This morning, my children went off for the last day of day camp. I know they will come home oisgemutchet ( Yiddish for - extremely exhausted), because that’s how they came home from camp almost every other day.
It seems not all vacations are created equal. While I may consider a vacation to mean sitting quietly in the shade, reading a book, with absolutely nothing on the agenda. The kid’s version of a vacation consists of a tiring minute-to-minute schedule of activities and trips, with barely a dull moment.
How is that called vacation?!
I suppose it’s because everything on their camp agenda they really want to do. They simply love what they are doing.
It turns out, it’s not the amount of work we do that wears us down, but the fact that we’re doing things we don’t want to do.
In this week’s Torah portion, Eikev, we are encouraged to commit to performing the Mitzvos (Commandments) of the Torah. People often ask: Why do we have so many Mitzvos, so many rules in the Torah dictating our life? Can’t G-d just leave me alone?!
Our children's busy camp schedule reminds us, though, that it’s not about how many things we to do that matters, but whether or not we enjoy doing it.
If we become more familiar with the 'why' of Mitzvos, we will quickly realize they were designed with us in mind, to give us a great life. If we are disconnected from the 'why' of Mitzvos, even one Mitzvah seems one too many, but once we develop an appreciation for it, even six hundred and thirteen doesn't feel like enough…