23 Nov TOLDOS: VALUING OURSELVES – AND OUR TIME

In the Book of Melachim I (chapter 20), we read of a certain war that was waged, and before one of the battles, the prophet came to the King of Israel and gave him advice.

He said: הסר†המלכים†≠†איש†ממקמו†ושים†פחות

תחתיהם†≠†– instead of having no blemen

מלכים) ®

fight†the†battle¨†the†king†should†in

stead†summon†פחות†– ordinary, simple people.

The†Metzudat†David†commentary†explains†that†the†noblemen¨†due†to†their†stature¨†value†their†lives¨†and†so†they†would†not†expose†themselves†to†danger†by†exerting†great†effort†during†battleƆThe†would†be†too†afraid†to†show†courage†and†daringƆThe†simple†peasants¨†however¨†unfortunately¨†did†not†value†their†lives†as†much¨†and†so†they†would†fight†fearlessly¨†not†worried†about†risking†their†lives.

Leaving aside the many different aspects of†this†story†that†need†to†be†explained¨†there†is†a very clear, and very important, message that we†learnƆThe†more†we†value†ourselves¨†the†more†we†take†good†care†of†ourselvesƆIf†we†do†not†think†that†much†of†ourselves¨†we†are†more†willing†to†get†into†the†mud¨†to†be†reckless†and†careless.

The Hebrew word for “respect” is , כבוד†a

derivative of the word כבד†, which means

“heavy.” And the antonym of respect, the word†used†for†silly¨†meaningless†behavior¨†is†קלות†– which is derived from the word קל†, or

“lightÆ”†If†we†are†“heavy¨”†if†we†have†substance¨†then†we†respect†ourselves†and†earn†the†respect†of†othersƆBut†if†we†are†“light¨”†and†we†do†not†recognize†our†great†value†and†worth¨†then†we†waste†our†time†on†sillinessÆ

This†point¨†I†believe¨†is†our†most†critical†weapon†in†our†ongoing†struggle†against†the†social media companies, and the other companies†that†produce†material†which†consume†so†many†hours†of†our†timeƆThey†are†counting†on the fact that we feel קל†, that we do not

value†ourselvesƆIf†we†do†not†value†ourselves¨†then†we†do†no†value†our†time¨†and†so†we†will†waste†it†on†meaningless†activitiesƆBut†if†we†feel

כבד†– that we are important, we are pre

cious¨†we†have†the†potential†for†greatness¨†then†we†will†use†our†time†in†a†manner†of†כבוד

, with self-respect. Once we realize that we are מלכים†, that we are royalty, we will be far

more†careful†about†how†we†spend†our†time†and†what†we†allow†to†enter†our†mindsÆ

Parashat Toldot tells the story of the time when†Esav†was†out†hunting¨†and†he†returned†home¨†tired†and†hungryƆHis†brother¨†Yaakov¨†was preparing a stew, and Esav asked him for some†foodƆYaakov†asked†Esav†to†sell†his†rights†as†the†firstborn†in†exchange†for†food¨†and Esav replied, הנה†אנוכי†הולך≠†למות¨†ולמה†≠†זה

לי†בכורה†– “I’m anyway going to die, so what

do I need the birthright or?!”

It†was†at†this†point†when†Yaakov†knew†with†full†confidence†that†Esav†did†not†deserve†the†special privileges and responsibilities of the firstbornÆ

The realization that אנוכי†הולך†למות†, that we

are†mortal¨†that†our†lives†are†finite¨†should†motivate†and†drive†us†to†value†our†time†even†more¨†to†use†our†time†productivelyƆEsav¨†however¨†said†the†exact†opposite†–†that†since†he was in any event going to die, there was no reason†to†pursue†greatnessƆSuch†a†person†cannot†be†a†founder†of†Am†YisraelÆ

Each†one†of†us†is†special¨†is†כבד†, laden with

talents, with skills, with goodness, with limitless†potentialƆWhat†a†shame†it†would†be†to†waste†our†time†on†nonsense¨†on†vanity¨†on†meaningless†pursuits°

Let†us†all†always†remain†aware†of†just†how†great†and†precious†we†all†are¨†and†by†learning†to†value†ourselves¨†we†will†value†our†time¨†and†use†it†wiselyÆ