Choosing Right From . . . Right

Choosing between right and wrong can be difficult at times, but choosing between right and right is that much harder.

At times life presents us with two mutually exclusive good choices or Mitzvah opportunities, and it requires great wisdom and discernment to choose which to focus on.

One possible yardstick is financial gain.

If one Mitzvah has an ancillary financial benefit and the other is "just a Mitzvah" then it's likely the Mitzvah only opportunity is greater.

Although when the Jewish people went to borrow gold and silver from the Egyptians prior to the Exodus they were fulfilling a request of Hashem, seemingly a great mitzvah; Moses is singled out as "a wise man who seeks Mitzvahs" for seeking the bones of Joseph to honor the commitment to rebury Joseph in the land of Israel.

"Moses took Joseph's bones with him, for he [Joseph] had adjured the sons of Israel, saying, God will surely remember you, and you shall bring up my bones from here with you." Exodus 13:19, from this week's Torah portion, Beshalach, Exodus 13:17-17:16