Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz
Why does Judaism need so many laws and restrictions? I consider myself good, kind, and honest, I give charity, and I am nice to my family and neighbors! Why isn’t being a good person good enough?
Rabbi Chaim Mintz responds:
What is Truly Good? Only God Knows.
You say you are a good person. But what is really good? What people consider good is subjective and constantly shifting, and varies dramatically across different cultures, times, and individuals. For example, abortion, which is murder and was seen as abominable not so long ago, has now become accepted in some societies. And throughout history there have been individuals and groups who believed their actions were good while committing atrocities. Pharaoh, Hitler, and Stalin all acted under the conviction that they were doing good. Even today, groups like Hamas and regimes like Iran believe their efforts to murder Jews are justified. Humans may think we know what is good, but only Hashem (God) knows what is truly good. So instead of telling Hashem what is good, we should do what He considers truly good: keeping the laws of the Torah.
The Mitzvot – The Great Doctor’s Prescription for Spiritual Wellbeing
In truth, your very premise that the commandments are nuisances is a big mistake. As Hashem spelled out for us in the Torah, the mitzvot (Torah commandments) are for our benefit, to perfect us and prepare us for eternal bliss.
We follow medical advice to ensure that we stay healthy and function properly, and the army’s rigorous regimen produces the strongest and most disciplined soldiers. Similarly, our spiritual wellbeing depends on the Torah’s rules and regulations prescribed to us by the Great Doctor, and the 613 mitzvot are the exact recipe we need to elevate us and make us better individuals.
A Labor of Love and Respect
Just as a passionate businessman doesn’t feel the hard work because he envisions the riches awaiting him, once you appreciate the greatness of each mitzvah – in this world and the next – mitzvah performance will turn into a labor of love.
Additionally, when a person truly loves someone, they find pleasure in every act of kindness they can do for them, and can never do enough. Their actions are driven by genuine affection, making each one a joy rather than a burden. And when serving someone they revere and respect, it is considered an honor and privilege, not a burden. I vividly recall people eagerly running to help the venerated Rabbi Moshe Feinstein with any task, no matter how small. To bring him a cup of water or open his siddur was a cherished opportunity.
Each Mitzvah the Greatest Privilege
Our relationship with Hashem should combine both these aspects: We must revere Hashem, King of the entire universe, and we must love Him, as He does everything for us. Once we begin to feel these feelings of reverence and love, every mitzvah will be seen as the greatest privilege and source of pleasure.
In the moments before his death, the Vilna Gaon held up his tzitzit and lamented that in this world for a few dollars one can serve Hashem, but in the next world he will no longer have this opportunity. Although he was going to his eternal reward, the opportunity of serving Hashem would no longer be available to him. To the Vilna Gaon, mitzvot were not a burden but the greatest privilege.
In short: Only Hashem knows what is truly good: the mitzvot, which are for our good in this world and the next. Once we appreciate the great privilege of serving Hashem, mitzvot will transform from restrictions into wonderful opportunities.
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