Don’t Forget About The “Small” Mitzvos!

Sometimes as we grow in our spirituality, we tend to forget the “smaller” spiritual pursuits. When I say ‘forget,’ I mean that we tend to take lightly and not place enough emphasis or give enough chashivus to (what seems to us) the ”smaller” mitzvos. This is a big mistake.

For example, a Chashuv Ben Torah who can explain and expound upon a difficult Rav Akiva Eiger, might be too quick to dismiss the importance in saying the entire karbanos every morning during Shacharis. He might say to himself “anyone can say Karbanos”! However, I’m a Talmid Chacham, this is too small for a person of my stature.. Or, he might not take heed of his outward manners and social behavior.

It is a grave mistake to lack in appreciation for the nuances of our Yiddishkeit which are just as important as we grow, as it is in how it enables us to grow in the first place.

An analogy to explain this, is like a Jew who climbs up to the 10th branch of a tall tree. He looks down and sees how far he’s come and how much he has climbed and he feels a profound sense of accomplishment and empowerment. He thinks to himself, look how much I have achieved, who needs the tree trunk at this point!…and he proceeds to cut the trunk down! Of course, he will naturally fall down with the trunk and smash his head!

We must becareful not to ‘cut down the trunk’ when we grow in our spirituality!

April 19, 2010 by ylevi