Mind Breaking Work
By Rabbi David Polsky

Those of us with difficult jobs would agree that they do not much allow for spiritual reflection. The idea that work deadens our spirit is hinted at towards the beginning of this week’s parasha. The Torah states that Moses told the Jewish people that God would redeem them, but the people do not listen to Moses “because of their devastated spirit and their difficult labor” (Exodus 6:9).

From the double language in the verse, the Vilna Gaon derives that there are two forms of servitude. The first type is “difficult labor,” which expresses the Jews’ work building with bricks. The labor is harsh, but intermittent, allowing for reflection between periods of labor. The second type is “devastated spirit,” which expresses their experience gathering straw. While the labor was not difficult, it was so time consuming that it did not allow them to reflect on anything outside their work.

Lives of forced labor led the Israelites to regard their servitude as permanent, thinking of themselves as slaves and nothing more. Such thinking inhibits hope for a better future. While we may not be able to do away with difficult jobs that prevent attention to our spiritual selves, we should recognize our conditions and not slide down the slippery slope of living to work.