Yitzchok's Midah
The Gemara cites a rule: "Lo nikre'u Avos ela shelosha- there are only three that we can call our Fathers." Every one of Klal Yisroel's characteristics comes from the Avos. This week's parsha finds us ending our relationship with Avraham and beginning our relationship with Yitzchok.
Here we find a startling difference in their characters. While Avraham is constantly active in his avodas Ha-Shem, Yitzchok is much more passive. Avraham actively seeks to "make new souls;" Yitzchok does not. Avraham fights the kings; Yitzchok acts passively with Avimelech. Avraham searches for food during the famine; Yitzchok is told to stay put in Eretz Yisroel.
These differences are even more startling in light of the fact that Yitzchok's midah is avoda. This should make Yitzchok's life full of activity in his avodas Ha-Shem. Which characteristic does Yitzchok leave for his children as an endowment?
Rav Hutner z"l, in the Pachad Yitzchok, discusses the uniqueness of Yitzchok. He writes that while we find the other Avos undergoing a change of name, Yitzchok does not. He explains this difference as follows. We often think of avoda as activity that leads to accomplishment. The work and effort are not a goal, but rather a means to a goal. This is not true in avodas Ha-Shem.
Rav Hutner brings an example. A bachor of an animal is kadosh meyrechem- holy from the womb. Unlike other things that are promised as hekdesh, a bachor need not be promised to become hekdesh. Its kedusha is automatic. Yet we find that in the laws of nedarim (promises) that the bachor is considered a davar hanadur and not a davar ha'usur. This is to say that in terms of nedarim man makes it hekdesh, Why? Even though it is automatically hekdesh, one must say "kadosh" as the newborn bachor emerges. This utterance - although it might seem to accomplish nothing - actually defines the kedusha of the bachor. We are being taught a valuable lesson: in avodas Ha-Shem, the effort is itself the accomplishment.
Rav Meir Belsky shlita explains this concept with a payrush of Rabbenu Yona on Avos. The Mishnah states: "If one's wisdom is greater than his deeds, then his wisdom will not remain. However, if one's deeds are greater than his wisdom, then his wisdom will remain." Rabbenu Yona questions how we are to understand the phrase "if ones deed are greater than his wisdom." How is it possible to do more than you know? He answers that this can only be understood with the concept of kabala - acceptance. If one accepts upon himself to do what he must, then it is as if he already accomplished it.
Rabbenu Yona then brings two examples of this idea. First, Klal Yisroel's acceptance of Torah when they exclaim: "naaseh venishma." We will do and then we will hear. Secondly, Klal Yisroel is told in Mitzrayim on Rosh Chodesh Nisan to take a sheep for the korban Pesach. The pasuk says, "vayalchu vayasu," they went and did. Rashi points out that they didn't actually take the sheep until the tenth of Nisan, and yet the Torah considers it as if they already did it! COMMITMENT IS ACCOMPLISHMENT!
This is the endowment of Yitzchok Avinu. There are many times in our lives when we as religious Jews feel that our load is too heavy. To support a family, to arise early constantly to daven, to keep a seder kavuah, to be a part of our community, to worry and care for the sick and do chesed where it is needed, these are all difficult challenges. If we feel committed to all these important activities and we strive to do them to our utmost, then we are true ovday Ha-Shem regardless of the outcome.