שבת Date: 18 Elul, 5774 (9/13/14) – Chagigah#5 {Tani}

Fistful o’ Figs

[5a top] R’ Yochanan saw a man gathering figs to take the not yet ripe ones on a journey and leave the other ones behind. He told R’ Yochanan that the unripe ones will last for the trip while the ripe ones would spoil (to which the sage applied the principle regarding people taken from life will still young and before they have opportunity to sin).

T’s Lesson: How often do we take the ripe instead of the unripe? If we stood back and analyzed our days we could see how many Mitzvos (commandments) we could have done that would ripen for us appropriately in the Next World, at the right time! Instead, we do actions that are fleeting and transitory (ripe only now) that will spoil and not last on our journey! We should try to gather as many unripe fruits/Mitzvos in this world to accompany us to ripen and be enjoyed in the fruits of our labor for us in the world to come.