Parshat Vayishlach
December 12, 2003

Ashrei VI

“Gadol Adon-oy Umehullal Meod Veligdulato Eyn Chayker –Hashem is great and exceedingly praised; and His greatness is beyond our investigation.” This is the third verse in Psalm 145; it starts with the letter Gimmel.

This sentence logically follows the previous one. Last week we studied, “Every day I will bless You; and I will praise You forever” - this verse expresses that the amount of praise necessary to praise G-d properly is infinite. G-d is often referred to as HaMakom – The Place – the commentators explain this to mean that since G-d is infinite and omnipotent, the world is within Him and not that G-d resides in the world. Therefore the sentence states “Gadol Ado-noy Umehullal Meod”; G-d is so unbelievably great – and our praises to Him are only a fraction of what is fitting.

“Veligdulato Eyn Chayker – His greatness is beyond our investigation”. Regarding this phrase the Vilna Gaon writes the famous thought, “The more you know, the more you realize that you don’t know”. This phenomenon sometimes causes frustration and even despair to people ranging from yeshiva students to recent returnees to tradition that feel that there is just too much to learn, too many laws, too many opinions……. simply too much!

An answer and approach to this important dilemma is to realize that G-d is infinite, Torah is infinite, and mankind is finite. G-d understands this; we need to grasp it too. Not only are we mortal and finite, we also are created differently with different strengths and talents. Therefore everyone is required to reach and accomplish all that they can according to the skills and gifts they have been endowed with. Don’t worry about what you don’t understand; worry about what you can understand – and what you can accomplish in G-d’s world.

Armed with this attitude it is easier to appreciate G-d’s greatness and yet still understand that His greatness is well beyond our understanding. Our task is to learn, know, and fulfill what we can. When every Jew does his/her job well, we have great things to look forward to.

Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Ephraim Epstein
rabbiepstein@sonsisrael.com

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