If you’ve ever looked at the instructions on the back of a frozen meal, you may have noticed something fascinating. The heating instructions usually offer two options: OVEN and MICROWAVE. Whereas the OVEN option generally requires you to pre-heat the oven and cook for quite some time, the MICROWAVE option tends to be much quicker.
Take, for example, the classic “Smackin’ Good” brand potato knishes, a delicious frozen food that I happen to be looking at as I’m currently writing this Dvar Torah. It says on the back of the box:
HEATING INSTRUCTIONS:
OVEN: Pre-heat oven to 400 F. Place frozen potato knish in pan. Heat 25 to 30 minutes.
MICROWAVE: Place one frozen knish in the oven for 1:45 minutes.
Same food. Same destination (your belly!). But the journey to get there is completely different. A conventional oven works by heating the air (and the walls of the oven), and the heat transfers slowly to the food. It is a lengthy process of warming the outside of the food (the environment), and then slowly traveling inwards via conduction. That’s why it may take a long time, compared to the microwave option. In a microwave, electromagnetic waves (called microwaves) are sent directly into the food. These waves cause molecules in the food to move very quickly, and that molecular motion creates heat inside the food. So, because the heat travels directly into the food without waiting for heat to travel from the outside in, the heating process of a microwave is significantly quicker.
I was thinking, perhaps this is a beautiful illustration about the two settings for Geulah, redemption, as the Navi (Isaiah 60:22) says: בעתה אחישנה — [I, Hashem, will] speed it up in due time. Well, which one is it? Will redemption occur in its set time or will it be sped up? Our Sages explain (Sanhedrin 98a) that if we merit it, אחישנה, the Geulah will be hastened. If not, בעתה, Geulah will come in its pre-set time.
We are given two heating instructions for Geulah. Either we can use the OVEN method, בעתה, and just wait for history to unfold, to gradually heat up, until eventually the timer goes off. Or we can use the other — quicker — method, the MICROWAVE. We can tap into אחישנה. Instead of waiting and waiting for the oven timer to go off, we can hasten the redemption by applying a specific and directed heat source to where it matters most — we can fulfill our unique Divine service, our personal avodah.
I know what you are thinking. Me? Bring the redemption? Who am I? These thoughts are normal. How can I, little me, hasten the Geulah?
The beginning part of the pasuk, which tells us בעתה אחישנה, perhaps gives us a clue: הקטן יהיה לאלף והצעיר לגוי עצום — The smallest shall become a thousand, the least shall become a mighty nation. Greatness and power have nothing to do with size. It’s true, we may be small in size, but Hashem gave us the ability to be so incredibly great and influential. Deep down, we are great. Indeed, the pasuk right before famously teaches us: ועמך כלם צדיקים — we are all righteous.
There is a part of us that is purely good and righteous. The Rambam writes that every person should view the entire world as perfectly balanced between merit and guilt, and your one mitzvah can tip the scale for the entire world. Do we think about this? Do we have this awareness? The Rambam did not write a joke book. He wrote the truth! He is highlighting our ability to influence the entire world. Yes, we may be small in size, but in ability and influence we are absolutely huge.
Chazal teach us that if the Bais HaMikdash is not rebuilt in our days, it is considered as having been destroyed in our days. At first glance, that sounds scary. But perhaps there is really a much more encouraging message inside. Chazal are revealing how much we are surely capable of. If I can be held accountable for its destruction, then I must also possess the ability to help build it.
Every positive deed adds another brick. Every good word brings us a step closer.
I recently did a little thought experiment with a GPS by putting in my home address as the “FROM” and the “TO” address. You know how the GPS responded? With a message: “Sorry, we could not calculate driving directions.” Perhaps, because often finding ourselves is the single hardest journey of all. We so often look outward and try to fix everyone else. We blame others for problems that arise. But we neglect to look inward, at ourselves. We neglect to see ourselves for who we are and what we are capable of accomplishing.
Remember, Hashem has placed extraordinary power in your hands. A quiet deed, a compliment to someone, or a simple thought of Teshuva, all yield tremendous power. You, with your personal avodah, can change the world. You, with your personal avodah, can hasten the Geulah. You, with your personal avodah, can cause us all to wait a little less for the timer to go off.
So, instead of waiting for the בעתה — OVEN timer to go off, look inward and turn on the MICROWAVE setting in your personal life, focusing your unique energy, doing your very best at each moment of your life. Who knows, but maybe, it will be your small deed/word/thought that tips the scale for the entire world, and we will be zoche to experience the ultimate redemption speedily (like microwave speedy) in our days!
Let’s do it!
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 100 – Sukkos.
