Va'eira(Exodus 6:2-9:35)

Knowing When to Get Help

"Where are you going?" the Mad Hatter quizzed Alice.

"To the doctor," Alice replied courteously.

"But Alice, you look so sick, this is no time to be walking around!"

"But if I don't go to the doctor I won't recover from my terrible illness!"

"But Alice," the Mad Hatter asked, "when you arrive at the doctor, will he tell you to stay in bed or to walk around?"

"Why, stay in bed of course,"Alice replied.

"Then for goodness sake, to get better you have to listen to the doctor. Now get in bed immediately!"

YOU WIN, YOU LOSE

This week's Parsha tells of Moses going to Pharaoh in an effort to set the Jewish people free. In his first attempt, Moses is not only unsuccessful, but Pharaoh responds by making life even worse for the Jews! Quite understandably, Moses becomes very unpopular with the same Jews he's trying to help.

God then commands Moses to go back again and demand that Pharaoh free the Jews. Moses is hesitant and says: "The children of Israel do not listen to me, how then will Pharaoh listen to me?!" (Exodus 6:12)

Moses' logic is as follows: The Jews are under great physical and spiritual pressure, and have nothing to lose by listening to Moses. Therefore, if they don't listen, then Pharaoh - who has nothing to gain - is even more unlikely to listen!

WHO NEEDS THE MOST HELP?

The Jewish people couldn't listen to Moses because they were working like slaves, day and night. They had no time to think, no time to ponder a way out of their desperate situation.

The irony of this is that "when things are difficult" is no reason to stop listening and learning. You don't go to the doctor when you are well! Difficult times are precisely when you should learn more, take more classes and apply yourself more strenuously.

In the world today, people are constantly busy - running errands and trying to manage an onslaught of information. They may be unhappy but unaware of it. Deep down, they want answers to life's mysteries - but they may not have the peace of mind to "hear it."

The one who feels life is lacking is already halfway there to solving the problem, whereas the one who feels superficially fulfilled may be dangerously unaware of his spiritual malnutrition.

Who needs Torah the most? The one who feels fulfilled. Who needs Shabbat the most? The one who has no time for it!

We need to be careful of what we think we don't need!

BRAINSTORMING QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Question 1: What aspect of your physical health do you think you may be ignoring? What may be the psychological reason you're ignoring it? Now what are you going to do about it?

Question 2: What aspect of your spiritual health do you think you may be ignoring? What may be the psychological reason you're ignoring it? Now what are you going to do about it?

Question 3: If you had to undertake one of the 613 mitzvot that you are not yet doing, which one would you choose and why?