Toras Avigdor Junior
Parshas Bo
Knowing and Growing
“Totty,” said Yudi as he entered the kitchen and saw his father staring at half of a kiwi. “What are you looking at in that kiwi? I hope you didn’t find a worm because I just ate the other half this morning without checking it!”
“Oh, hi Yudi,” Totty said, looking up from the fruit and putting his glasses back on. I didn’t see you come in. Don’t worry – there’s no worm here. Come here and I’ll show you what I’m looking at.”
Yudi hurried to the table. “Take a look at this amazing fruit,” Totty said. “Do you know why Hashem covers the kiwi fruit with little tiny hairs? Number one, they help protect the fruit from bugs. And number two, they act as a water collection device to collect morning dew and also to keep moist air close to the fruit. That makes sure that it remains full of yummy sweet kiwi juice. And Hashem packs the kiwi fruit full of vitamins – even the skin is very nutritious; you could eat that part too if you don’t mind the hair!”
Yudi didn’t seem so excited to eat the hairy skin of a kiwi, but he knew Totty liked eating it so he didn’t say anything.
“What’s wrong, Yudi?” asked Totty. “You seem confused. Did I not explain it well?”
“No, of course you explained it,” said Yudi. “But I remember when you said this at the dinner table a month ago. Why are you staring at it like you’ve never seen a kiwi before? And two days ago you talked about how amazing Hashem made peaches, but that was something we talked about when we read the Toras Avigdor Junior on Parshas Bamidbar. And the day before that, you were so excited to show us the seeds of an apple. But that was old news already – we already discussed that in the Toras Avigdor Junior on Parshas Eikev. Of course it’s interesting, but don’t we already know this? Wouldn’t our time be better spent learning Torah and doing mitzvos?”
“That’s a great question,” said Totty. “And I think you’ll find the answer in this week’s Parsha.”
“This week’s Parsha?” asked Yudi. “But it’s about grasshoppers and hail and first-borns dying. Oh, they also had the Korbon Pesach – did they eat fruit with the Korbon Pesach?”
“Nope,” said Totty, opening the Chumash that was next to him on the table. “It’s actually before any of that.”
“Before any of that?” Yudi blurted out, confused. “What’s before any of that? It just says ‘Bo el Paraoh’. Did Moshe bring apples and kiwis with him to the palace as a present to soften up Pharaoh?”
“Here,” said Totty. “Let’s look at the possuk together. It says Hashem is going to bring more Makkos on the Mitzri’im, ‘וִידַעְתֶּם כִּי אֲנִי הַשֵׁם’ – the Yidden will know that I am Hashem. Can you think of a question on that possuk?”
“Well,” said Yudi, “we learned in last week’s Toras Avigdor Junior that the main purpose of the Makkos was really for the Bnei Yisroel. But I guess it’s kind of funny, because why would these Makkos be different than the ones in Parshas Va’eira? Didn’t the Yidden already get to know Hashem through those Makkos?”
“EXACTLY!” Totty exclaimed with a smile. “And Rav Avigdor Miller says the answer is that there is no limit to how much we can know Hashem. By studying every single thing in this world we can get a better and better understanding of Hakadosh Boruch Hu. It’s not enough to look at an orange one time, to learn about it and say ‘okay, there – I know that Hashem made this in an amazing way’ and never think about it again. Every time we pick up a fruit, before we make a brocha, we are mechuyav to look at it, think about it, and get an even deeper understanding and appreciation of the greatness of Hashem that is visible in the beautiful and delicious treats that he made for us.”
“Incredible!” said Yudi. “That means that no matter where I am or what I’m doing, there is always an opportunity to learn more about Hashem just by looking at and thinking about his Creation.”
“Here, Yudi,” said Totty, carefully cutting the kiwi into slices. “Make a brocha with me and let’s enjoy this yummy fruit together so we can get an even better understanding of Hashem.”
“Thanks Totty,” Yudi said. “You know what? I think what you just told me would make a great lesson for this week’s Toras Avigdor Junior. Do you think if we send it in to them they would print it?”
Have A Wonderful Shabbos!