Parshas Yisro
At the foot of Har Sinai, in an act that would effectively secure its eternal position as G-d’s chosen nation, Klal Yisroel unhesitatingly affirmed, “Na’aseh – We will perform [G-d’s commandments]” prior to requesting “Nishmah – Let us hear [G-d’s commandments].” The gemara in Maseches Shabbos (88b) testifies that at the moment Klal Yisroel placed na’asehbefore nishmah Hakadosh Baruch Hu exclaimed, “Mi gila lahem raz zeh – Who revealed to them [the Jews] this [great] secret?” The gemara then continues with its ebullient praise for the word order and likens B’nei Yisroel to a “Tapuach ba’atzei haya’ar – An apple [tree] amongst the [other] trees of the orchard (Shir Hashirim 2:3),” explaining that just as the apple tree grows its leaves before producing fruit, B’nei Yisroel preceded the word “nishmah – let us hear” with the word “na’aseh – we will perform.”
This gemara requires further analysis. Firstly, to what secret was Hakadosh Baruch Hu referring? What great quality did Klal Yisroel exhibit through their choice of word order? And secondly, what middah is taught, and which virtue is represented, by the fact that an apple tree produces its fruit before growing its leaves?
Rav Moshe Schwab, zt”l, puts forth a beautiful method of answering the above questions. The majority of trees, he explains, yield fruit only after growing the leaves which will protect their produce. Yet the apple tree is different. Indeed, scientifically, the fact that apple trees do not grow leaves before the beginning of their fruits’ development guarantees that when apples first appear they find themselves entirely at the mercy of the elements. Yet, in a manner similar to the more common trees, people, quite correctly and properly, do not generally accept responsibilities and duties without first ascertaining whether they possess the capability to fulfill their words. In fact, this is what occurred with all the other nations of the world. Before presenting the Torah to the Jewish people, G-d approached the nations and offered them the torah. However, desiring to know whether the torah would suit their lifestyle and capabilities, the approached nations asked to be informed of all the laws and regulations which the Torah contained before considering its acceptance. Yet the relationship that B’nei Yisroel enjoy with the Creator of the world is intrinsically different. Due to B’nei Yisroel’s absolute confidence in Hashem’s love for them, B’nei Yisroel trusted G-d implicitly. In the manner of one who feels not the need to research an offer made by someone whom he loves, they told Hashem simply, “Na’aseh… [v]enishmah – We will do… [a]nd [afterwards] we will hear” – in other words, due to our total trust that You would never offer us an opportunity beyond our capabilities, we therefore agree to fulfill [do] the Torah’s laws regardless of what [we ultimately shall hear that] they may be. Indeed, even though Klal Yisroel knew that they may truly have been lacking the skills necessary for complete torah observance, Klal Yisroel trusted that Hakadosh Baruch Hu would provide them with every ability they would discover necessary during their pursuit of genuine avodas Hashem. Rav Schwab explains that Klal Yisroel’s total trust that G-d would unfailingly implant within them the skills necessary to succeed in their avodah, is directly analogous to the method in which an apple tree produces its fruit – for just as the apple tree grows its fruit while trusting, so to speak, that leaves will soon be provided to protect its apples and ensure their continued development, the Jews accepted the yoke of Torah while trusting that G-d would later provide them the skills necessary to serve Him. Indeed, this was the greatraz, the great secret, of which Hashem spoke – to trust in G-d’s love for us so implicitly as to be capable of accepting the tremendous responsibility of the service of Hashem while fully confident that G-d would provide the skills we would need in our avodah.
In every generation, Rav Schwab continues, it is only in this manner of Na’aseh venishmah, of relying upon G-d to grant us the capabilities which we do not possess, that we can hope to merit torah. When plagued by financial or intellectual limitations, one must not waste time pontificating upon whether or not he possesses the ability to apply himself to his avodas Hashem. People are constantly presented with every manner of trial in regards to their avodas Hashem. Someone may not possess a great mind, may be suffering the unspeakable pain of a death in his family, rachmana litzlan, may not have a penny to his name, may be experiencing complicated issues with child-raising – the list of problems which present themselves before a person throughout his life runs the gamut. Indeed, upon a thorough contemplation of the problem with which one is presented, he will commonly find that he genuinely cannot overcome the obstacle. Yet, instead of analyzing whether one has the ability to overcome his problems before working on his avodas Hashem and torah learning, one must simply begin. One must simply start learning, start attempting to truly grow in his service of the Creator of the universe, and rely on G-d to provide him with the ability to succeed.
Indeed, Rav Schwab reassures us that Hashem truly is committed to providing us with whatever skills we lack in His service. Did not Hashem exclaim joyously “Mi gila lahem raz zeh – Who revealed to them [the Jews] this [great] secret [of trusting that I will provide them every skill necessary to serve Me fully]?” It is clear that Hakadosh Baruch Hu was agreeing with B’nei Yisroel’s trust, affirming that He would in fact provide B’nei Yisroel with the abilities to serve Him. And since it is indeed so, let no-one despair in their avodas Hashem. Hakadosh Baruch Hu Himself has guaranteed that he will assist whoever genuinely wishes to serve Him by granting them their every missing quality.
The Klausenberger Rebbe, zt”l, used to assign his talmidim a heavy amount of material to learn and would, in his shiur, delve very deeply into the concepts upon which he was expounding. Yet, when his students complained that they did not possess the same head as their Rebbe and requested that he deliver lectures that would be easier to grasp, he responded that he was simply asking for their effort and that they apply all of their capabilities to his shiurim. The Rebbe explained that if one puts in the requisite effort Hashem will surely grant him new dimensions of capability in both his torah service and study.
May we be zoche to constantly accept the torah with the trust of Na’aseh venishmah – with the faith that Hakadosh Baruch Hu will grant us the abilities we need to serve him – and thereby experience true growth in our avodas Hashem.