Imagine yourself in boot camp. It doesn't really matter how you got here, but you're here and the sergeant is screaming something at you and if you don't pay attention soon, who knows what will happen. Pass, and you've got honor for life - no one will challenge your discipline. Fail, and you'll be back at the beginning or worse - they'll probably make you clean boots with a toothbrush.
Now, imagine a shiny car pulls up and a loudspeaker announces, "You. Yes, you. This is too hard. But you're a strong, disciplined person at heart. So you get the medals. It's all over. Great job!" Wow. Glory is yours. Success is yours. You're not sure how you got there - but I guess you made it through!
In Parshat Breishit, in the midst of all of the drama – the world being created, Cain killing his brother, people having babies all over who all live to 900 years old, the world is unknowingly about to be wiped out - a few pessukim mention somewhat of a randomer. Chanoch. Perek Hey, pessukim 22-24 read:
And Chanoch walked with G-d, after he had Metushelach, for 300 years, and he had sons and daughters. And Chanoch lived to be 365 years, and Chanoch walked with G-d and he was no more because G-d took him.
Rashi comments on the words “and Chanoch walked” that Chanoch was a righteous Man among a corrupt humanity. He could easily fall from the path of holiness, so Hashem took him to Gan Eden alive before catastrophe could befall him.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that since Chanoch lived before the Torah, or the Mabul for that matter, spirituality and physicality could not influence each other. Because the Torah was not in the world, there was no way to elevate the mundane – spiritual and physical were two completely separate realms that didn’t touch. It was impossible for someone, even a righteous person like Chanoch, to sanctify his environment or himself except to hope for Divine Inspiration. Chanoch's spirituality was not self-developed, but rather somewhat borrowed from Hashem. So he was spared from further temptation, he was given a gift. He passed.
But that's a little confusing. Is it really a good thing? Sure, in contrast to the rest of humanity, it was a huge schar that Chanoch merited a free pass to Gan Eden. And I'm sure it was fantastic for him. But on the other hand, he didn't have the strength to overcome the struggle of living in a corrupt world. I'm not trying to say that he should have been able to, it was probably near impossible. But that would have been such an accomplishment, right?
It's comforting to know that G-d is there to save you, but at the same time, people need to know that they have reached whatever heights they've reached through their own strengths and have achieved their goals despite their weaknesses. Whoever's in Messilat Yesharim is familiar with this quote of Rav Moshe Chaim Luzzato:
"For someone to merit this good [that is, to receive a portion in Olam Habah], it is fit that he struggle first and make an effort to acquire it."
It's always more satisfying to earn what you get. It's great to, say, get an A in an AP course. But how much better does it feel to achieve success through knowing the material, and not just because the teacher - or G-d in this case - likes you and wants you to do well.
But back to the benefit of Hashem's gift to Chanoch. Yeah it's great to succeed, to achieve, to struggle. But on the other hand how comforting is it to know that G-d is there, walking with us? In the Haftorah this week, from Yishaya, Hashem says:
When you pass through water I am with you, and the depths will not overwhelm you, when you walk through fire you will not be scorched and the flame will not burn you…do not be afraid, because I am with you.
So here's my take on the whole thing. I think I want both. I want to grow and succeed on my own. But then sometimes I don't and I just want to be taken care of. And as I was thinking about this I realized, I do have both. We have both. We get the best of both worlds! For the vast majority of our lives, we have been and we will be living in regular society, given the opportunity to struggle and overcome, to solidify our faith in Hashem through those challenges. But now - at this moment, for this brief year in our lives - we get to be in a bubble! We are alive in Gan Eden. Yes, it's very cheesy, but think about it. We know what the world is like, we're not ignorant. But suddenly we are in this environment where we can ignore the world and all of its obstacles. We don't even have to try. In fact, we end up trying to find the obstacles because for some reason we don't want to be in our little Gan Eden. But don't worry - soon enough we won't have to look, we'll be back in the regular world and all of the challenges we could ever want will be right there, ready for us. And that will be an adventure in of itself. It's exciting - we'll get to earn our success! Overcome the challenges! But before that, we get to breath. And think. And be in a bubble. A really awesome bubble with new friends and experiences and knowledge. For this year, if we choose, we get to walk with Hashem. My wish for us is that we accept the invitation and enjoy the stroll. Shabbat Shalom.
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