Parshas Mishpatim: When to Be Happy

“And he (Moses) took the book of the Covenant and read it unto the ears of the people. Then they said: All that G-d has said WE WILL DO AND WE WILL HEARKEN.” (Exodus 24:7)

“R. Simla lectured: When the Israelites gave precedence to 'we will do' over 'we will hearken,' six hundred thousand ministering angels came and set two crowns upon each man of Israel, one as a reward for 'we will do,' and the other as a reward for 'we will hearken'… R. Eleazar said: When the Israelites gave precedence to 'we will do' over 'we will hearken,' a Heavenly Voice went forth and exclaimed to them, Who revealed to My children this secret, which is employed by the Ministering Angels, as it is written, Bless the L-rd, ye angels of his. Ye mighty in strength, that fulfill his word, That hearken unto the voice of his word: first they fulfill and then they hearken?” (Talmud Shabbos 88a)

What is the significance of prefacing the commitment to perform before the commitment to hearken; and why did the Jewish people receive such a great reward for this simple declaration? Frankly, how could one perform without being aware of what must be fulfilled?

These questions are dealt with at length amongst the commentators. Let’s first focus on current events, which could then shed some light on these questions. Aside from the upcoming Super Sunday and Super Tuesday, we have a very special Wednesday and Thursday as well! (Actually the second two are quite incomparable!)
This week heralds the onset of everybody's favorite Hebrew month, the month of Adar. Being that this year is a Jewish leap year, we are blessed with a double dose consisting of a twofold Adar. The Talmud (Taanis 29a) mandates that joy must be increased during Adar, and the actual spiritual energy of the month is one of joy. (See Rashi ibid) Therefore Adar is an auspicious time to schedule a court hearing, and is a celebratory month. Many people hang up pictures of fish with the Hebrew inscription of "mishenichnas adar marbim bisimcha" (When Adar Comes, Joy Is Increased), symbolizing the zodiac of Adar which is fish. (see she'eilas yaaveitz siman 68 who maintains that the special joy of Adar is only applicable to the Adar adjacent to Nissan based on Rashi. Many other commentators including Chasam Sofer ascertain that the first month of Adar is also an auspicious time, and this is the accepted custom.) We are given two entire months of non-stop happiness.

Why was Adar chosen of all months to host these special joyous days? In Hassidic thought there is much discussion about the meaning of the twelfth month, and the Kabalistic energies associated herein. In our Lithuanian style, let’s see what the Talmud has to say about the special event which occurred during Adar:

“And they stood under the mount (Sinai): R. Abdimi b. Hama b. Hasa said: This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, overturned the mountain upon them like an [inverted] cask, and said to them,’ If you accept the Torah, 'very good; if not, there shall be your burial.' R. Aha b. Jacob observed: This furnishes a strong protest against the Torah (i.e. the Jews could argue that they were coerced, and therefore they’re not liable to observe the Torah). Said Raba, Yet even so, they re-accepted it in the days of Ahasuerus (Purim), for it is written (in Megillath Esther), [the Jews] confirmed, and took upon them [etc.]: [i.e.,] they confirmed what they had accepted long before.” (Talmud Shabbos 88a)

According to this Talmudic passage, Purim is a celebration of our acceptance of the Torah. Although the Jews accepted the Torah at Sinai, there was an element of coercion present. On Purim, the Jewish people accepted the Torah wholeheartedly and joyously. It seems that the joy of Adar stems from the joy of accepting the Torah in this month. The obligation of joy during Adar is boundless and indefinable, and is therefore not codified in the Code of Jewish Laws. The Torah tells us that the main cause of punishment for the Jews is due to a lack of joy will serving G-d. Adar is the time to be joyous because of our G-dly connection. We spend two entire months attempting to serve G-d from a place of abundant happiness. That is what us Jews begin celebrating this week.

To get back to the original questions, the significance of the statement “we will do and we will hearken” is because the Jewish people expressed the highest level of commitment possible with that very statement. They agreed to follow G-d regardless of the command. They decided to become slaves to G-d. That level of dedication was never present before. That is why they received such a tremendous reward. Of course they couldn’t fulfill something that they weren’t commanded in; however they were expressing their commitment to do whatever it takes. This commitment is only feasible when somebody is excited about the commitment. A slave will slack off, unless the slave is fearful of his master, or truly loves his master. The original commitment at Sinai had a component of fearfulness in it. Therefore during Adar the Jewish people re-asserted their commitment to Torah purely due to their love of G-d, and joy to serve G-d. That is the highest level achievable. What the Jews expressed at Sinai has become the Jewish slogan for all ages. Just as the USA Marines, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines slogan goes "Whatever it Takes", the Jewish slogan when it comes to serve G-d goes “Na’ase Vinishma”, We will do whatever is asked of us. At Sinai we committed with a fear factor, during Adar we committed with no holds barred. We committed out of joy.

May we all merit using these next two months as a springboard to increasing our personal joy, and increasing our commitment to Torah out of joy!