Shaleeakh Issue 104 November 25, 2006

By Rabbi Yaakov benYosef ABOUT-Torah.org

The way people view each other's worth is not the same way that HaShem views an individual's worth. Because we are visual creatures, we are often deceived by appearance. Often people determine an individual's worth by his or her physical appearance. Because HaShem sees into a person's heart, He does not evaluate an individual based on physical appearance. HaShem evaluates an individual based on his or her potential. HaShem is interested in what a person can become, instead of a person's current situation. Yeshua also saw into an individual's heart. Acts 9:1-6 in the Complete Jewish Bible by David Stern states "'Meanwhile, Sha'ul, still breathing murderous threats against the Lord's talmidim went to the Cohen Hagadol and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Dammesek, authorizing him to arrest any people he might find, whether men or women, who belonged to the way, and bring them back to Yerushalayim. He was on the road and nearing Dammesek, when suddenly a light from heaven flashed all around him. Falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him "Sha'ul! Sha'ul! Why do you keep persecuting me?" "Sir, who are you?" he asked. "I am Yeshua, and you are persecuting me?" But get up, and go into the city, and you will be told what you have to do.'" Rav Sha'ul began persecuting believers because he thought he was serving HaShem. Despite his inappropriate understanding, Yeshua saw Rav Sha'ul's heart was open and willing to serve HaShem. Yeshua transformed Rav Sha'ul into a righteous individual because Rav Sha'ul had a willing heart and wanted to serve HaShem. Tehillim 51:16-17 states "You do not desire sacrifice or else I would bring it: you are not delighted in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of HaShem are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, these HaShem will not despise." HaShem sees the potential of an individual's heart. Any individual with a heart willing to serve HaShem can be transformed like Rav Sha'ul was transformed. In Toldot, we can see how HaShem transformed Yaakov. Yaakov's position at birth would not have allowed him to inherit all the promises of Avraham. HaShem transformed Yaakov because Yaakov had a willing heart and a desire to serve HaShem. To understand Yaakov's willingness to serve HaShem we must compare him to Esau.

B'reisheet 25:23 states, "the LORD said unto her, two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger." Before Yaakov was even born HaShem knew that Yaakov would grow into a more faithful servant then Esau. HaShem was not establishing a predestined path for Yaakov. HaShem saw Yaakov was more pliable because he was willing to serve HaShem. However, it was still Yaakov's decision to serve HaShem. A pliable heart is only useful to HaShem when an individual offers himself or herself freely. HaShem saw that in the future Yaakov would voluntarily serve Him, while Esau would serve his own needs. Yeshua also saw the importance of an individual who has a pliable heart and is willing to follow HaShem. Mathew 19:28-30 states "Yeshua said to them, 'Verily I say to you, that you who did follow me, in the resurrection, when the Son of Man may sits upon a throne of his glory, shall sit-ye also-upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel; and every one who left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or fields, for my name's sake, shall inherit all of this a hundredfold in the age to come; and the first shall be last, and last first." An individual with a pliable heart and who is willing to serve can be transformed from a position of lowliness into a position of blessing. Literally, HaShem can use a willing individual and transform him or her into an individual who is worthy of inheriting eternal life in the world to come. A soft and pliable heart is the foundation of an individual's willingness to serve HaShem.

Fleshly desire often interferes with an individual's willingness to serve. The choice between fleshly desire and spiritual need was one of Esau's biggest problems. B'reisheet 25:31-34 states "Yaakov said, Sell me this day your birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he swore unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright." Esau did not have a soft and pliable heart. Therefore, Esau placed more importance on his hunger than on his birthright. Esau lost all the promises that HaShem had made to Avraham. For one moment's pleasure Esau forgot how to be a servant of HaShem. Unfortunately, a moment was all it took for Esau to make a covenant with Yaakov that he could not break. As a result, Esau was forever condemned to serve his younger brother. Esau's heart was never as pliable as Yaakov's because Esau allowed his fleshly desires to become more important than his spiritual needs.

An individual with a soft and pliable heart also has fortitude. Fortitude gives an individual the ability to endure the trials that come. An individual that has spiritual fortitude is not perfect; he or she just knows when to repent and return to HaShem. Esau's lack of fortitude is obvious. Esau's desire was to choose a wife that pleased his eyes and not one that his parents approved. B'reisheet 26:34-35 "Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah." Esau did not have the fortitude to wait and seek out a wife that was from the relatives of Yitzhak. As a result, Esau married outside Yitzhak's family line. Marrying outside Yitzhak's family line was not good because Esau was bringing foreign wives and foreign ideas into his camp. As a result, Esau was susceptible to worshiping the gods of his wives instead of the God of Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaakov. Esau's lack of fortitude shows his heart was not pliable because he went against the wishes of HaShem and his parents by rejecting what they desired for his life.

HaShem sees all individuals as people with potential. However, not all individuals live up to his or her potential. Only those individuals with a soft and pliable heart can learn how to subdue the flesh, and have the fortitude required to endure the trials and struggles that come. While our hearts are pliable and we are willing to serve, we will always be able to keep focused on HaShem. As a result, we will know when to return and repent. HaShem sees our potential to be like Yeshua, but we can only live up to our potential when our heart is soft and pliable enough for HaShem to transform.

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