Lessons in Life from Maseches Middos

First and foremost, thank you to HaShem for giving me the time to learn His Torah, and a huge thank you to my wife and family for all their love and support.

I'd like to discuss the third Mishnah of the fourth perek of Maseches Middos. The Mishnah talks about the stones used for the Mizbayach and the ramp, and where they were taken from. It then talks a bit more about the plastering of the stones. But then it gets to the iron. Specifically, why was iron forbidden to touch the Mizbayach? Because iron was created to shorten the life of man; it was used for weapons. The Mizbayach was created to lengthen the life of man. How? It atones for our sins. So the idea is: that which shortens life should not be used for that which lengthens it.

This is so interesting because we're talking about something like a mashal, and people know this! People quote this all the time. But yet, when it comes to the things that really shorten their lives or lessen them, people tend not to be so moved by them.

This brings us to a central idea in Yiddishkeit. We need to focus on this. Whether it's the food that is served at Kiddush, or the general lack of promotion of healthy living. I heard one great idea about the Shabbos meal, that you should not be so stuffed from the second meal that you can't eat Shalosh Seudos. This is really a lesson for every day of the year: don't overeat.

Other ideas include taking the time to care for our physical and mental health, which could mean everything from getting the right amount of sleep (something I talk about but don't always practice), to seeking mental health support when necessary, to doing things that promote mental wellbeing. And of course, exercise. People may or may not know that if one skips exercise, the body will naturally lose muscle over time. Some people do a lot. Some people do nothing. There are people who feel sluggish throughout the day but don't take the time to exercise. People who know screen time is not good but don't turn it off. So it's just so amazing. We're talking about a mashal, a mashal about the Mizbayach. But what about the real thing? What really extends your life and ensures it?

I would argue, very simply, that anything we do that connects us to HaShem is life itself. Torah is life. Not the many fake things we see around us, not the advertising; it's all fake. Torah, HaShem, tefillah, Shabbos; these are what extend our lives. And HaShem still wants us to take care of our bodies. Take care of yourselves, everyone.

When you learn this Mishnah, when you learn all the Mishnayos of Maseches Middos, ask yourself: what is the Mishnah asking of us? And in this one, I think it seems pretty obvious.

Many blessings,

Moshe