In this week’s parsha, Mishpatim, we are introduced to the ever ivri. The eved ivri is a Jew who sells himself into slavery for a few reasons. Examples would be man who stole something and isn’t able to pay back, or someone who is just incredibly poor. An eved ivri is kept for 6 years, after which he is required to be set free. If he wants to stay on longer, he must have a hole punched in his ear. The hole is punched in his ear in order to remind him of what that ear heard at Har Sinai in last weeks parsha- that a Jew is not meant to be a servant of man- only of G-D.
An obvious question is- why is it the ear’s fault? All the ear does is hear- the brain makes decisions. And the truth is that that’s just the problem. All the ear did was hear- in one ear out the other. It didn’t internalize. If it had, the eved ivri wouldn’t be requesting another 6 years.
How often do you hear nice things about yourself? It’s easy to say never, but if you really think about it, how often do you hear compliments and praise? How often do people tell you about all your positive attributes. This ranges from “your hair looks really pretty today,” to “you’re so smart/nice/funny.” Often these messages go in one ear and out the other. We don’t internalize them- we let them wash over us. And then, when we encounter days where we can’t find anything good about our reflection, we don’t have these beams of support to keep us from falling. Compliments and positivity can be so helpful even when we don’t realize it. So don’t brush them off. Don’t go “awwww no,” when your friend tells you you’re smart. Say “thank you,” and internalize it. Internalize the positivity around you. Let it become a part of you.
Have a good Shabbos
beautiful