Advocates

15 Cheshvan 5782

“Fear not, for God has heard the lad’s voice in the place where he is.” (Bereishis 21:17)

On this verse, Rashi explains that Hashem judges a man “according to the deeds that he does now, and not according to what he is destined to do.” Even though Ishmael was destined to become a wild man, “his hand will be upon all, and everyone’s hand upon him,” and his descendants were destined to kill the Jews with thirst, Hashem brought up a well for him, because of the righteousness he was currently conducting himself with.

“It is stated in Asarah Maamarot that the atmosphere of the Garden of Eden envelops every individual, and in this atmosphere are recorded all his good thoughts and utterances of Torah and Divine worship” (Lessons in Tanya, Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 27)

The mitzvos that we do act as a protective shield from our past and even future misdeeds. They encompass us and act as our strongest advocates.

“Yet He is compassionate, pardons iniquity, and does not destroy; time and again He turns away His anger, and does not arouse all His wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a spirit that leaves and does not return.” (Tehillim 78:38-39)

Because of our mitzvos, Hashem summons his attribute of infinite mercy, pardoning all kinds of iniquity. He remembers that we are mere human beings, but the mitzvos we did and do are perfect and eternal. When we meditate on the transcendent power of our mitzvos, we realize that they are not just routine tasks to be completed with minimal effort, but the very basis of our lives and continued existence on this earth and in the World to Come.