Rav Moshe Weinberger Shabbos Drasha - Parshas Nasso - Hold On, Don't Let Go

Below, please find a write-up of Rav Weinberger's morning drasha from parshas Nasso. Baruch Hashem, this version reflects his review of the write-up. See here for past write-ups. Also, thousands of Rav Weinberger's shiurim are available onlin HERE. Please note that these drashos will only be available online for one month. Shalosh Sheudos will remain up. If you are interested in a particular drasha that is no longer online, you can email me and I'll send it to you IY"H, BL"N.

Rav Moshe Weinberger

Parshas Naso 5773

Hold on, Don’t Let Go

We spoke last week about the trait of “הרגשת הסתירה,” being sensitive to living a life of contradictions in which we do not act according to that which we know is true. Continuing on this theme, we must examine the Nazir’s obligation to bring a sin offering at the conclusion of his period as a Nazir (Bamidbar 6:14). The Ramban explains the simple meaning of this requirement as follows: The Nazir is not satisfied with “just” keeping the 613 mitzvos of the Torah. The concept of Nazirus resonates with him and he sees the value in a more sanctified way of life. Yet after living on that higher level of existence, at the conclusion of his Nezirus period, he wishes to return to the “regular” mitzvos of every other Jew. The Ramban writes regarding this step-down from his status as a Nazir:

כי האיש הזה חוטא נפשו במלאת הנזירות, כי הוא עתה נזיר בקדושתו ועבודת השם, וראוי היה לו שיזיר לעולם ויעמוד כל ימיו נזיר וקדוש לאלוקיו... והנה הוא צריך כפרה בשובו להִטמא בתאוות העולם

 This person sins against his soul at the completion of his Nazirus period because now [before ending his Nazirus], he remains a Nazir in this [higher level] of holiness and service of Hashem. It is fitting for him to remain forever as a Nazir, sanctified to Hashem... Therefore he requires an atonement when he comes to defile himself with the desires of the world.

This Jew desired a higher level of holiness and closeness to Hashem. The Torah even calls him (Bamidbar 6:8) “קָדשׁ הוּא לַה',” “sanctified to Hashem.” When he leaves this status, he is somewhat blameworthy for giving up the higher level of existence that he had attained. He wore the crown of G-d on his head (Id. at 7) and  has now decided to remove the crown to return to pedestrian existence.  

We must remember that Nazir status means more than the sum of the prohibitions a Nazir takes on. According to the Avnei Miluim (citing the Maharit, Responsum 22), when one becomes a Nazir, it is not because he vowed not to consume foods or drinks derived from grapes, cut his hair, and come into contact with a dead body. Rather, being a Nazir is a special, holy status. The Nazir’s prohibitions are the result of his special, elevated status, not its cause. Because of his status as a holy person, he must conduct himself accordingly and avoid worldly desires. If someone on this higher level decides to stop, to interrupt his holy life, he is blameworthy. That is why he requires the atonement of a sin offering. 

We find a thematically similar teaching in the Gemara (Yevamos 48b), which says: “מפני מה גרים בזמן הזה מעונין ויסורין באין עליהן ... מפני ששהו עצמם להכנס תחת כנפי השכינה,” “Why do converts these days experience poverty and suffering? ... Because they delayed in coming under the wings of the Divine presence.”  The Gemara brings a proof for this explanation from a pasuk in Rus (2:12), where Boaz praises Rus: “יְשַׁלֵּם ה', פָּעֳלֵךְ; וּתְהִי מַשְׂכֻּרְתֵּךְ שְׁלֵמָה, מֵעִם ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲשֶׁר-בָּאת, לַחֲסוֹת תַּחַת-כְּנָפָיו,” “May Hashem repay you for your deeds and may your reward be complete from Hashem the G-d of Israel because you took shelter [quickly] under His wings.” Rashi explains the pasuk to mean that Rus was praised for converting as quickly as possible. According to the Gemara, since Rus’s speed in converting after she realized that the Torah was the path of truth, it can be inferred that a convert would be blameworthy if he or she delayed in acting on a new-found belief in the truth of the Jewish life. Rav Yaakov Emden in Haga’os Ya’avetz questions why a convert should be blamed for delaying his conversion. After all, gentiles have no obligation whatsoever to become Jewish. What difference does it make if he or she postpones conversion until a more convenient time? 

