As Heard from Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L
“And he called the name of that place ‘graves of lust’ for there they buried the people that had lusted.” (11:34)
Although Hashem had smote them with “a very great plague,” (11:33) yet compared to the nation in general only a small number perished. We see that those “that lusted” were the sole culprits, which demonstrates that the survivors who constituted the overwhelming majority were not the lusters.
Above (11:20) it was stated “Because you rejected Hashem that is in your midst,” but here they are declared to have been punished for their lust of eating. We learn that the sin of becoming enslaved by desire is equivalent to rejecting Hashem. To serve Him”with all your heart” requires freedom from everything else, and to be enslaved by excessive passion for anything is equivalent to rejecting Hashem.
In addition, men that are never satisfied but always lust for more and newer pleasures are never truly appreciative and grateful to Hashem. And because the chief function of life is gratitude, they are undeserving of the gift of life.
The purpose of life is not the pursuit of pleasures but rather the pursuit of Perfection and of finding favor in the sight of Hashem. The seeker of Perfection is justified in living properly and even happily, but Hashem desires that His people should never lose sight of the supreme intention for which He created them: To know Hashem.
Quoted from “Journey Into Greatness” by Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L
Shabbat Shalom
Related posts:
- Parshat Beha’Alotecha As Heard From Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L “And he called...
- Parshat Beha’Alotecha As Heard From Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L “Why should we...