Our Greatest Privilege

Living Emunah By Rabbi David Ashear

With our good deeds, we are able to bring joy and satisfaction to HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Although logically that doesn't make so much sense, we would never imagine that a little ant could bring satisfaction to a king surrounded by servants and advisors at his beck and call. How much more so us in comparison to HaKadosh Baruch Hu? Yet, Hashem told us in the Torah regarding the korbanot, they are a ריח ניחוח לה ', which Chazal explained to mean that Hashem gets satisfaction when we follow His will. The greatest satisfaction we could bring Hashem is when we do His will with joy and excitement. Being happy to do Mitzvot elevates us and brings us even closer to him, as well as opens up pipelines of blessing, both physically and spiritually. It's not easy to be excited about something we do all the time, but when we hear of what previous generations had to go through to do what we take for granted, it gives us extra chizuk to appreciate the treasures that we have before us. Rabbi Bergman told a story which took place 30 years ago. An elder, noble-looking Jew began coming to a certain shul in Brooklyn for shacharit. He arrived 15 minutes early and said Birkot HaShachar and korbanot with great kavana. Rabbi Bergman was astonished to see him pray the entire Tefillah without tefillin. After the Tefillah, he went over to the man and introduced himself. The man said his name was Zusha and he had come to America from Russia. The rabbi offered to let him use his tefillin, but Zusha declined, saying he would never borrow tefillin because they're too expensive and he's afraid to damage them. The next morning, he prayed once again without tefillin. This time Rabbi Bergman went around and made a collection to buy tefillin for Zusha who couldn't afford them himself. Everybody in the shul donated generously and the rabbi was able to buy a pair of very mehudar tefillin. The next day, the rabbi presented Zusha with the tefillin when he arrived at shul. When he heard they were a gift from the members of the shul, he burst out into tears like a young child. His tefillah with tefillin that day was like ne'ilah on Yom Kippur. He was so emotional, crying the entire tefillah. Afterward, Rabbi Bergman approached him and asked him when the last time he put tefillin on was. Zusha replied 60 years ago. Rabbi Bergman was shocked. He said to Zusha, "I watched you put them on. You knew exactly what you were doing. Not like a secular newcomer for the first time." Zusha replied, "Not a day went by that I didn't put on tefillin." Now, Rabbi Bergman was really confused. Zusha explained. He said, "My father was a real yireh shamayim. During those years in Communist Russia, whoever was caught practicing religion would vanish without a trace. My father bought me the most beautiful tefillin for my bar mitzvah, and he took me up to our attic, shuttered all the windows, and taught me how to put them on. Within ten minutes, three KGB thugs appeared. Someone had informed on us. They tore the tefillin off my head and my father from the house. Since then, I haven't had tefillin, and since then, I haven't seen my father, 60 years." "The next morning while my mother cried in the kitchen, I went back up to the attic without my father and without my tefillin, but with my siddur. I lifted my eyes to the heavens and said to Hashem, 'They stole my father and they stole my tefillin, but they can't steal my heart. My heart is fired with love for you, Hashem. I want to put on tefillin so badly, but I don't have them. I'm going to go through the motions of putting on tefillin with the proper kavana every single day. Through that, I will connect to you the Boreh Olam.' And every day, for the last 60 years, I put on tefillin with just the motions. I didn't have the physical tefillin, but I had the heart of tefillin." Rabbi Bergman was so inspired. Look at the love that this Jew had for the mitzvot. From that day on, Rabbi Bergman had a new appreciation for his tefillin and for all the mitzvot as well. If we could value the mitzvot and feel that they are our greatest privilege, that would bring so much satisfaction to HaKadosh Baruch Hu.