As I understand Rav Emden’s answer, it is very similar to the guilt of a Nazir who completes his Nazirus period. After a person reaches the conclusion that the Torah is true and that life of Jewish holiness speaks to him or her, what possible justification is there for delaying conversion and living a lie? If the person knows that Yiddishkeit and closeness to Hashem represent a greater way of life, how can he or she take a break from growth (similar to the Nazir who leaves his Nazirus) simply to “enjoy” the non-Jewish life a little longer? Certainly, even if his commitment to convert has the status of a vow, there is no halachic prohibition against delaying the fulfillment of his vow (See Mishna L’Melech on Rambam, Hilchos Melachim 10:7). But when a human being recognizes the truth, even if he has no technical obligation to change, he must not interrupt his spiritual ascent for detours. Rather, he must pursue that higher path diligently because he is someone who recognizes its importance. 

This is another aspect of what it means to have “הרגשת הסתירה,” “sensitivity to contradictions.” When a person begins to recognize a more exalted way of life (even though others around him do not recognize it) and has begun to wear the crown of Hashem’s holiness a little bit, he must hold onto it. As Shlomo Hamelech says (Shir Hashirim 3:4) “אֲחַזְתִיו וְלֹא אַרְפֶנּוּ,” “I will hold on and not let go” When a person recognizes a certain truth, he cannot go on living a life which contravenes that truth. When a person desires something more from life, how can he quit and go back to a life of darkness as if he never knew any better?

We face this problem after a Yom Tov like Shavuos. This Shabbos is called the “שבת נאך שבועות,” the “Shabbos after Shavuos.” It has this special name because after we have reached a greater recognition of the preciousness of Torah, it affects how we act after Shavuos is over.  We felt (Shmos 20:19) “אַתֶּם רְאִיתֶם כִּי מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם דִּבַּרְתִּי עִמָּכֶם,” “You have seen that I have spoken to you from Heaven.” Some people feel nothing on Yom Tov and have no greater recognition of the truth whether it is Yom Tov or a regular weekday. But for people who feel something and recognize that a greater life of Torah is for them, that person’s sensitivity to contradictions compels him to live in accordance with that greater understanding. 

This is also the challenge faced by young men and women returning from their year in Israel. In high school they were too busy with the silliness with which teenagers are often preoccupied to recognize their potential as Jewish men and women. But during their year in Israel, many people experience an awakening for something greater. The challenge on the return home is to be sensitive to the higher level of reality of which they had become aware and not give it up as soon as they return to their old haunting grounds. They must work to continue living according to the higher perception they gained during their experience in Eretz Yisroel.

The same thing applies to any one of us who experiences some sort of elevation in his thinking. He looks around at his friends and may feel somewhat envious of their seemingly carefree life of the distractions of this world. But a person must retain his sensitivity. He must not abandon the higher path, but cultivate an aversion to the emptiness of the more mundane level of existence.  

This Shabbos is the yohrtzeit of a great tzadik who few people know of, the holy Reb Moshe of Razvodov, זי"ע, the son of Reb Lazer Dzikover, זי"ע, and the grandson of Rav Naftoli Ropschitzer, זי"ע. The tzadikim in his time would come to Reb Moshe Razvodov for brachos. When he left for the next world, Rav Shlome’le Bobover, זי"ע, said about him, “The Divine presence had a good friend in this world, but now he is gone.” When a Jew abandons a higher path which he recognizes to be true, Hashem also loses a good friend. May Hashem find good friends in us and may he send the ultimate friend, the (Menachos 53a) “ידיד בן ידיד,” “friend, son of a friend,” Moshiach, to rebuild the Beis Hamikdash soon in our days.

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Rav Moshe Weinberger Shavuos Drasha - In our Hands

Below, please find a write-up of Rav Weinberger's morning drasha from the second day of Shavuos/Yizkor. Baruch Hashem, this version reflects his review of the write-up. See here for past write-ups. Also, thousands of Rav Weinberger's shiurim are available onlin HERE. Please note that these drashos will only be available online for one month. Shalosh Sheudos will remain up. If you are interested in a particular drasha that is no longer online, you can email me and I'll send it to you IY"H, BL"N.

Rav Moshe Weinberger

Second Day of Shavuos 5773

In our Hands

One of the major themes in Tanach is how Hashem gives life, brings death, rewards and punishes individuals according to their deeds. In the Book of Rus, however, the events in the story revolve around the kindness of human beings and how their good deeds brought about a good ending for the individuals in the story. The closest the book comes to highlighting Hashem’s providence is the fact that Rus came to collect grain in Boaz’s field exactly when Boaz was surveying his fields, as the pasuk (Rus 2:3) says, “וַיִּקֶר מִקְרֶהָ,” “And it was her chance to come [to Boaz’s field].” But we have all had serendipitous moments like that. What, then, is our main lesson from the book of Rus? 

