Toras Avigdor Junior

Parshas Shelach

Tzitzis Candy Machines

Their mouths watering, the Greenbaum family watched as streams of steaming hot melted chocolate flowed and mixed with rivers of caramel. They were visiting the Jolly Munz Candy Factory and were absolutely amazed to watch the incredible process of how their favorite candies were made.

“This next room is our candy wrapping room,” said the tour guide as the children looked down through the large glass windows at a huge area filled with massive machines. “And you guys have picked the perfect day to visit because today we started using brand new automatic candy wrapping machines!”

In the room below were giant gleaming machines that were taking thousands of freshly-made candies and instantly wrapping them before dumping them into boxes.

“Until today,” the guide was saying, “our workers had to wrap each candy by hand. Now all they have to do is load the wrapping paper into the machine and watch it all happen by itself!”

“Like those workers are doing over there?” asked Shimmy, looking at two workers who seemed to be ignoring their brand-new machine, which was still in its box and were painstakingly wrapping their candies by hand.

“What? Where?” asked the guide in shock, before noticing the two workers whom Shimmy pointed out. “Oh no! Why aren’t they using their machine?”

“Maybe that machine is not working,” suggested Yitzy.

“Impossible!” said the guide. “These machines were custom-made and each one was tested before we received them!”

The guide quickly ran down to the factory floor and approached the two workers.

“Jimbo! Earl!” he said. “Why aren’t you using your new candy wrapping machine?”

“But we are using it,” replied Jimbo. “Whenever we get tired we sit down and lean against it. It’s so comfortable – I bet that’s why the boss said it will help us wrap more candies!”

Earl nodded. “Look at how many candies are in our box!” he said. “Have the other workers wrapped this many candies today?”

“Of course they have!” the guide exclaimed. “Look at Sticky Stu and Mo Munchy over there! Their boxes of candies are overflowing and you haven’t even filled your first box yet!”

“Hmmm, maybe our machine is defective,” said Jimbo thoughtfully.

“Nonsense!” said the guide. “This machine can’t just magically help you wrap candies if you don’t take it out of the box and plug it in! It’s a wonderful machine, but if you don’t turn it on it’s no better than a heap of metal for leaning on.”

Meanwhile up on the observation deck, the Greenbaum family were all watching in amusement.

“Kinderlach,” said Totty. “While I agree that this is quite funny, can you tell me what important lesson we can learn from this?”

“That we should remember to turn on the oven when we make Challah?” asked Basya, grinning.

“That we need to dial a phone number if we want to make a phone call?” suggested Shimmy, giggling.

“Well, actually, yes,” said Totty. “Those are also good examples.”

“And we should put on Shabbos clothes before eating gefilte fish!” added little Yaeli.”

“Yaeli, you’re actually close,” Totty said, smiling. “Boys, you know we put on Tzitzis every day. And do you know what the Torah says about putting on Tzitzis?”

“We say it every day in Shema!” said Yitzy. “The possuk says וּרְאִיתֶם אֹתוֹ וּזְכַרְתֶּם אֶת כָּל מִצְוֹת ה’ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם – when we see the Tzitzis we should remember about Hashem’s Mitzvos and keep them.”

“Exactly,” Totty said, “the possuk tells us that Tzitzis are a wonderful machine which help us remember about Hashem and His Mitzvos. But you see, your Tzitzis don’t just magically make you remember Hashem and cause you to do Mitzvos. You have to use them properly. Just like a candy-wrapping machine won’t help you if you don’t plug it in, and our oven won’t bake Challah if we don’t turn it on, seeing Tzitzis won’t help you remember Hashem and do His Mitzvos unless we use them properly.”

“So the Tzitzis are like a machine?” asked Shimmy, “A reminding machine?”

“In a way, yes,” explained Totty. “And the way to use this ‘machine’ is to think about the Tzitzis when we see them and remember to do all of the Mitzvos that Hashem commanded us to do.

“You and Yitzy should be taking peeks at your Tzitzis as many times as you can during the day. And you,” he said turning to Basya, “can do the same thing. When you see my Tzitzis and Shimmy and Yitzy’s Tzitzis, you should think about it.”

“Thank you Totty,” said Yitzy. “Although I think from now on my Tzitzis will also remind me of candy as well.”

“As long as it also reminds you to make a brocha on the candy!” said Shimmy with a grin.

Have a Wonderful Shabbos!

Takeaway: When you see your Tzitzis, or your father’s or brother’s – use it! Remember about the mitzvos that Hashem commanded us with. If you do that you’re wrapping millions of ‘candies’ for yourself in Olam Habo.