Inspirational Moment

The pasuk states (Bamidbar 1:18), “Vayisyaldu al mishpechosum l’vais avosam -- the Bnai Yisroel confirmed their genealogies,” and Rashi expounds, “heivi’u sifrei yichuseihem – they brought documentation attesting to their lineage.”

The medrash explains that when Bnai Yisroel accepted the Torah the nations of the world became jealous and objected

The pasuk states (Bamidbar 1:18), “Vayisyaldu al mishpechosum l’vais avosam -- the Bnai Yisroel confirmed their genealogies,” and Rashi expounds, “heivi’u sifrei yichuseihem – they brought documentation attesting to their lineage.”

The medrash explains that when Bnai Yisroel accepted the Torah the nations of the world became jealous and objected to the special relationship that Hashem has with Bnai Yisroel. Hashem Yisborach silenced them and said, “Bring Me your sefer yichus like My children did.”

The obvious question presents itself. Why was it necessary to validate their yichus (lineage) in order to merit kabbalas haTorah?

The Yismach Moshe (founder of the Satmar and Sighet dynasties, 1759-1841) cites the Talmud (Mesechta Eruvin13), “Noach lo l’odom shelo nivra – it would have been better for the person had he not been born.” The Maharsha explains that the reason for this statement is because there are more negative precepts contained within the Torah than there are positive commandments. Consequently, there is the consideration that it is more probable that the individual will accumulate more transgressions than mitzvos.

The Hafla, however, counters this with the maxim cited in Kiddushin (40a) that if a person had good intentions to do a mitzvah and then was unable to implement it, Hashem nevertheless credits him with the mitzvah. In addition, we say in the Lecha Dodi on Friday night, sof ma’aseh b’machashavah techilah – every deed begins with a thought. The plan to fulfill the mitzvah is also a mitzvah, and thus the assessment for each mitzvah is doubled. .

This explains the presentation of the sifrei yichusim by Klal Yisroel. The lineage of Klal Yisroel stems from the avos hakedoshim, our holy forefathers, who have established within their progeny a desire and a natural tendency to do good. The chezkas kashrus – premise of legitimacy -- has already been confirmed that we, indeed, aspire to perform mitzvos and not to transgress Hashem’s Torah.

Likewise, Hashem demanded a demonstrable commitment to the Torah from the nations of the world which could only be evidenced from their ancestry.

One can never predict the far-reaching effect of one good thought.

Although Risa had been born to Jewish parents, her family could not even be considered affiliated, since any type of traditional Judaism had never crossed the threshold of their home. She worked at a prestigious law firm, and had begun to attend some free religious classes that were offered during her workday lunch break. A particularly powerful lecture on the beauty and significance of ushering in the Shabbos Queen struck a chord in Risa, and she began to light candles every Friday night.

Although she and her husband were not Torah observant, Risa loyally kept up the symbolic candle-lighting each week. When the winter months arrived, and ended up lighting candles long after the sun had set for the day, she was upset but her job made no allowances for an adjustment in her schedule.

One frigid Wednesday evening in December, though, Risa came home in a state of euphoria.

“Danny, you’ll never believe what happened,” Risa began breathlessly.

“Try me, Risa. I’m game!”

Risa explained that the law firm had offered each employee the opportunity to go home early any one night a week they each chose. Risa immediately selected Friday night because that would allow her to actually light candles, in the proper time, before the arrival of Shabbos. To her chagrin, however, her fellow workers chose the same day so they could start their weekends a little earlier.

To resolve the dispute, a lottery was drawn, and Risa won her coveted Friday night.

When Friday arrived, however, Risa never even made it to work, as flu-like symptoms kept her firmly positioned in bed. Although she managed to usher in the Shabbos in its proper time, her weakness and fatigue were worrisome, and by early Shabbos morning she was rushed to the hospital. As the hours passed, her condition worsened and by late afternoon her neshamah departed.

Her husband Danny was left with a toddler daughter to raise himself. When he finally remarried after two long years, neither partner was Torah observant, but Danny inexplicably insisted on a halachic wedding ceremony.

With a desire to expose their children to some Jewish culture, they enrolled their children in a Jewish day school.

Ultimately, the two little flames of the ner Shabbos that Risa had ignited when she was alive sparked the fire of Yiddishkeit in this spiritually starved family, and the light of Torah began to illuminate their lives and their home.