We must compare and contrast the events in the book of Rus with those of the book of Iyov. Many have pointed out a number of similarities between the events in Neomi’s life and the events in Iyov’s life. First, both of them lost all of their wealth and family and were forced to start all over again. Second, they both mourn the bitterness of their lot in the context of their recognition of Divine providence and use very similar language. Iyov said (Iyov 27:2) “וְשַׁקי הֵמַר נַפְשִׁי,” “And G-d has embittered my soul,” while Neomi (Rus 1:20) said, “הֵמַר שַׁקי לִי מְאֹד,” “G-d has dealth very bitterly with me.”  

Third, after the misfortune which befell both of them, their respective friends looked at them both in shock. The pasuk says (Iyov 2:12), regarding Iyov’s friends, “וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת עֵינֵיהֶם מֵרָחוֹק וְלֹא הִכִּירֻהוּ וַיִּשְׂאוּ קוֹלָם וַיִּבְכּוּ,” “And they lifted up their eyes from a distance and they did not recognize him and they lifted up their voices and cried.” Similarly, with regard to Neomi’s old friends in Beis Lechem, it says (Rus 1:19), “וַתֵּהֹם כָּל הָעִיר עֲלֵיהֶן וַתֹּאמַרְנָה הֲזֹאת נָעֳמִי,” “The whole city was astonished regarding them and [the women] said, ‘Is this Neomi?!’” Fourth, both Iyov and Neomi experience a “happy ending,” where both of them rebuilt new lives, with Iyov seeing four generations of descendants and Neomi also living to see four generations of descendants, including the father of the ultimate redeemer, Dovid Hamelech. And finally, the pasuk (Iyov 42:13) says Iyov had “שִׁבְעָנָה בָנִים,” “twice-seven sons” and Neomi’s friends say regarding Rus that (Rus 4:15) “אֲשֶׁר הִיא טוֹבָה לָךְ מִשִּׁבְעָה בָּנִים,” “That she is better for you than seven sons.” 

Whenever we see that two things are very similar, it means that we must look very deeply to discern the deeper distinction between them. We must therefore examine the story to discern the central point which differentiates Neomi from Iyov. In truth, the two books could not be  more opposite. The entire book of Iyov addresses the theological problem raised by the suffering of the righteous and the prosperity of the wicked. It is a theological dialogue between Iyov and his friends. Outside of the first two and last few chapters, there is virtually no action and no one does anything in sefer Iyov to rectify Iyov’s situation.  

The entire “story” of Iyov consists of a discussion about the problem presented by Iyov’s situation.  Even at the end, Iyov never learns of the debate between Hashem and the Satan, nor does  he learn of any interpretation which would help him understand everything that happened to him. Rather, Hashem tells Iyov from the midst of the storm of his theological debates, (Iyov 38:3-4) “אֱזָר נָא כְגֶבֶר חֲלָצֶיךָ וְאֶשְׁאָלְךָ וְהוֹדִיעֵנִי אֵיפֹה הָיִיתָ בְּיָסְדִי אָרֶץ ,” “Strengthen yourself like a man, I will ask you and you will tell me, Where were you when I founded the earth?!” Iyov only experiences a redemption when he finally admits to man’s inability to understand G-d’s ways, as the pasuk (Iyov 42:3) says: “לָכֵן הִגַּדְתִּי וְלֹא אָבִין נִפְלָאוֹת מִמֶּנִּי וְלֹא אֵדָע,” “Therefore I spoke but did not understand, they are hidden from me and I did not know.” Just like he never understood the reason for his suffering, he never understood why he was redeemed in the end. As we say in the Yomim Noraim davening, “אדם יסודו מעפר וסופו לעפר,” “Man comes from the dust and will return to the dust.  

