Hayom Yom 3 Iyar - Lessons from a thief in serving G‑d

The daily Hayom Yom with Rabbi Yosef Katzman

Day 18 of the Omer

הפטורה: וַיְהִי דְבַר גו' הֲלִדְרוֹשׁ אוֹתִי

[On Shabbos Parshas Kedoshim,] the haftarah begins Vayehi dvar…halidrosh osi (Yechezkel 20:2-20).

אֵין שׁוֹתִים מַיִם קוֹדֶם הַבְדָּלָה

[On Motzaei Shabbos, even] water should not be drunk before [reciting or hearing] Havdalah.

כָּל הַמִּדּוֹת

All character traits,

אַף גַּם הַמִּדּוֹת הַלֹּא טוֹבוֹת

even those that are not good,

אוֹ גַם רָעוֹת עַל פִּי תּוֹאֲרָם וּשְׁמוֹתֵיהֶם

or are even evil in name and description,

אֶפְשָׁר לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶם לַעֲבוֹדַת ה' עַל פִּי הַתּוֹרָה

can be used [as a lesson] in serving G‑d according to the Torah.

וּכְמוֹ שֶׁהָרַב הַצַּדִּיק ר' מְשׁוּלָם זוּסְיָא זצ"ל מֵהאַניפָאליא

In this vein, the saintly R. Meshullam Zusya of Hanipoli

לָמַד כַּמָּה דְרָכִים בְּדַרְכֵי הָעֲבוֹדָה מִגַּנָּב

learned several approaches to Divine service by pondering on the work ethic, so to speak, of a thief:

א) הַצְנֵעַ לֶכֶת

(a) A thief is modest.

ב) מַעֲמִיד עַצְמוֹ בְּסַכָּנָה

(b) He is prepared to endanger himself.

ג) דָּבָר הַיּוֹתֵר קָטָן חָשׁוּב כְּדָבָר גָּדוֹל

(c) The minutest details are as important to him as greater considerations.

ד) עָמֵל בְּטִרְחָא גְדוֹלָה

(d) He labors with great exertion.

ה) זְרִיזוּת

(e) He works quickly.

ו) בּוֹטֵחַ וּמְקַוֶּה

(f) He exhibits trust and hope.

ז) אִם לֹא הִצְלִיחַ בַּפַּעַם הָרִאשׁוֹנָה חוֹזֵר הַרְבֵּה פְּעָמִים

(g) If he fails the first time, he tries again and again.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

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