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June 6, 2026

Rabbi, a friend ridiculed me because I observed some of the mitzvah in the Torah, but not all of them. He claimed that I’m being a hypocrite. I feel like I’m trying and I feel good about doing the ones that I do. Does my friend have a point?

Your friend may be well-intentioned, but is mistaken. Ethics of Our Fathers teaches us to be careful to perform even a minor mitzvah because we do not know the value of a mitzvah. Each mitzvah is precious as it builds our souls and creates a bond between us and the Almighty. Furthermore, Ethics of Our Fathers tells us that the performance of a mitzvah leads to the performance of another mitzvah.

It is not all or nothing! We are all works in progress. May we continue to grow at our own pace.

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