Baed on Iyov, man cannot demand to understand the way Hashem conducts the world. As the Navi (Yeshayahu 41:4) says, Hashem “קֹרֵא הַדֹרוֹת מֵרֹאשׁ,” “calls the generations from the beginning,” and (Id. at 46:10) “מַגִּיד מֵרֵאשִׁית אַחֲרִית,” “He tells the end at the beginning.” Man cannot hope to understand everything that happens. Indeed, even one’s good or bad deeds will not guarantee good or bad fortune in his life on earth. The bottom line is (Tehillim 8:5) “מָה אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ וּבֶן אָדָם כִּי תִפְקְדֶנּוּ,” “What is man that You should remember him and the son of man that You should be mindful of him?” Based on the book of Iyov, it seems that everything is in Hashem’s hands and man has no determinative role in his own fate. 

The book of Rus, however, is exactly the opposite. People take their lives into their own hands, rebuild after destruction, and ultimately, the kind deeds of the kind people in the story lead not only to their own redemption, but the establishment of the kingdom of the father of the final redeemer, Dovid Hamelech. Rus refused to abandon Neomi. Neomi took care of Rus. Boaz took care of Rus as well. The whole book is filled with stories of people who, with their own actions, achieve things, rectify the past, build the future, and establish the beginning of the ultimate monarchy and the final redemption.  As the pasuk (Tehillim 89:3) says, “עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה,” “the world is built through kindness.” In fact, just two psukim after the verse which stated “What is man that You should remember him,” Dovid Hamelech continues (Tehillim 8:7) “תַּמְשִׁילֵהוּ בְּמַעֲשֵׂי יָדֶיךָ כֹּל שַׁתָּה תַחַת רַגְלָיו,” “You give [man] dominion over the work of Your hands, you have placed everything beneath his feet.” Man’s kindness can determine the outcome of the way Hashem conducts the world.  

The kindness of Rus, Neomi, Boaz, and others in the story screams out (Sifri, Devarim 26:36) “עשינו מה שגזרת עלינו, עשה עמנו מה שהבטחתנו,” “We have done what You have decreed that we do, now fulfill your promise to us!” In response, Hashem gave Rus a son, who would one day become the grandfather of Dovid Hamelech. The message of the book of Rus is that if a person works and lives a righteous life, he can rebuild his own life and bring about the redemption. 

When we received the Torah, we said (Shmos 24:7) “נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע,” “We will do and we will listen.” The book of Rus corresponds to the idea of “We will do,” while the book of Iyov, in which the individuals simply try to understand the world, corresponds to the idea of “We will listen.” Indeed, we see that Hashem has two different ways of conducting the world. On one hand, according to the Iyov method, He determines the end at the beginning and all man can do is try to make peace with Hashem’s mysterious plans. On the other hand, He conducts the world using the Rus method, in which He gives mankind tremendous power to influence the world. Indeed, as the Midrash (Rus Raba 2) says “אמר ר' זעירא, מגילה זו אין בה לא טומאה ולא טהרה לא איסור ולא היתר. ולמה נכתבה? ללמדך כמה שכר טוב לגומלי חסדים,” “Rabbi Zeira said, ‘This book teaches neither impurity or purity nor does it teach either permission or prohibition. Why was it written? To teach you the great reward for those who do kindness.’”  

The first day of Shavuos, on which we read the Torah portion recounting the giving of the Torah on Sinai, corresponds to the fact that (Shabbos 88a) “כפה הקב"ה עליהם את ההר כגיגית,” “Hashem held the mountain over their heads.” Hashem had a plan and giving us the Torah was part of it. All we could do was go along for the ride. But the second day of Shavuos, the day we keep outside of Eretz Yisroel because of a rabbinic, human enactment, corresponds to our role in actively accepting the Torah. That is why we read Rus, the book which teaches us how to take our lives into our hands and rectify the world through our own actions, on the second day of Shavuos. Rus teaches us about the other appraoch, that we have to act as if everything is up to us and do our part.  

At the end of the Rebbe Reb Elimelech’s life, he had no strength and hardly ate anything. Everyone begged him to eat, but he could not bring himself to do it. One day, his son, Reb Lazer, a tzadik in his own right, begged his father to eat, arguing that he was obligated according to halacha to force himself to eat. The Rebbe responded that he simply could not, but that perhaps he could eat Malka’s soup. Who, Reb Lazer asked him, is Malka? The Rebbe answered that she is Avremel the poor water carrier’s wife.  Immediately, Reb Lazer ran to their house a few blocks away and knocked on the door. Malka answered the door, taken aback that the Rebbe’s son was at their door. He told her that the Rebbe was very sick but that the only thing that he would eat was her soup. Could she please write down the recipe for him? She answered that there was no way she could do that. And she told him the story of how she made soup for the Rebbe. 

