God’s Deal of the Century 

Millions of lives throughout thousands of years were changed by a silent gesture.  

Rabbi Yishmael and Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya were having dinner with their students. Following the custom of the day, they were both reclining as they ate. The time for reciting the Shema came, and Rabbi Elazar followed the opinion of Beit Shammai, who said that because Hashem commands us to recite the Shema when we lie down and when we arise, we must recite the Shema reclining, in a “lying down“ position.  

Upon seeing this, Rabbi Yishmael sat up, following Beit Hillel’s opinion that the commandment to recite the Shema when we lie down and when we arise refers to when we should recite Shema Yisrael and not how we should place our body.  

According to Beit Hillel, you can recite Shema Yisrael while standing, sitting, reclining, even lying down.  

To show respect for Rabbi Yishmael, Rabbi Elazar sat up.  

Rabbi Yishmael then reclines.  

Rabbi Elazar followed his lead.  

Then, Rabbi Yishmael sat up.  

Confused, Rabbi Elazar asked Rabbi Yishmael why he kept doing the opposite of what he was doing.  

Rabbi Yishmael was concerned that if he allowed Rabbi Elazar to recline along with him, all the students who were present would assume that both Sages followed the ruling of Beit Shammai, that you can only recite the Shema in a reclining position. For generations to come, people will recite Shema Yisrael only in a reclined position.  

To reinforce Beit Hillel’s position that you can recite the Shema in multiple positions, Rabbi Yishmael made sure to sit up so everyone present could see one Sage sitting up and the other reclining.  

That’s why each time Rabbi Elazar changed his posture to align with Rabbi Ishmael, Rabbi Ishmael had to move to protect the lesson he was giving. (Tractate Berachot 11a) 

Without saying a word, Rabbi Ishmael reinforced a Torah ruling, giving millions of Jews, over thousands of years, guidance on how to perform a key mitzvah twice a day.  

That’s the power of a single deed.  

Everything Counts 

When you are online for a juicy hamburger and discover that their kosher certification isn’t what it should be, what does Satan do? 

He takes advantage of your hunger by saying It’s no big deal. “The place is technically Kosher. Why make such an issue? What are you, a fanatic?” 

What is a “fanatic” anyway?  A fanatic is someone who takes things seriously. The term itself is seen as undesirable because a fanatic is known for taking things too seriously.  

That’s how the devil works. He convinces you not to take important things seriously, accuses you of being “fanatic” when you do, and if you do what he asks, he goes right to God to accuse you of doing exactly what he wanted you to do. 

It’s interesting how the media, talking about everything under the sun except God, discredits people by calling them a Nazi, Fascist, extremist, or a fanatic by any other name.  

The devil hides in the details.  

He looks for those moments when performing a mitzvah or averting a sin requires taking a small detail seriously, and says, “What’s the big deal? Check your phone and see how everyone else is doing it, enjoying it, and still, they have everything. If it’s no big deal to them, why is it a big deal to you? Are you a fanatic?” 

God’s Great Opportunity 

This is the chance Hashem gives all of us: For every minor detail that we take seriously, Hashem blesses us with major reward.  

If you see someone walking around looking lost, and instead of thinking, “He has GPS. He is probably waiting for someone,” you go up to him and say, “Excuse me, you look a bit lost. Can I help you?” That’s an act of kindness.  

Every day, right at the beginning of our prayers, we recite the Mishnah of Peah 1:1 and the Gemara of Shabbos 127a which both state that Hashem rewards acts of kindness in this world and the Next World. 

A small kindness like giving someone a smile, a compliment, pouring an extra cup of coffee for a friend, visiting the sick, are all small things that if you take seriously, produce wonderful, even eternal results.  

When you pass a scantily dressed person on the street begging to be noticed, the Satan will make the first offer: “What’s the problem? You are married, twice her age, and won’t even say a word to her. Take peek.” 

Take the matter seriously enough to wait for God’s offer: 

Every time we resist the temptation to look at something forbidden, we reduce the power of Edom and Ishmael, and we bring Mashiach closer.  

In a small act of restraint, we can pound away at Hamas, the Houthis, Syria, Europe, and the UN. This is the opportunity Hashem gives us.  

The next time you hear a voice that says, “Come on, it’s no big deal.” Remember! The devil is in the details, and it’s our job to remove him.  

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David Ben Horin lives in Afula with his family, millions of sunflowers, and Matilda, our local camel. David‘s Israeli startup, 300 Marketing Solutions, is a lean marketing agency for startups and small businesses that creates and promotes SEO-optimized ROI-driven to the right audience on LinkedIn to make your business the star of the show.