GEN1165 You do not know mattan s’charan, the rewards given for mitzvoth. Pirkei Avot II;1  This can also denote what you would have to give and pay to acquire the privilege of performing the mitzvah. Many things which we have without effort are not fully appreciated. You may waste the meals your mother prepares for you. But if you went to a restaurant and had to pay five dollars [1964 dollars; equivalent $40 in 2018 – AJL] for a similar meal, you would undoubtedly value it more.   We are born Jews. The mitzvoth are here for our taking and doing. However, we do not value them properly because we are unaware of the “price’ they have cost in the blood, sweat and tears of history. We rarely think of the twenty generations that angered the Lord before the advent of Abraham. Avoth V, 2-3.   How many of us consider what Torah and mitzvoth have cost the Jewish people throughout our long and martyr-filled history? Be heedful of all the mitzvoth, for you have no idea of what they have cost us. Blood was spilled, lives were given, that or people should not abandon or forget our commandments from Sinai. Indeed, we should be most grateful that these Divine precepts, with their unique and transcendent importance, are as accessible and available as they are. The Torah tells us: “It [Torah] is not in Heaven, that you should say, “Who will go us for us to Heaven and bring it to us …?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us …?’” Deuteronomy 20:12-13 To a least one Sage this means, quite simply, that were it indeed in heaven, we should have to go there to acquire it; and were it beyond the sea, we would indeed be obliged to travel there to get it. Talmud Erubin 55a.  If our entire journey to salvation and eternity depends on these mitzvoth and this Torah, we would be justified in scaling the Matterhorn to reach it. How fortunate we are that this unique Divine word is in our midst, within the reach of everyone – “in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.” Deuteronomy 30:14  Suppose that a person tells you he wishes to buy merchandise from you on credit. You ask him for references, you consult his bank, you “look him up” in Dun and Bradstreet. After you are fully satisfied that everything is in order, you may give him credit up to $100. [1964 dollars; equivalent $800 in 2018 – AJL] Should we have a doubt about kashruth, though, what might the procedure be? We might decide to stay at a certain hotel because there appears to be a vague rumor that the food is kosher. To give $100 of credit we will likely explore every avenue, check and double-check to make sure. Het, when a mitzvah is involved, we are satisfied with hearsay, with a rumor with a minimum of investigation. Consider Abraham and his dealings with Eliezer his servant. Scripture states that Eliezer was in compete charge of Abrahams’s affairs. [this verse] Presumably he bought and sold, kept the books, and had access to all the wealth. Yet, in the matter of arranging a marriage for his son Isaac, for whom he wanted a pious daughter-in-law, Abraham insisted that Eliezer take an oath! Here the emphasis is on the values that truly count. In material matters, Eliezer enjoyed the full confidence of Abraham. When matters of the spirit, of Torah were involved, Abraham took greater caution: he insisted on better assurances and exercised stronger control. Rabbi Judah haNasi reminds us that there are no unimportant mitzvoth. If we cannot be as Abraham and give them more care and attention than we devote to our business affairs, let us at lest treat them with equal regard. They are stepping stones to eternal life. SINAI1 124-5