We’re fooling ourselves to avoid focusing on our real mission in life
Do you ever wonder why people do things which they know are detrimental or harmful to themselves? Why do people eat foods that make them sick? Smoke? Drive recklessly? This phenomenon is part of human nature from time immemorial. Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz points out that this concept is portrayed by the Mitzrim’s reckless behavior at the time of hail. They’d already witnessed six plagues and knew full well that every warning Moshe gave them came to fruition. Yet they still left their servants and cattle in the fields. (Rabbi Shlomo Caplan, Mishulchan Shlomo)
The house was quiet as I went around checking on the kids before going to sleep myself. All were slumbering soundly until I got to Binyamin. Seeing him buried under his blankets, I almost turned to leave when I thought I saw a small light. Coming closer, I caught the culprit with a flashlight, so deeply engrossed in the book he was reading he barely blinked as I pulled the blankets back.
“Binyamin, what are you doing up at this hour? Tomorrow’s a school day!”
“Just one more page, Ma. Till the end of the chapter. I gotta find out who did it…”
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