B"H
Joe, a newly married carpenter, is walking through a busy mall one friday afternoon.
As he's busily texting on his blackberry, he spots a Florist shop, full of bouquets of beautiful flowers.
Among them is a bouquet of daisies.
Knowing his wife's great love for flowers, especially daisies,
Joe walks in and buys their most expensive arrangement, and happily walks to his car, to bring them to his wife...
Now our friend Joe here, might have any one of 4 motives for buying these flowers:
1) [the lowest motive] Joe loves a good dinner, and knows that
when his wife receives
these flowers, she will be in such good spirit she will cook him an extra good dinner tonight.
2) Joe knows that by making his wife happy, this will help create a pleasant environment in their home.
3) Joe truly desires be a good husband.
Commendable!
{But in these 3 scenarios, can you see who's not truly being taken into account?}
4) Joe wants to buy these flowers, b/c he knows that his wife likes them.
We find these 4 motives not only in human relationships, but also in our relationship with Hashem.
"To cook a better dinner" correlates to serving Hashem in order to have a good life in this world.
"for a good environment in one's home" corresponds to wanting to have a nice Gan Eden, World to Come.
A more refined level of service, is the desire "To be a good husband", corresponding to doing mitzvot & serving Hashem in order to refine one's character traits.
All of these ways are commendable, and in the end of the matter, the right thing was actually done! But just like in human relationships, it doesn't really show on true love for the other.
And then there's the simple motive of "b/c She likes it". To do the right things in life for our loved ones simply b/c it's good for them, and not necessarily for us. To take time out of our busy day to help another, just b/c they will benefit. Not always w/ the mindset
"so what am I going to gain out of this?"
This applies also to our relationship w/ Hashem. To learn Torah, pray, or give charity; to do good to another,
all simply b/c He gets pleasure from it.
(And by the way, don't worry, we'll end up enjoying it too!)
Have an amazing Shabbos!
Daniel
Yerushalayim, Israel
Joe, a newly married carpenter, is walking through a busy mall one friday afternoon.
As he's busily texting on his blackberry, he spots a Florist shop, full of bouquets of beautiful flowers.
Among them is a bouquet of daisies.
Knowing his wife's great love for flowers, especially daisies,
Joe walks in and buys their most expensive arrangement, and happily walks to his car, to bring them to his wife...
Now our friend Joe here, might have any one of 4 motives for buying these flowers:
1) [the lowest motive] Joe loves a good dinner, and knows that
when his wife receives
these flowers, she will be in such good spirit she will cook him an extra good dinner tonight.
2) Joe knows that by making his wife happy, this will help create a pleasant environment in their home.
3) Joe truly desires be a good husband.
Commendable!
{But in these 3 scenarios, can you see who's not truly being taken into account?}
4) Joe wants to buy these flowers, b/c he knows that his wife likes them.
We find these 4 motives not only in human relationships, but also in our relationship with Hashem.
"To cook a better dinner" correlates to serving Hashem in order to have a good life in this world.
"for a good environment in one's home" corresponds to wanting to have a nice Gan Eden, World to Come.
A more refined level of service, is the desire "To be a good husband", corresponding to doing mitzvot & serving Hashem in order to refine one's character traits.
All of these ways are commendable, and in the end of the matter, the right thing was actually done! But just like in human relationships, it doesn't really show on true love for the other.
And then there's the simple motive of "b/c She likes it". To do the right things in life for our loved ones simply b/c it's good for them, and not necessarily for us. To take time out of our busy day to help another, just b/c they will benefit. Not always w/ the mindset
"so what am I going to gain out of this?"
This applies also to our relationship w/ Hashem. To learn Torah, pray, or give charity; to do good to another,
all simply b/c He gets pleasure from it.
(And by the way, don't worry, we'll end up enjoying it too!)
Have an amazing Shabbos!
Daniel
Yerushalayim, Israel
P.S. I just saw an amazing 3 min. video on the final moments of Roi Klein's life, an Israeli soldier who gave his life to save others. I highly suggest watching; you won't be the same after: http://www.aish.com/49080361.html
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