Parasha Be’halot’cha
SAN DIEGO — Oy! There’s a lot of whining in this week’s Torah portion, B’halot’cha. Come to think of it, it appears to be the basis of one of my mother’s oft-repeated sayings, “Keep complaining and I’ll really give you something to complain about.” Seems the Israelites grew tired of their repetitious diet of manna, pining for fish and other foods they ate “for free” as slaves in Egypt. Were they pining for the good old days of slavery? Our sages question whether the Egyptian taskmasters really gave the Israelites fish “for free” and suggest that the “freedom” that they are recalling in Egypt was actually a freedom from morality and responsibility (Midrash Sifrei 11:6).
Rashi asks, “What does it mean, ‘for free’”? Egypt didn’t give the Israelites straw to make bricks but they gave them fish “for free”? No. Rashi clarifies “for free” meant free from the mitzvot. While slaves, they were under no obligation to perform the mitzvot. They were protesting about the responsibilities that their freedom brought! Wouldn’t it be lovely to be an adult with no responsibilities? I don’t believe so. Think being a slave was difficult? Perhaps they believed performing the mitzvot was more of a burden. But how could that be?
It strikes me that the Israelites experienced what many do, that change is a difficult process. Their mindset as free people was still one of slavery. Adjusting to a life of freedom required freeing up from the mindset of slavery. They were free but craved what they had as slaves. What they were experiencing was what Rabbi Abraham Twerski calls the “Spirituality Deficiency Syndrome (SDS).” The Israelites were not fully aware of Hashem in their lives.
Our freedom brings the joy of responsibility, the joy of a meaningful relationship with Hashem, the joy of performing the mitzvot he put into our lives for our wellbeing – not the joy of the latest pair of designer sunglasses. In the parasha it says,
| But now, our souls are dried out, for there is nothing at all; we have nothing but manna to look at.” | ווְעַתָּ֛ה נַפְשֵׁ֥נוּ יְבֵשָׁ֖ה אֵ֣ין כֹּ֑ל בִּלְתִּ֖י |
What does it mean, nafsheinu y’veishah, literally ‘our souls are dried out’?
Rabbi Twerski’s SDS, suggests that the Israelites weren’t complaining about anything material, but rather suffered from a disconnect with their spiritual source. By not performing mitzvot, they lacked a connection to Hashem’s presence in the world and became spiritually dried out.
Perhaps Ben Zoma has a response to this that might protect us from SDS. “Who is rich?” he asked, to teach us the answer, “Those who are happy with what they have.” (Pirke Avot 4:1). You see, being able to unconditionally accept life as Hashem determines it for each of us, seeing and being grateful for His role in our lives, is a key ingredient to living with optimal happiness, comfort, joy and wellbeing.
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Michael Mantell, Ph.D., prepares a weekly d’var Torah for Young Israel of San Diego, where he and his family worship. He may be contacted via michael.mantell@sdjewishworld.com