Do you consider yourself a Shomer Torah and Mitzvos?

What does that even mean?

Does it describe one who carries out the directives as outlined in halacha?

Wouldn't it then be more accurate to define that individual as one who 'studies' Torah and 'performs' the mitzvos?

A Shomer literally means a guardian, one who protects not necessarily one who acts.

Why then to we use this so commonly in referring to a practicing Jew?

השמר לך — Take care, פן תשכח — lest you forget Hashem, your G-d… (דברים ח יא)

This according to some opinions is one of the six hundred and thirteen commandments of the Torah.

How does one technically fulfill this command?

The verse adds to this charge 'to take care lest you forget G-d': לבלתי — by not, שמור מצותיו — observing His commandments.

Does this simply mean that by not neglecting the performance of mitzvos we will inevitably be conscious of G-d, but if we avoid doing them, we will forget about Him?

We must do mitzvos because we have a standing command to do them for self-perfection, not just as a device to never forget G-d!

Rav Shlomo Esulin observes that the first time we find the verb שכח — forget in the Torah is when Rivka tells Yaakov to flee to her brother Lavan to avoid the wrathful vengeance of Esav for having stolen the birthright.

So now, my son, heed my voice and arise; flee to my brother Lavan, to Charan. And remain with him a short while until your brother's wrath subsides. Until your brother's anger against you subsides, ושכח — and he forgets what you have done to him… (בראשית כז מג-מה)

What fuels our memory is the passion one invests in an activity. But unless one stokes the fires of passion, even blazing anger will wane in time. And even the pain will dissipate permitting one to forget and move forward. (קונטרס מעין גנים ח"ד עקב)

Because Esav was motivated by false ambitions and selfish interests, he was easily distracted by the diversions of the 'moment' mindlessly prancing from one endeavor to the next, oblivious to his empty passions.

The antidote to never wane in our healthy pursuits is to stir the genuine passions within our hearts towards an ever-greater connection with our Creator.

The holy and saintly Kedushas Tzion of Bobov, who perished in the Holocaust, was once visited by one of his followers who had just returned from visiting America. The Rebbe inquired about the welfare of his followers in America. The chossid regaled how his brethren were all Shomrei Shabbos. The Rebbe pointed out that although his followers had been observing the laws of Shabbos, he questioned whether they were true Shomrei Shabbos. A Shomer is one who remains vigilant, not allowing for even a lapse of consciousness for a moment, because a true shomer even wards off sleep to remain attentive and focused.

Our world consists of three dimensions, עולם – Space, שנה – Time, and נפש – Soul.

The six hundred and thirteen commandments define our relationship with every facet of the physical world we occupy.

Shabbos provides a framework by which we relate to the limitations of time.

Six days we work, reiterating the purpose of creation by our weekly cessation of those activities in tribute to our Creator, directing and inspiring those daily efforts with purpose towards the greater goal of being rewarded to exist in a timeless world of closeness to G-d.

Torah is the lifeline of our soul. Even when we aren’t occupied with the varied applications of mitzvos we encounter in our interaction with the world, our minds and spirit are to be enthused by our preoccupation with the joy inherent within the study and mindset of Torah.  

Specifically, regarding these three aspects of mitzvos, the Torah emphasizes our role as a שומר – guardian, to prevent our ‘forgetting’ our enthusiasm over them.

As cited earlier, the command not to forget G-d is contingent on ‘guarding’ all the mitzvos.

The Torah commands us to recall the excitement of the giving of the Torah at Sinai   פן תשכח – ‘lest these things depart from your heart, all the days of your life. (דברים ד ט)

It is regarding these vital ideas that we must preserve our enthusiasm and passion, because if we lag in that joy, we are likely to lapse in our commitment and serve G-d apathetically, jeopardizing our bright and longed for connection with eternity.

In the command to observe Shabbos as outlined in the two sets of לוחות – Tablets, in one it directs us שמור – to ‘guard’ the Shabbos, while in the other it states זכור – to remember. We derive from here that all those who are included in ‘guarding’ are included in remembering.

King Solomon extols the שומר מצוה – ‘Whoever keeps the commandment shall know no evil thing’. (קהלת ח ה)

He affirms as well that ‘Without vision the people become restrained, ושומר תורה – but he who guards the Torah is fortunate’. (משלי כט יח)

The prophet Isaiah assures, ‘Fortunate is the man who will do this… he who שומר שבת – guards the Shabbos’. (ישעיה נו ב)

It is not sufficient to ‘perform’ the mitzvos, ‘study’ Torah, and ‘keep’ the laws of Shabbos, to be conferred the appellation of being a Shomer Torah and Mitzvos, and a Shomer Shabbos.

We must stoke the coals with inspired dedication and zeal, especially of these three arenas which encompass our sojourn in this finite world, so that we may one day merit to experience an exquisite connection with eternity!

And with fire you You will rebuild her…

באהבה,

צבי יהודה טייכמאן