Parasha Thoughts
By Rabbi Aviad Boukris
There is a story told about an important man who had already reached his seventies. He was a known figure who was a source of great influence and pride to his family and his community.
Once, one of his sons brought his children to visit their grandfather in order to gain as much as possible from his great personality and knowledge. The grandfather, who had difficulties speaking in Hebrew, spoke in Arabic, and had his son translate for him. The son then asked his father to tell them one of the many lifetime stories.
“A story you want? Of course,†replied the grandfather, and started his story. “I remember when I was in my teenage years, me and my friends decided to go the Zihara Sali, where many great Tzadikim were buried. Great Torah giants, such as Rav Chaim ben Atar (The Ohr Hachaim’s grandfather), Rav Chaim Toledano, and many more. As we started our dangerous journey, crossing the big desert, a group of thieves approached us…
The son translated the first part of the story and waited for his father to continue. “Yes, father†he said.
“So you are waiting for a story? Let me tell you of the time when me and a couple of friends decided to take the dangerous journey to the Zihara Sali….†The son, a bit embarrassed to repeat again his father’s retelling the same first part of the story, tried to describe to his children the many dangers his father faced on the way. As the father concluded the first part, his son asked him again to continue.
“You are asking for a story? There was once a time when me and my friends decided to go daven by at the graves of great Tzadikim……
Just then it hit the son, that his father was suffering from Alzheimer’s. Startled, the son went to his Rav in order to ask about medication options and advice. The Rav turned pale and said, each of us has his own life story for which he was sent down to this world to complete. I too, said the Rav, learned and toiled for many years until I reached a certain level of knowledge in Torah and Avodat Hashem, but am I not repeating again and again the same chapter of my life? Are we not repeating the same chapter instead of aspiring to grow?….
This idea is hinted in Yaakov’s Avinu’s blessings to Yossef’s children. The older son’s name Menashe, as the Hebrew word “Neshiya, and Shichecha,†which means forgetfulness. Then came Efrayim, as the Hebrew word “Piryon and Ribuy,†which means multiply and grow. When they came before Yaakov, he put his right hand on Efrayim in order to emphasize the growth and renewal. We shouldn’t be satisfied that we reached a certain level in spirituality, but rather we should always aspire to grow more so we can fulfill our life’s story and mission in this world.