The Why Guy

I’ve come to the realization that there’s no good answer to the why; there’s only the question.

“Behold, I am giving before you today a blessing and a curse.”

(Devarim 11:26)

This pasuk clearly states that the stakes are high. The righteous will be rewarded, the wicked punished.

Is there no middle ground? Can’t we just be average? But no, the Torah’s message is that we shouldn’t live our lives in neutral. “See!” the Torah demands of us. Pay attention! Live life with focus. Even when doing average, mundane activities, do them in a way that sanctifies Hashem’s name. (Rabbi Mordechai Rhine)

Everything I need to know I’ve learned in Mommy School. Or so I tell my kids. They picture a huge institution full of august professors (all mommies, of course) passing down age-old wisdom that makes their mommy one of the wisest women in the world. At least I hope that’s what they picture.

But there’s one course that’s missing from the curriculum of Mommy School, and personally, I think it’s one of the most critical. I need a course on “The Wiles of Why 101.” Course syllabus: 101 ways to answer why.

Shloime, my youngest, is going through his why stage. Why can’t I have chocolate for breakfast? Why do I need to wear shoes when cats don’t ? Why do I need sleep? Why is today Tuesday?

The last has me stumped. Because yesterday was Monday? Honestly, I don’t know why today is Tuesday; it just is! The questions run the gamut of philosophy (why was Yitzi born before me?) to technology (why can’t a computer think by itself?).