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content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body>Aspaqlaria has posted a new
item, '<a href="https://www.aishdas.org/asp/customary">Doing what is
Customary</a>'<br>
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<p>When the Jews reached the Red Sea and saw the Mitzriyim catching up,
“<span lang="he" dir="rtl">וַיִּֽירְאוּ֙ מְאֹ֔ד
וַיִּצְעֲק֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל
אֶל־ה’</span> — they became very fearful, and the Benei
Yisrael cried out to Hashem.” (<a
href="https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.14.10?lwith=Rashi" target="_blank"
rel="noreferrer noopener">Shemos 14:10</a>) Rashi, on the word
“וַיִּצְעֲק֥וּ — they cried out”, quotes <a
href="https://www.sefaria.org/Mekhilta_d'Rabbi_Yishmael.14.10.4"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the Mekhilta</a>,
“תָּפְשׂוּ אֻמָּנוּת אֲבוֹתָם — they
picked up their ancestors’ profession” and then quotes a <em>pasuq
</em>for each of the <em>avos </em>showing how they <em>daven</em>ed to Hashem
in a time of trouble.</p>
<p>The Gur Aryeh on this Rashi bears a close reading:</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="rtl"><strong>תפסו אומנות אבותם.</strong> דאין
לומר שהיו צועקים כדרך הצדיקים שהם צועקים
בעת צרה, דהא היו מתלוננים עכשיו לומר
“הלא טוב לנו עבוד את מצרים” (ר’
פסוק יב), אלא שהוא אומנות אבותם, שכך היה
מנהג אבותם, ודבר שהוא מנהג אבותם נמשך האדם
תמיד אחריו, אף על גב שאינו עושה בכוונת לבו
ודעתו. וכמו כן אמרו (חולין יג:) גוים שבחוצה
לארץ אינם עובדי עבודה זרה אלא שמנהג
אבותיהם הם בידיהם, הרי שהאדם עושה דבר משום
המנהג, אף על גב שאין עושה זה בכל לבו:</p>
<p dir="ltr">They picked up their ancestors’ profession: That is not to
say that they cried out the way the <em>tzadiqim</em> cry out in times of
trouble, because they are complaining right then to say “wasn’t it
better for us to work for Mitzrayim?” (v. 12)</p>
<p dir="ltr">Rather, that is was the “the profession of their
ancestors”, that such was their ancestral custom. A person is constantly
drawn after his parents’ practices, even though he isn’t acting
with <em>kavanah</em> of his heart and mind…. For a person does things
because that is what is customary, even though he doesn’t do it
wholeheartedly. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>We are now at 10 months of praying for an end to the pandemic. And at 10
months of Hashem forcing us not to just pray out of custom, following our
usual routines, in the familiar structure of our shuls echoing the way we
remember our parents and grandparents davening in shul when we were
children.</p>
<p>This Maharal speaks loudly to me.</p>
<p>It is okay when you are a child to think of prayer as a way to get things
from a Divine <em>Kaspomat </em>(ATM). But it’s time to grow up. To wake
up.</p>
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micha<br>
micha@aishdas.org</body></html>