We will do it!!

A few weeks ago we read the Parsha of Yitro. I shared with my students the following story. This winter reminded me of what happened to tome during a winter like this one. I lived on a very quiet street. We played stick ball in the street and rode our bikes in the street. On my block there lived the Berger Family. The couple was older and their children had married and moved away. Mr Berger would always sit outside and watch, as all the kids were playing and riding past him. He would say Hello to us each time he saw us. He had a little dog that I think looked like him. Anyway, one very snowy day Mr. Berger called our house and I answered the phone. He asked, " Can you and your siblings do me a favor?" I answered, "Sure no problem. when should we come over?" He said, "Now".  I turned to my older brother and sister and said, "Mr. Berger needs us lets go."  They were not as excited as I thought they would be. They were annoyed at me. "Why did you say we would come over? Did you even ask him what the favor is? Maybe we do not want to clean out his attic or go through old bags of clothing with him."  They wanted to know what I had committed them to do for Mr. Berger.  That is very sound advice. You should always know what you are agreeing to do before you say you will do it.
This story it reminds me of what Bnai Yisrael did at Har Sinai. Hashem asked, "Do you want the Torah and all the Mitzvot in it?" Bnai Yisrael answers in unison the famous two words, "We will do it and we will listen". They should have asked what is in the Torah and what are the Mitzvot you are talking about. Why did they just follow without knowing the details?  To answer this questions, Rav Soloveitchik explains that we have two decison making systems. One is a very analytical mindset. We need to know all the details. The pros and cons. The gains and loses.  We review all the data and make an informed decision. That is called the רצון התחתון the lower decision making process. There is also a decision making system that works on the premise I just know it is the right thing to do. I feel it is right. I do not need details. I am going to do it. That the Rav calls the רצון העלין the upper decison making process. At Har Sinai, Bnai Yisrael answered with the רצון העלין higher decison maker process. They just knew this was the righ thing to do.
I explained to the students that in life there are times that we need to know all the details before making a choice to do or not do something. There are also times that you just know it is the right thing to do even if you do not have all the information. You should trust yourself and your feelings. That is what prompted Bnai Yisrael to answer "We will do and we will listen."

PS - Mr. Berger asked us to shovel his driveway and he paid for it too. My siblings were happy.