The Beauty of Dealing with Small Things

Gemara: What else is written in [the Torah]?" "Do not utter the name of Hashem in vain" (Shemot 20:7). "Do you engage in commerce?"

Ein Ayah: Lofty greatness gives light to all the small, dark, individual things in which man is involved during his life. The greatness takes the collection of individual life elements and activities and the speech that accompanies them and gives them spiritual significance and sanctity. When Hashem’s Torah is man’s beacon and Hashem’s name and fear of Him impact on his actions, then the person adorns the whole world.

Fear of oaths, which emanates from the commandments not to use Hashem’s name in vain, straightens out all a person’s path, in both the personal and communal realms. It enables social life to be played out honestly, so that people interact properly even on small matters. This brings a precious light to everything in the world.

This is so special that even angels, which have glorious, lofty lives, are missing the experience of turning little things into opportunities to turn Hashem’s holy name into an expression of truth. The angels, who are not involved in small things such as commerce, are not fit to receive the Torah, which is designed to elevate such things.