What does God expect of me.

Originally posted on Baal Habos
27 JUNE 2006
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R' Chaim always did the right thing. As a young child he listened to his parents and behaved in Cheder. Scholastically inclined, he aced his SAT's, did well in Touro college and was accepted to Law School. Chaim took off another year to sit and learn full time before going off to School.

His Rebbeim rightly sensed this was their last chance to help him out. "What good will you accomplish? You'll just be another lawyer and we already have too many lawyers. And is this what the RBSH'O really wants from you? You have a great set of Keilim on your shoulders. You'll have to give Din V'cheshbon for all the Blatt Gemora that you could have learnt but did not."

Chaim was torn. His parents on one side, his Rosh Yeshiva on the other. He knew he was at a crossroads. Probably the most important decision of his life. It would affect everything, his prospects for Parnossah , his choice of mate, where he lived. Everything. Oih. The Road not Taken. If he only knew.


"Rebbi, But what about science? How could all that knowledge be out there and me not partake of it?"

"My dear Chaim, hundreds of Bnei Torah have gone before you to college and what became of them? Just plain old Baalei Batim. Nisht Kein Olam Hazeh Un Nisht Kein Olam Haba. Besides, a person needs to know, what his obligations are to the RBSH"O."

"But", exclaimed Chaim, "why did God create the world in such a way?" "A nisoyon" his beloved Rebbi said.

"Is Hashem looking to trick us?"

"Chas V'sholom. Ain Hakodosh Boruch Hoo Bah B'trunia Im Biryosav. But there is a Yetser Hora out there to mis-lead you if you follow his path. Some get led astray by Zionism, some can't resist Taavas Olam Hazeh. Look, there are hundreds of ISM's out there. Socialism, Communism, Nationalism. It's only Torah that's true. Only Torah has stood the test of time"

Chaim decided that Hakol Hevel and he was not going to give up on his eternity. His Nitzchius.

He knew in his heart of hearts the Mesilas Yesharim was right. Follow in the path of those before you that already worked their way through the maze. How wrong his parents are. They could not be faulted. They mean well, but they just didn't have the right foundation. I don't see any of my Roshei Yeshiva wanting for Parnassah. Besides, look at all those who went to college and now can't even find a job. Torah is De Beste Schora.

As his Rosh Yeshiva predicted, he married well and grew into a respectable Talmud Chochom.

He knew his success was all due to Siata Dishmaya and he increased his Hasmoda. The sacrifice was definitely worth it. After all, he didn't need to live like Rockerfeller. He didn't need the Kovod his philanthropic oriented friends acquired. He didn't need the wealth his brother had amassed . Chazal assured him of the right path. His wife had worked hard raising the children and they themselves are now Oisek Lishma looking forward to marry off their own children.


His Levaya at the age of 93 was a solemn event with loving family seeing him off to the Oilam Haemes.

Chaim trembled as he stood before the Keesay Hakovod. The Malachei Hashareis were whispering amongst themselves.

"Chaim" boomed the angel. "You were a fine man. But why did you waste so much of your precious time?"

"What?" Tears streamed down his face with shame. But I did Teshuva. My college years were a thing of my long distant past".

"Chaim, what about all those wasted hours since then?"

Chaim was flabberghasted. "I don't understand... I made sure to spend all my free time with my my wife and children. What more could I have done?"

"Chaim, all the endless hours spent toiling on a misspelling of an ancient document. Forcing your wife to work three jobs. Your children, longing for loving parents, farmed out to babysitters. The Charity you did not do. The list is endless. You could have done so much with your life."

"But I avoided all the Yetser Hora's. I didn't give in to any of my Taava's. I simply followed the Torah!"

The Malachim turned to each other. Here's another one. We sent him down to Earth, gave him Bechira, give him a brain with which to make reasoned choices. And he just threw it all away.

Ha Ha Ha , laughed the Sattan. "Religion - my favorite Yetser Hora."
posted by Baal Habos @ 6/27/2006
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18 Comments
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Moshe Kappoya said...
OR -

Chaim, now known as Hymie, goes on to law school and graduates tops in his class. He then gets a job at a prestigious firm and puts in 100 hour work weeks climbing the corporate ladder. At age 38, he meets his "bashert", Leslie, who has just joined a successful pediatric practice. They each pursue their careers, barely seeing each other all week, crashing at home on Shabbos, while the nanny raises the 2 children. They become very wealthy and attribute their success to a great collage education.
Time goes by and the kids grow up, go to college, and start on their own careers. Hy & Leslie live to see nachus from grandchildren, and put down little Jeremy's shiksa roommate to "just a phase he'll grow out of".
At the ripe old age of 93, Hy is buried with great pomp and ceremony by the members of his shul kiddush club and several family members who were not too busy to attend.

Chaim trembled as he stood before the Keesay Hakovod. The Malachei Hashareis were whispering amongst themselves.

"Chaim" boomed the angel. "You were a fine man. But why did you waste so much of your precious time?"

Chaim was flabbergasted. "I don't understand... I gave generously to the UJA. I made sure to spend all my free weekends with my wife and children. What more could I have done?"

The Malachim turned to each other. Here's another one. We sent him down to Earth, gave him Bechira, give him a brain with which to make reasoned choices. And he just threw it all away.

