Weekly Dvar Torah: Full Cup or Empty Cup?

Unlike the human cup which must be empty in order to be filled, G-d fills full cups (Talmud Sukka 46, a).

The human experience is quite simple, but how can a cup be filled if it is already full?

During the month of Elul, we do a thorough examination of the past year, like any businessman who takes end-of-year stock of his company’s earnings and shortcomings.

Sometimes a person reaches high society status, they get carried away by status and wealth, they forget who put them there and why, they immerse in self-indulging pleasures while neglecting their position.

For this we take stock, are we utilizing our status properly? Because if not we may lose it.

When Elul comes, we take stock, are we self-indulging or are we focused on our mission.

G-d could have fed us, cloth us, and provide for all out needs, why do we have to get up in the morning and go to work?

Why the need to travel to make a living, why can’t we just stay home?

We forget to tithe our earnings, we forget that when traveling we should help the local community, this is why G-d sent us there, otherwise, we could have stayed home.

Sometimes we even get carried away by our wealth and success to enjoy self-indulging pleasures.

During Elul we review, are we self-indulging, or are we focused?

And this accounting brings G-d’s blessings for the New Year.

How so?

The Talmud says; the human measure is to fill only empty cups, when you are filled with self-indulgence there is no room for G-d’s blessings, first empty your cup, be humble, and allow for new blessings.

Like a seed to grow apples, only if it rots in the ground will a sweet apple tree grow, if you leave the seed on the table it won’t rot and nothing will grow, to bear fruit you must first rot, lose your existence.

After you rot, growth comes in multitudes, it’s not one apple per one seed, it’s one seed for a tree full of apples.

A person must lose their high and mighty persona, to be an empty cup to contain G-d’s blessings.

This is the human measure.

However, G-d’s measure, His blessings come when your cup is full with good deeds, G-d says; see I am giving you blessings when you will obey my commandments.

G-d’s blessings come when cup is full.

This we do in Elul, we set the books straight. Are we focused? Are we tithing? Are we helping others? This way we make this material world to be G-d’s world, and G-d’s blessings come for the New Year.

Have a fully blessed Shabbos,

Gut Shabbos

Rabbi Yosef Katzman