Somebody came over to me today and asked me, “Rabbi, why do they make Besamim (spices) at a Brit Milah (covenant of circumcision)? Why do they make Besamim at the Brit Milah?”
I saw a Midrash (rabbinic teaching). The Midrash says: Avraham Avinu, what did he do? It was a time when the Mitzvah (commandment) came along, and everybody around him—his whole household—wanted to do that Mitzvah. That day, he did many Britot for the people. He had an orlah, the foreskin, and he put it outside. The sun came, and the sun—what happens? In essence, the sun can cause a bad stench from the foreskin that was there. And yet, the Midrash says that Hashem says, “This smell is Reiach nichoach; it’s such a great smell. When I smell this smell, it causes me to remember, ‘Oh, it’s the most amazing smell ever.’” And therefore, to commemorate that and remind Hashem of that moment, when they all did Brit Milah, you make the Besamim. It’s commemorating that Maaseh (deed), where it’s the greatest thing, where it’s the greatest smell.
But I want to tell you something. Any Mitzvah that we do, you have to understand, causes the greatest smell to Hashem. And the greatest of the greats? It’s the greatest of the greats. A person has to know, he has to get it in his mind. Don’t sleep on it. There’s going to come a time when a person, after 120, has to live. You know, people always ask, “How do you make a living?” People ask, “How do you make a living?” And I ask, “How are you making an after-living?” You have to store up Torah and Mitzvot. You have to. You have to. You have to understand, it’s Nitzchiyut. It’s eternity. It’s not a joke. What are 70, 80, 90, even 120 years compared to eternity?
You know, Rav Dessler, when he explains eternity, you have to understand what eternity is. Imagine right now, whichever room you’re in. Think about the room that you’re sitting in right now, or even if you’re in a car listening. Imagine right now, wherever you are, right? You have a bird. You have one bird, and he takes a poppy seed, a sesame seed. And this bird—it takes him a thousand years, 1,000 years, to go get the sesame seed and put it in. Go to the sesame, put it in. Is there an end to that or no? What do you think? Will he eventually, eventually fill up? This bird lives forever. Will he eventually fill up the sesame seeds? Yes or no? How long will it take? How long? A million years? A billion years? A zillion years? Eternity is greater.
Eternity means that you will live forever and ever and ever and ever. And with the Torah and Mitzvot that you have in this world, that’s what stands for you forever. You have to understand that. It’s not a joke. It’s a real thing. Eternity is real. You’re living eternity now. You’re creating your eternity now. Whatever you stock, whatever you prepare, whatever you put aside, that is yours forever and ever and ever and ever. And that’s it.
So Hashem says, “You know, I gave you a mouth. You know how many—you know how hard it is to talk? Think about it for a second. When you say the word, you know what’s working right now in your mouth? Say it: everything involved in speaking. You know how hard that is to make? You know, imagine if the brain has to think to make it.” But Hashem made it so easy for us to talk. You know why? Because He wants to use your words so you can speak the Torah. That’s Chafetz Chaim. I’m telling you, Chafetz Chaim says, “He made it easy for us to talk in an hour.” How much Torah can we spread in an hour? You know how much? Every single word of Torah that you say, you’re creating a malach (angel). Creating a malach. It’s not a joke. Every mitzvah that you do, you’re creating a malach. Everything that you do, you’re creating. And therefore, don’t take it lightly.
120 years go by like this, by the way. Don’t think, “Oh, I’m only 18, I’m 19, I’m 20.” Don’t ask anybody—anybody that’s older than you, 40, 50, 60, 70. Go ask them, “How does a year go by? How did the years go?” They’ll tell you, “Snap of a finger.” I remember 30 years ago. I remember 40 years ago. I remember 50 years ago. It goes by in seconds. Before you know it, you’re 75 years old.
And therefore, Rabotai (my masters), take advantage. Remember, we’re here. We’ve got to stock up. We’ve got to repair. And I want to tell you something. Hashem loves us. He wants to give you Beracha (blessing). Do His will. Do His Ratzon (His will). Do what He wants. And He’ll take care of His part. He’ll give you everything. You think it’s hard for Him to give you anything? You think it’s hard for Hashem? In one second, He touches you. Boom. You’re the next level in every single way or form. He’ll give you amazing... Do His Ratzon. Do His will.