Gaining Hashem’s Favor

By Rabbi Moshe Krieger, Yeshivas Bircas HaTorah (www.bircas.org)

In Parshas Ki Sisa, Moshe Rabbeinu begs Hashem to forgive Klal Yisrael for the sin of the golden calf. When Hashem finally granted this forgiveness, Moshe realized that it was an auspicious moment. He asks, “Please, show me Your glory.” Moshe knew that he could not literally see Hashem or His glory. Derashos Haran (4) explains that Moshe was asking for a greater awareness of Hashem – akin to what the soul feels upon leaving the body.

Hashem replied, “No man can see me and live…. [However,] I will pass all of My goodness before you, and I shall call out with the name of Hashem before you – and I shall show favor when I choose to show favor, and I shall show mercy when I choose to show mercy (Shemos 33: 20, 19).”

This is a cryptic response which requires explanation. In Rosh Hashana (17b), the Sages explain Hashem’s answer: “He wrapped Himself in a tallis as one leading the congregation in prayer [would], and taught Moshe His Thirteen Attributes of Mercy. Thus, when the nation would sin in the future, these attributes could be recalled to gain His forgiveness.”

Hashem’s answer, as explained by the sages, does not seem to fit Moshe’s request. Moshe asked to behold Hashem’s glory – and Hashem showed him how to daven?

The Alter of Slobodka answers that Moshe did not want greater awareness of Hashem merely for its own sake. Rather, he wanted to use any greater awareness to find favor in Hashem’s eyes (see verse 33:13). Hashem replied that ultimate knowledge of Him was impossible, but it was possible for Moshe to understand His Thirteen Attributes of Mercy. Awareness of Hashem’s Attributes had two benefits: First, they can be utilized in davening to gain Hashem’s favor. Second (and much more important), emulating Hashem’s ways causes a person to be as close to Hashem as is possible for a mortal being. Indeed, one who emulates Hashem surely finds favor in His eyes.

This idea is found in Maseches Shabbos (133b), which tells us that the way to cling to Hashem is through emulating His attributes: “Just as Hashem is merciful, so too shall you be merciful.”

Rav Yechezkel Levenstein notes that the above statement applies to everybody. We are all obligated to go in Hashem’s ways. Indeed, even one who is naturally endowed with the best character traits must still work to apply Hashem’s traits on a greater level. If one does not undertake to do this, mere kind-heartedness will not be sufficient.

Take anger, for instance. Some people express anger, and others restrain it and try to move on. However, the Mesilas Yesharim (11) says we should strive to be like Hillel, a man who could not be brought to anger despite what was done to him.

The Mesilas Yesharim (ibid.) also uses bearing a grudge as an example. Many people will righteously not hold another’s act against him. However, they do not feel required to love him. Yet, the Mesilas Yesharim tells us that we are expected to feel the same about one who wrongs us as we did before he did so.

These examples should make it clear that one’s natural, inborn attributes are not enough to rely on. Instead, we must acknowledge that the work of character perfection is a spiritual obligation which applies to all of us. Indeed, working on character perfection is synonomous with clinging to Hashem. Character perfection brings us favor in Hashem’s eyes. Every time that we work on an issue, we are gaining this favor.

Of course, working on character is not a replacement for Torah and mitzvos. We are all obligated to fulfill the mitzvos and learn about them as much as we can. Nevertheless, despite Moshe Rabbeinu’s unparalleled greatness in Torah, he found it necessary to find ways to gain special favor from Hashem. Indeed, Rabbeinu Yonah (Shaarei Teshuva 1:9) writes that this favor is the desire of all tzaddikim. Though they have already achieved perfection in their deeds, they still desire to find more favor.

The Midrash (Shemos Rabba 45:6) states that Hashem showed Moshe various treasure houses of reward in the World to Come. There is a treasure house for doers of mitzvos, another for those who raise orphans, and so on. However, when Hashem said, “I shall show favor when I choose to show favor,” he showed Moshe the treasure house of “free gifts.” What does this mean?

Rav Yechezkel Levenstein explains the Midrash. When people embark on the path of character perfection, it will no doubt take them time to make any progress. After all, the Evil Inclination strives to stop us from achieving anything important – and clinging to Hashem is of paramount importance! However, Rav Levenstein says, the Midrash is telling us that beginning the journey to perfection also grants them Hashem’s favor. Though they have not reached perfection yet, the fact that they are working towards achieving it gains them Hashem’s favor immediately! This is what the Midrash means when it refers to a treasure house of “free gifts.”

This should mean a lot to us. We may have thought that Hashem’s favor is a long way in coming, achievable only after a long period of hard work (and no doubt, many setbacks). However, the Midrash is teaching us that Hashem’s favor is available, “for free,” as soon as we make a serious attempt at working on character perfection!

The Telzstone community recently mourned the loss of a great tzadekess, Mrs. Tikva Kruger, a”h. She was a person who sought always to find favor in Hashem’s eyes. In addition to fulfilling mitzvos meticulously, she was always looking for ways to strengthen her service of Hashem.

Her daily schedule revolved around an array of chassadim, from bikur cholim, visiting the elderly, sharing a kind word with someone, and other forms of assistance to others. She would go from shiur to shiur and take notes throughout. After each shiur, she would review her notes and write down practical conclusions on how to apply what she had learned. Her husband told me that she was so focused on going in Hashem’s ways that everything else in life became secondary to her. Avodas Hashem was all that she wanted.

May we be zoche to find favor in Hashem’s eyes!