Every Mitzvah Counts!
Shabbat Parashat Ki Tetze
August 17, 2013 – 11 Elul 5773
Every Mitzvah Counts!
Although there is no unanimity in counting the exact number of mitzvoth [commandments] that are mentioned in this week’s Torah portion of Ki Tetze, it is clear that Ki Tetze records more mitzvoth than any other weekly Torah portion in the entire Torah!
One of the mitzvoth referenced in Ki Tetze is the mitzvah of sending away the mother bird before taking the eggs or the fledglings from the nest. This is often considered the “lightest” or “easiest” of all the mitzvoth. Fulfilling this mitzvah takes almost no time or effort. Yet, the reward stated in the parsha [Torah portion] for fulfilling this mitzvah is the reward of long life.
Interestingly, the mitzvah of honoring one’s father and mother is also associated with the same stated reward despite the fact that honoring one’s father and mother is often thought of as the most “difficult” of all mitzvoth. It takes time, resources, patience, and more…
What is the message of Torah in stating that the reward for the “lightest” as well as for the most “difficult” of the mitzvoth is identical?
It is perhaps that every mitzvah counts!
As we prepare ourselves to usher in the new Jewish Year of 5774, may we appreciate the significance and the promise that is embedded in each and every one of the Torah’s mitzvoth.
May we take note of the many mitzvoth we have been privileged to fulfill in the past year.
May we hone in the one or two mitzvoth that we can hope to add to our list for the coming year.
And may we be blessed and rewarded with long life, with meaningful life, and with the joy that comes from learning Torah and from fulfilling mitzvoth!
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Gilah Dror
Copyright © 2024 Rodef Sholom Temple. All rights reserved. Website designed by Addicott Web.
