Tuesday, October 31, 2006

equal kavod for all

The Yerushalmi (Bikkurim 11) writes that when the bearers of bikkurim came to Yerushalayim the sganim and gizbarim of the mikdash would go out to greet them, ‘lfi kavod hanichnasim’, in accordance with the honor of those entering. The gemara is bothered by this line in the Mishna – “v’chi yesh katan v’gadol b’yerushalayim?”, is there such a thing as a hierarchy of honor accorded those who come to yerushalyim to perform the mitzvah of bringing bikkurim? No matter who you are, once you are involved in doing a mitzvah you deserve the same honor as anyone else! The gemara therefore interprets the Mishna to mean that the crowd who went out was in proportion to the size of the crowd coming, not in proportion to any other measure.
What a tremendous mussar - You could be the simplest Jew in the universe coming and carrying a small basket of bikkurim and in the eyes of Chazal are deserving of the same kavod as the gadol hador marching with his basket of bikkurim simply because at that moment you are both equally engaged in doing the ratzon Hashem.

No comments:

Post a Comment