Well, it has finally happened. I have reached the age of reading glasses. After a lifetime of 20/20 vision (something I thank God for), I find myself straining to read words on a page, particularly at night. Luckily, for me, a simple, over-the-counter, pair of reading glasses instantly corrects the problem. What an amazing thing it is to live at a time when ailments can be overcome for less than five dollars.
At the conclusion of Shabbat, we have a ceremony called Havdallah, where we praise God for helping our mind make distinctions between such things as day and night, the holy and every day, and in some texts, Jews and non-Jews. This week’s Torah portion, Shmini, outlines the consequences of not being able to see clearly in the story of the horrific deaths of Aaron’s sons’ Nadav and Abiyhu. While the cause of their deaths are somewhat ambiguous, one theory has to do with their prior alcohol consumption, which the Torah states, prevents them from “l’havdil, distinguishing between the holy and every day and between the contaminated and the pure” (Leviticus 10:10). Drinking too much can dull the senses and prevent us from really understanding the world around us.
Just as my new reading glasses help me distinguish between the black letters and the white page, we should use the tools at our disposal to help see things more clearly. And not do the things that will make it harder for us to do so. In doing so, we not only prevent careless accidents, but we gain a great deal more enjoyment out of life.
B’Shalom,
Rabbi Alex