Dvar Torah for Parshat Bereshis

Based on Likutey Halakhot Pesach 9:21

"Adam lived 130 years. He bore a son in his likeness and form, and named him Seth" (Genesis 5:3).

We all face tests; how we deal with money and food; how we get along with others; how we approach the ritual aspects of Judaism. Another test we face is how we deal with failing our other tests. We need to learn from the first human being. Adam didn't give up.

Adam blew it, big time. He had a very pretty setup in the Garden of Eden, but couldn't control himself and found himself on the outside, locked out, looking in.

You certainly want to be the best Jew you can possibly be. You've tried, oh, at least a zillion times. You've failed a zillion times, too. That's what it seems like, that's how it often feels. So a thought of despair creeps in. What's the point in trying, when you succeed only at making mistakes? Time to give up, right? Why not? Giving up is easy. Giving up is tempting. Giving up is what Adam didn't do.

What was Adam doing in the 130 years between his failure to control his desire and the birth of Seth? He was trying to undo his blunder. What took so long? He kept failing, making more and more mistakes. Why did he fail so often? Even though he wanted very much to rectify his past and tried very hard to do things right, the twin sisters Temptation and Seduction would show up and trick him. This didn't happen once or twice. It happened again and again for 130 years.

Nonetheless, Adam kept on trying. Even if you've wasted years of your life, if you keep trying to succeed you can still do one thing right that will go a long way to fixing all your mistakes of omission and commission.

We need to be personally grateful to Adam for not giving up. It is from Seth that we, all the tzaddikim throughout history, and Mashiach are all descended. May we soon see Mashiach's arrival, the rectification of Adam's sin and tikkun haolam. Amen.

agutn Shabbos!
Shabbat Shalom!