503. Partnership

“This day the Lord your God commands you to do.” The writing says, “Come let us bow and kneel and bless the Lord, our Maker.” But kneeling is included in bowing, and bowing is included in kneeling, so what is it trying to say by “let us bow and kneel and bless”?

Moses looked into the spirit of holiness and saw that the Temple was destined to be ruined and the bringing of the first fruit was destined to be stopped. He stood and determined for Israel that they will pray three times a day, since the Creator favors prayer more than all the good deeds and offerings, as it is written, “May my prayer be counted as incense before You; the lifting up of my hands as the evening offering.”

“And you shall do them with all your heart and with all your soul.” The writing warns Israel and tells them: “When you pray before the Creator, you shall not have two hearts, one before the Creator and one for other things” (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tavo).

We should ask, If a person engages in commerce and sustenance, his mind must be full of thoughts. How is it possible that he will be able to free himself for some time from all the thoughts with which he was preoccupied?

However, the people of Israel are as one body. As the body has a head and hands and legs, and each one has its special role, and what the mind thinks, meaning if there are good thoughts in the mind, then all the organs are happy, and if the mind is troubled, so is the mood in all the organs. It is like a partnership, where if each one does his job, everyone is happy, as it is written, “which God has created to do,” for there is nothing without labor.

Hence, the husband toils and brings money, and his wife takes the money and toils with it, buying groceries and cooking, and seeing that the food is tasty, and then both are happy.

If the woman cooks well, her husband will have good appetite and will then have strength to go to work and bring in money. Likewise, if the feet walk and the hands buy and give the food to the brain, the brain has the strength to think.

Likewise, since the people of Israel are one body, if those who engage in commerce and toil and support wise disciples, who are called “heads of the congregation,” the wise disciples impart the pleasure in what they toiled all day and acquired the taste of Torah and Mitzvot [commandments]. They can impart this flavor to the supporters. Likewise, during prayer, they will feel the taste of the prayer.

Thus, naturally, where there is pleasure, the body is accustomed to become free of other thoughts.