Sunday, June 04, 2006

Passing the Candle

Yes, this is another end-of-the-year-how-to-get-through-the-summer-and-still-be-frum schmooze.

Or at least it was. There was a post here but it was so disjointed I had to scrap it - the underlying idea was phenomenal (big surprise - it is a Rashi after all) but for some reason no matter how I tried to get it to you in a comprehensible fashion - it didn't pan out, oh well.

Let's enjoy an idea from the Dubna Maggid instead.
Hashem told Dovid HaMelech that He will only build the beis hamikdash after he passes away. To understand why this wasn't a sore point for Dovid HaMelech ( as we see in Shir Hamaalos ... Samachti beOmrim Li Beis Hashem Nelech ), he offers a mashal.

There was once a rich man who had a very talented chef. As the chef got older the rich man started to search the entire country for a doctor. He found one, and retained the doctor to be his personal physician. There was one condition, however: the doctor was not to come by until the aging chef had passed away. The people of the rich man's town were anxious for the prestigious doctor to live in their midst - so they would wonder (sometimes aloud) when the aging chef would die so that the doctor may come. 'Fools,' said the rich man, 'you think it is too much bother for me to support them both ? It's not! I am in no hurry for the chef to die - because I would rather be maintained in good health by his cooking, than be cured from any illness by the doctor.'

In this way Hashem explains why He would rather have one day of Dovid HaMelech's praises rather than 1000 korbanos from Shlomo HaMelech. The praise of Tehillim can keep one spiritually 'healthy,' in comparison to becoming 'ill' and having to daven (avodah) for a cure.
'till next time,

R Druyan

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