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IT'S A PACKAGE DEAL

GYE Corp. Sunday, 22 January 2012

In this week's Parsha we have the Aseres Hadibros: the Corner Stone of Yiddishkeit.

There is so much to be said.

I would like to focus on the last commandment: "LO SACHMOD - You (what's with the whole 'thou' thing?) should not be envious of all that is your friends".... of you friend's wife, his house, his donkey, etc...

Ok, so what's so wrong with a little envy and jealousy? What's the big deal?

And also, why does the Hashem command us not to be jealous of certain specifics, and then He sums it all up and says: "V'chol asher Li'raei'echa - and all that is your friend's"?

The answer is: Jealousy is a lack of Emunah - and Emunah is the basis of the whole Torah.

Our spouses, our houses, our cars, kids and even vacations, are all pre-destined from Hashem.

Oh, but we are still jealous...

Ok, well look at the rest of the baggage your friend carries.

You want her, her house, her jewels, her lavish wedding?

Well then take her parents, her crazy brother, her phobias, etc.. too!

V'chol asher Li'raei'echa...

It's a package deal!

Oy yoy yoy Shabbod Koidesh!!!


For a beautiful answer on the question as to how Hashem can expect us not to desire what we see (after all, isn't this out of our control?), see Chizuk e-mail #417 on this page called "The Daughter of the King (Part 2)" or see day #17 in the translations of Reb Shraga Shlachter's book called "The First Day of the Rest of My Life" which can be downloaded here).