King and his Soldiers

gamanit

Mon, Jul 12 2021, 1:39 pm

There was once a king who was going to war with an adjacent land and was hoping to conquer it. He called in all his soldiers and told them that they're going to a foreign land and need to remember to behave properly. None of them should plunder anything from civilians, nor should they harm the civilians in any way. They should remember to act with dignity at all times. He then told all the soldiers to leave except for one.

The king gave this soldier a long list of instructions. He told that one soldier to remember to brush his teeth morning and night, comb his hair every day, make sure to change his socks daily and to ensure that his uniform is fresh and clean. He should make sure to only eat healthy food and shouldn't forget to drink. The king went on in this vein for a while. The soldier protested, saying that it's unfair that he was given much more rules than all other soldiers. The king replied that only he is the king's son and is therefore loved more than the rest. Every rule is there for a reason and is meant for his good.

We have a lot of mitzvos about every detail of our lives including how to wash our bodies, tie our shoes, etc. Even if we don't understand them, each mitzvah is there for our good. Hashem loves us!