Rebuke

18 Kislev 5782

“Reuben heard it, and he saved him from their hands” (Bereishis 37:21)

Vayikra Rabbah states, “Had Reuben known that the Torah would write of him, ‘Reuben heard it, and he saved him from their hands,’ he would have loaded Joseph on his shoulders and carried him back to his father.” Had he known the reward in stow for him, he would not have delayed one second in carrying out this mitzvah.

“Gevald! Gevald! How long will this be an obstacle for us?”

How long will we not understand that the reward for all our efforts - our vigilance in Torah study, our heartfelt prayer, our meticulous observance of the laws of Shabbos - will only be revealed in the coming times? If we would just turn off our head, which expects constant reward for our actions, and make it clear to ourselves what reward is coming, we would not be lacking on a single mitzvah.

“I will maintain My kindness for him forever; My covenant shall remain true to him.” (Tehillim 89:29)

Everything is from Him, and we can trust that He will keep his word!