Why is our heart the most important thing? A whole nation stands at the foothills of Mt. Sinai, in our Portion this week, to receive the Torah. This is a public, national event, but it is supposed to also be a private and personal one. Here is what Rabbi Baruch Chait, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Ma'arava Yeshiva, says about it: "There is a great principle that Rabbenu BeChayei writes: The most important thing about the Torah depends on the heart. A man can do a lot of things, and learn a lot of things, but if you ask him why he does it, he would say: Because this is what everyone else does, because it is nice, because one has to. If his heart is not there, if he does not relate to the story, then it is just not it. We need a heart, we need connection, not to just go through the motions. We are told that in the Splitting of the Red Sea, the sea was not split at once. Contrary to what we think, the sea split slowly, for each and every person according to their pace. Every person walked and moved forward, and the water cleared a way for him. Why is this important? Why does it matter? Because this is a message for every one of us - in life we have trials, and each of us should move forward at his own pace, in his own way, with faith and confidence, step by step. This is how we receive the Torah. Each person has a special soul, and special work to do in this world. The strengths, personality, talent, intelligence - what you have, no one else has. Your package is special for you alone, and with it you should work."
