Let My People Know

Rbbi Adin Steinsaltz: “What truly matters when fulfilling a mitzva.”

It is told of Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of Berditchev that he was once searching for a person to blow shofar for Rosh HaShana in his beit midrash (Torah study hall).

All the shofar blowers were gathered together, and each one displayed his knowledge of the inner intentions and secrets underlying the mitzva of blowing the shofar.

Despite their expertise, none of them seemed right to Rabbi Levi Yitzhak.

One day, a simple Jew came to him and asked to be the shofar blower.

The Rabbi asked him what kind of inner intent he has during the blowing.

The Jew answered: “Rebbe, I am a simple man, and I have four daughters who have reached marriageable age.

When I blow the shofar 1 think: Master of the universe, I am fulfilling Your will and blowing the shofar. May You also fulfill my will and help me marry off my daughters!”

Upon hearing this, Rabbi Levi Yitzhak said: “You will blow shofar in my beit midrash!”

What counts is not the level of intent, be it the extent of one’s knowledge or the degree of focus.

What is important is the intensity of the relationship between the person and the act.

This is what truly matters when fulfilling a mitzva.

Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz