…The Jewish people suffered a double persecution in Egypt, but they felt only the physical oppression. Their spiritual affliction was no less significant, but sadly they did not even sense how much their enslavement had changed them.
…Until a person is exposed to kedusha, he doesn’t know what he’s missing. This is a common phenomenon with ba’alei teshuva. For years, they live without Torah and mitzvos, and they think they have a fulfilling life. They are successful professionally and socially. And they often don’t even realize what they are missing. But after they are introduced to talmud Torah and Shabbos and tefilla, they appreciate how much more enriched their lives can be.
Even Orthodox Jews from birth can sometimes feel this way as well. They observe the mitzvos but may not feel a love for talmud Torah or don’t connect to tefilla…Often we all get so involved in the responsibilities of life that we don’t have the time or the head space to deepen our connection to Torah and mitzvos.
This, says the Ramchal (Mesilas Yesharim, Ch. 2), is the evil scheme of the yetzer hara. As Pharoh said, “Let the work become more intense on the men and let them engage in it; and let them not speak false words” (Shemos 5:9). The yetzer hara throws all kinds of distractions in front of a person just so that he will not be able to focus on spiritual pursuits, and then gradually the person loses sight of the true value of Torah and mitzvos. The antidote to such a mentality is to take a step back, to invest more time and effort into mitzvos, to expose oneself to more experiences of kedusha, and hopefully that can set a person on a path toward spiritual growth.
Sometimes momentous events in history are what give us a different perspective and motivate us to take our Yiddishkeit more seriously. That certainly is how many people have felt recently. Whether it’s developing a heightened appreciation for Shabbos, a renewed focus on tefilla, a more acute realization that only Hashem can provide protection, or a deeper understanding of the importance of unity in Klal Yisrael, the Simchas Torah massacre and its aftermath have been a wake-up call not only for secular Israelis but for Jews all over the world. It’s an opportunity for all of us to consider how we can strengthen our involvement in talmud Torah, connect more emotionally to mitzvos, and deepen our relationship with Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Who knows? We just might discover that we were missing out all along on something of priceless value.