In his dvar Torah for Emor, given in the Warsaw Ghetto, the Aish Kodesh examined the mitzvah of counting the Omer, which we are – and he was – in the midst of fulfilling.
He points out that the Tzaddukim (Sadducees) willfully misunderstood the commandment to count “from the day after Shabbat” (Vayikra 23:15), interpreting it to mean that Pesach must always fall on Shabbat so the sefira could begin on Sunday. The Aish Kodesh explains that the spiritual value of our mitzvot doesn’t lie in the simple acts we perform; although good deeds are always virtuous, the power of the mitzvot specifically derives from the fact that we are performing the express command of Hashem, Creator of the Universe. So, for example, even though from the time of the second Beit HaMikdash, we have had a set calendar and don’t rely upon witnesses to advise us of the dates of the holidays, we still keep a second day in exile. This shows the power of the words of our Sages in transmitting the Torah to us and in transforming our experience of reality in accordance with it.
Thus, when a Jewish person performs the mitzvah of Hashem and begins counting the Omer – on whatever day is appropriate for this – then the day of our holiday is transformed into Shabbat by virtue of our obedience to Hashem’s express will. Just as Shabbat is eternally sanctified by the power and the order of Creation, so we turn our holiday into a Shabbat when we enthrone Hashem as King over all of Creation.
In Chovat HaTalmidim, the longest chapter concerns the struggle against laziness in students of Torah that the Aish Kodesh describes as the greatest blight upon a young mind. He points out the incongruity of a person in the prime of life complaining that he doesn’t have the strength or energy to perform the tasks expected of him when the sun and moon shine every day without complaint, and the trees produce oxygen and fruit for us to eat and they never rest either. The budding Torah scholar must understand that through his studies and good deeds, he is an essential participant in the creation of the world, and as much as he transforms his reality into an environment conducive to Torah study, he is transformed by it.
Moreover, the Aish Kodesh exhorts, one must understand that every situation and every moment is a challenge to be the best we can be; we don’t realize the positive consequences we might cause by overcoming these challenges and fulfilling our potential. The redemption is not brought by great heroes performing acts of historical resonance but by good people improving the world to the best of their ability, by means of mitzvot and acts of kindness. The individual inclined to laziness must realize that if he can motivate himself to perform even small acts in fulfillment of the express will of Hashem, then he becomes instrumental in the redemption of himself and of everybody around him.
