 88a) tells that Hashem
suspended the mountain over Beneh Yisrael
and threatened to drop it on them if they did
not accept the Torah. Many commentators
raised the question of why Hashem needed
to threaten Beneh Yisrael after they had
enthusiastically expressed their commitment
by declaring “Na’aseh Ve’nishma.” One
answer is that Hashem sought to impress upon

them the obligation
to observe the
Torah under all
circumstances, even
when it is difficult
and inconvenient.
It was easy to
announce “Na’aseh
Ve’nishma” – but
there would be
many times in the
future when they
would be far less enthusiastic, when Torah
observance would be a challenge, when they
would need to struggle. G-d therefore held
the mountain over them – to make it clear that
they were becoming His servants, and this
means serving Him even when this requires
hard work. We must serve Hashem not only
when we are “in the mood,” when we feel like
it, but even when we don’t.
Every person has his own set of struggles
in Torah observance. What comes easy for
one person is a struggle for somebody else.
We need to each find our own weaknesses,
our own areas of struggle, the parts of Torah
observance which pose a special challenge for
us. We must then make the commitment to
accept this struggle, to work hard, to put in the
effort, to do the best we can, to serve Hashem
to the very best of our ability even when we
find it difficult.