Choose one mitzvah – T’rumah
A rabbinic rule says that whoever carries out the command of tzitzit is as if he has fulfilled the whole Torah (Sifrei Bamidbar 16:39).
Tzitzit is very important, but what about the other 612 mitzvot?
A person ought to keep the whole of the 613 commandments but they need a lead-in that will bring them to the entire mitzvah-life. Become an expert in one mitzvah and gradually expand to a second, a third, a fourth one, and eventually the total mitzvah-life.
The Talmud hints at this when it tells us (Kidd. 39b) that Rabbi Yehudah concentrated on devotion in prayer and Rabbi Nachman emphasised having three special meals on Shabbat.
When you look at this week’s sidra you see that the opening verses place importance on offerings. Many people focus on the donations they give to Jewish causes. Wonderful, but they could expand their commitment – if they give money for education the next thing is doing some study themselves. If they give to Israel the next stage is to contemplate Aliyah.
The mitzvah that leads them into Judaism should eventually bring them to the full mitzvah-life…
