Interpersonal mitzvos are much more profound, and more demanding, than we think
Prepared for print by Rabbi Eran Feintuch
During the days of Sefiras Ha’omer, we mourn the deaths of Rabi Akiva’s 24,000 students who passed away during this period. The Gemara says these students were punished for not treating one another with the honor they deserved. Appropriately, during this period many of us try to improve in the area of mitzvos bein adam l’chaveiro.
How do we work on that? We think it’s simple, though not always easy. Smile, help out, be considerate… in other words, be a mensch. But the truth is that interpersonal mitzvos are much more profound, and more demanding, than we think.
Every morning after birchos haTorah, we learn about the mitzvos “for which one enjoys the fruits in This World, while the principal reward remains intact in the World to Come.” Interestingly, the Rosh notes that most of these mitzvos are bein adam l’chaveiro, while only a few are bein adam l’Makom. Why is that?
Explains the Rosh: Hashem is more interested in bein adam l’chaveiro, because these mitzvos require doing the will of other people as well as His own.
Create a free account to keep reading.