Ha Ha Ha , laughed the Sattan. "Money - my favorite Yetser Hora."
June 27, 2006 3:42 PM
Twice a Heretic said...
Great parable! Love the surprise ending. I read through it, expecting that it was another one of the notorious frum tales about some guy who starves to death rather than eat bread baked by a goy or something of that nature, and the ending is exactly the reverse! LOL Good writing.
June 27, 2006 3:54 PM
Baal Habos said...
MK, Exactly my point. I don't see how your version is any better than mine. And we've heard your version thousands of times before.
So how do I know what God wants of people? Sitting and learning all day long? Even when I had 1000% percent Emuna in TMS, I never bought that.

When someone says "I follow the Gedolim and my Rebbeim" they might be misusing their God Given Free Will no less than someone who is a murderer. Who's to say? (I know, the Gedolim, right?).

So I hedge my bets. I keep all Mitsvos, go to Shul, even learn a little. But I want to figure out what our God above really wants of us 3 Billion Human beings on this planet. And to do that, I need to make some decisions on my own.
June 27, 2006 5:01 PM
Baal Habos said...
Twice, Thanks!
June 27, 2006 5:02 PM
Moshe Kappoya said...
But I want to figure out what our God above really wants of us
You're not the first person to ask that question. Perhaps you can find someone who's already answered it to your satisfaction.

I seem to recall that Moses said (pardon me, I don't have a chumsh with me so I can't tell you where it is exactly)
"What does Hashem want from you? Only to fear Him..."

LOL, I know that answer will not be to your liking. Let me know what you find.

(Oy! More holes...I'm getting a headace. LOL)
June 27, 2006 5:29 PM
Baal Habos said...
MK. You tell me to ask someone who knows. My point is no one knows who really knows. A Mesora can be a Yetser Hora too. Everyone abdicates responsibility for thinking. I'm not advocating going off the derech or anything like that. But I do not feel comfortable in blindly following "Mesora".

I happen to Like Lubavitch. But, what will you be saying about Lubavitch children in a few generations (if they're still around). You'll say, they have a bad Mesora. Well who's to say we don't have a bad Mesorah. Maybe the Tsedukkim were right, but history is written by the winner.

LOL about the Kefira holes is right; except Kefira stuff is serious business.
June 27, 2006 5:52 PM
lakewoodyid said...
>Ha Ha Ha , laughed the Sattan. "Religion - my favorite Yetser Hora."

I'll be very satisfied to sit in hell with the Gaon, R' Akiva Eiger, R' Chaim Brisker and thousands of others like them.
June 28, 2006 11:43 PM
Baal Habos said...
LY, if you'd like to be with the Chachomim in Olam Haba, then maybe you should spend more time in the Bais Medrash now instead of blogging.
June 29, 2006 9:50 AM
lakewoodyid said...
>LY, if you'd like to be with the Chachomim in Olam Haba, then maybe you should spend more time in the Bais Medrash now instead of blogging.

Sure. Here's the deal. You feed and clothe my 6 kids, pay my mortgage, and $17,000 anual tuition.

I'll sit and learn.

Deal?
June 29, 2006 12:17 PM
Moshe Kappoya said...
LY,

Here's the deal. You feed and clothe my 6 kids, pay my mortgage, and $17,000 anual tuition...

If I did that I'd be the one sitting in Olam Haba! LOL

BTW,
Six kids and you only pay $17k?!?
I pay that for 4 kids! Yikes, I'm getting ripped off!
June 29, 2006 12:53 PM
lakewoodyid said...
>Six kids and you only pay $17k?!?
I pay that for 4 kids! Yikes, I'm getting ripped off!

Relax, My baby doesn't go to school yet.
June 29, 2006 1:00 PM
Baal Habos said...
LY, you mean Blogging is your Parnossah? I know, you have free time during work, right? So devote more time to work or learn during the day. Also, what about your blogging at 1AM.


I'm cutting back on my Inter-day Blogging, because I realize that even though my work tolerates it, in reality I'm not giving 100% anymore and that's what they pay me for. It's just not ethical otherwise.

Also, blogging is just a bad sickness. It's truly a non-productive Yetser Horah.



17K for 4 kids? They must not be in high school yet. Just wait!
June 29, 2006 3:13 PM
lakewoodyid said...
>Also, blogging is just a bad sickness. It's truly a non-productive Yetser Horah.

Feel free to speak for yourself, not for others. Thanks.

>17K for 4 kids? They must not be in high school yet. Just wait!

They aren't. I better start saving..

(BHB is gonna respond I should just get back to work...)
June 29, 2006 5:29 PM
Neil Harris said...
Great story. As you know, the Yetzer Hora takes may shapes.
June 29, 2006 10:05 PM
Baal Habos said...
LY

> BHB is gonna respond I should just get back to work...)

It sounds like a good idea. Work or learn. No blogging.


Neil, yes it does. Thanks for stopping by.
June 29, 2006 11:40 PM
Stacey said...
Amen.
August 25, 2006 9:42 AM
Erica said...
Okay ...

That was the most scary bad dream ending of a blogpost I have ever read in my entire life.

Azuy emes.
August 26, 2006 10:38 PM
Baal Habos said...
Stacy & Erica, thanks for stopping by.
August 27, 2006 1:02 AM