Subject: In Memory of Baruch Yitzchak ben Yirmiyahu (Barry Pessin)
From: Heath Berkin <heath.berkin@gmail.com>
Date: 2/12/2016, 4:19 AM
To: Heath Berkin <heath.berkin@gmail.com>
BCC: menachem@alonsystems.com
The Mishna in Avos (2:16) says: "The day is short and the work is abundant"
These words are a metaphor for our situation in this world. Our time is short and limited and our responsibility to accomplish is great.
R'Avraham Azuli points out that the Mishna doesn't say our "time" is short as this would make it seem like we have time but not a lot of time. Instead the Mishna says the day is short because we should realize that we only have one day and that day is short.
In theory to a certain extent we should live life like each day is the last day that we have. I don't think this is practical though, but as I was contemplating this idea I considered a challenge to myself and everyone else. What if we would take one day a month or every few months and literally pretend that this is the last day of life. What would we do? Would we spend the time with family telling them how much we love them? Would we spend the day engrossed in prayer? Doing acts of loving kindness? We would all take the time and use it wisely in order to uplift ourselves as much as possible in preparation for the world to come. The righteous people undoubtedly live each day of life like this always, we should all strive to attain this though every once in a while. I think it would give all of us a greater appreciation for life and the time we have.
R'Shraga Feveil Mendelovitz used to say that the most precious gift Hashem has given us is time, how is it that people waste it?