The Ba'al Shem Tov taught that mitzvos are all eternally relevant.  In practice, the fulfilment of most mitzvos is limited by  when and where they can be done.  Even so, all mitzvos are eternal, for the Torah is G-dliness, and G-dliness is eternity.   There is a moral, a lesson implicit in every single mitzvah that applies for all times.

The talmidim of the Ba'al Shem Tov inquired about the Parah Adumah.  In the time when there was a Bais HaMikdash standing, the preparation of the Parah Adumah was a rare event; those who implemented the procedure were but a very select few.  When we examine the rules of the preparation, we also find a most puzzling phenomenon:  The ashes of the Parah are used to be metaher temai'im, to ritually purify the impure; at the same time, the person involved in burning the Parah, starts out ritually pure and becomes impure in the process; the Parah Adumah is metameh tehorim.  If so, what could be the eternally relevant message of this rare and enigmatic mitzvah ?

The answer of the Ba'al Shem Tov was as follows:

There are certain behaviour disciplines that follow the rule of Parah Adumah. This is the utilization of the tool of self confidence:

At the outset, when we stand at the beginning of the trail of Avodas Hashem, service of G-d, self-confidence is a very important tool.  We tell ourselves what a vital, unique contribution we will make by performing a certain mitzvah, by learning Torah, by living a Torah lifestyle, what a waste of our great and vast potential it would be not performing this mitzvah.   This is what gives us the motivation, the initiative.  Thus, the feelings of self-importance, in this context, are metaher temai'im, by drawing the person in, and providing him with the fuel to his becoming spiritually productive.  Otherwise, he would be inactive, and removed.

However, once we become involved in the mitzvah act itself, we must be completely free of feelings of our own input into the mitzvah.  The deed must be uncontaminated by our egos, by feeling of self-importance.  Who Gives us the idea in the first place to do the Mitzvah ??  Who Gives us the opportunity, the strength, the situation, and the ability to carry out the deed?  And does He need our Mitzvos ?  Is He not Perfect without our puny efforts? At this stage, feelings self-importance, of personal attachment to the actual mitzvah function are completely out of place, irrelevant, off, and only interfere.  In this context, feelings of self-importance are metameh tehorim.  The person involved in the mitzvah is involved in kedushah, in holiness, and he is tahor.  Feelings of self-importance spoil the mitzvah.

It is to our great advantage that we become familiar with our Yetzer Harah and his many varied tactics.  When we have to become involved in doing a mitzvah, his technique is to make us feel insignificant, what is the advantage, the great value of this act, anyway!!  This is his technique - he downplays the brilliance of the mitzvah, he downplays the value of OUR doing the mitzvah, so that we feel lack of motivation, we feel complacent, we feel uninspired.  At this point, we must activate our feelings of great self-worth, "the whole world's fate is in balance, MY DEED can tip the scales!!! The world was created for ME!  The Heavens will be rejoicing from the mitzvah that I am about to do."  Although this seems to be arrogance, in truth it is humility in disguise.  This is because we are using it to combat the offensive of the Yetzer Harah, who appears in the guise of (fake) humility and tries to puncture our enthusiasm and destroy any vestige of motivation by making us and our actions feel like two cents.  At this stage, the self-worth and self-importance purify us, and draw us close to G-d.

But the Yetzer Harah is most crafty.  Once we are safely inside, doing the mitzvah, learning Torah, doing chesed, giving tzedaka, teaching others Torah, the Yetzer Harah swiftly changes gears, and now reappears, unrecognizable.  His tactic now that we are wholeheartedly involved, is to chas veshalom ruin the mitzvah.  "See how great you  are, how talented, how effective!  You really know how to do this job, like no one else."  Look how interesting; these very same words were so effective when we were sitting back apathetically, when we stood, hesitant and unsure, to get us moving to become productive (metaher temai'im).  And now, these are words that chas veshalom can demolish the value of the mitzvah (metameh tehorim).

In conclusion, Hashem provides us with kochos hanefesh, soul-powers.  Life is a dynamic process.  The challenge is to learn how to harness our resources, so that we can learn, b'ezras Hashem, to function optimally.  Feelings of self-worth and self importance are dynamic and productive tools.  PARAH - fruitful, a most effective tool in dynamic functioning.  ADUMAH - it is red, it is GENERALLY a tool of the yetzer harah,  which we must learn to utilize it wisely for our purposes in Kedusha.

May Hakadosh Baruch Hu grant us the wisdom to tune into ourselves, and to know how to drive properly and efficiently to our desired destination.

Uzerok alainu mayim tehorim, utehartanu..
May HaKadosh Baruch Hu sprinkle upon us pure waters, so that we may be become purified, Amen.
 

A gutten Erev Shabbos
from Yerushalayim Ir HaKodesh
 

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