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Torah Portion -
behar
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Written by d fine
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At the yovel (50th) year, slaves go free. The Torah gives a reason for this law; HaShem says it is 'because Bnei Yisrael are MY servants...' (25;45) and not anyone else's. But why can we not be both servants to a human master in this world and also servants to HaShem religiously? To give an answer, we have to first understand the meaning of 'eved' (servant). When Moshe Rabeinu dies the Torah gives him a two-word eulogy. The Torah says (devarim 34;5) 'And Moshe died there, a servant (eved) of HaShem.' Rav Elchonon Wasserman asks why did the Torah give such a short eulogy to the greatest person who lived? Answers Rav Wasserman that the halacha is that 'whatever the eved acquires automatically is owned by his master.' Therefore, for Moshe Rabeinu to have been described as 'an eved to HaShem' it must mean that Moshe made sure that he was constantly conscious in using
all his attributes for his Master, HaShem. In other words, the definition of an eved is 'someone who has the total possession of his master on him' (yevamos 48a) - it means total servitude and commitment to one's master. And so Moshe being called an eved was the greatest accolade possible and needed no more words; what can you add after saying that he gave everything possible for HaShem?! This is the answer to our question too. Since being an eved means total undiluted commitment solely to one's master, we cannot be servants to HaShem and anything/anyone else. We only have one true Master; the Master of the World.
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