Some time earlier, her husband Avremel very much wanted to invite the Rebbe into their home, but he was extremely shy. He heard, however, that the Rebbe would be passing by their house on a particular day, so he stood outside, waiting for the Rebbe to pass, As the Rebbe passed, he was too embarrassed to say anything, but perhaps sensing that Avremel wanted to invite him in, the Rebbe asked if he could visit Avremel in his home. He was so happy and brought the Rebbe back to his house. They sat down at the table, but Avremel was completely ignorant, and was very shy, so he did not say anything for a few minutes. He merely sat with the Rebbe at the table. After a few minutes, he ran into the kitchen and asked Malka to prepare some food for their honored guest! She told him that she would try to put something together, but the truth was that they had nothing. They had not eaten in two days! All they had was some water and salt, so she put the water over the fire, added the salt and began to stir as her tears fell into the water. Desperate to make something delicious for the Rebbe, she davened over the water that although they had nothing to flavor the soup, Hashem has all of the delicious tastes in the world above, in Gan Eden, so she begged Him to put the taste of Gan Eden into the soup. This was the soup that she had served the Rebbe Reb Elimelech. Reb Lazer realized that this was something no one could reproduce with a recipe. Other soups take away hunger, but Malka’s soup gives life.

 

Those who have lost loved ones are about to say Yizkor.  Although we know very well that not everyone saying Yizkor is doing so for parents, when a person says Yizkor, he remembers the tears his parents and other  loved ones shed on his behalf and he should know that whatever little bit of paradise he tastes in this world comes from those tears and the other countless acts of kindness performed by those who have left the world. May Hashem collect all of our tears and  the tears of those who have already entered the next world to bring Moshiach to usher in the time when Hashem will dry all of the tears of the world, may he come soon in our days.

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Rav Moshe Weinberger - Parshas Bamidbar Pre Shavuos Drasha - In the Name of Shame

Below, please find a write-up of Rav Weinberger's morning drasha from Parshas Bamidbar/Pre-Shavuos. Baruch Hashem, this version reflects his review of the write-up. See here for past write-ups. Also, thousands of Rav Weinberger's shiurim are available onlin HERE. Please note that these drashos will only be available online for one month. Shalosh Sheudos will remain up. If you are interested in a particular drasha that is no longer online, you can email me and I'll send it to you IY"H, BL"N.

Rav Moshe Weinberger

Parshas Bamidbar 5773

In the Name of  Shame

Tosafos explain (Megilla 31b) that parshas Bamidbar is always read on the Shabbos before Shavuos. One of the focal points of our parsha is (Bamidbar 2:2) “אִישׁ עַל דִּגְלוֹ בְאֹתֹת לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם יַחֲנוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִנֶּגֶד סָבִיב לְאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד יַחֲנוּ,” “The Jewish people camp each person by his division, by the flags of his father’s house, they camped corresponding to and surrounding the Tent of Meeting.” In the desert, the Jewish people camped with the Mishkan in the central position, the Levi’im in the middle circle, and the other tribes in the outer circle.  If this is a focal point of the parsha which is read just before Shavuos, we must understand how our encampments and flags are central to properly receiving the Torah.  

There is an often-overlooked pasuk in which the Torah identifies the purpose of the giving of the Torah on Shavuos. The pasuk (Shmos 20:17) says, “וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה אֶל הָעָם אַל תִּירָאוּ כִּי לְבַעֲבוּר נַסּוֹת אֶתְכֶם בָּא הָאֱלֹקים וּבַעֲבוּר תִּהְיֶה יִרְאָתוֹ עַל פְּנֵיכֶם לְבִלְתִּי תֶחֱטָאוּ,” “And Moshe said to the nation, ‘Do not fear because Hashem [has come] in order to lift you up and in order that fear of Him should be upon your faces so that you will never sin.’” Rashi explains that the Hebrew word “נַסּוֹת” means “הרמה וגדולה, כמו (ישעיה סב י) הרימו נס,” “lifting up and greatness, as in the pasuk (Yeshayahu 62:10) says ‘Lift up a flag.’” We therefore see that the purpose of Sinai was to lift us up so that we will attain a fear of G-d which will help us avoid sin.  

In what way does fear of G-d help us avoid sin? The Gemara (Nedarim 20a) says, “בעבור תהיה יראתו על פניכם זו בושה לבלתי תחטאו מלמד שהבושה מביאה לידי יראת חטא ... כל אדם המתבייש לא במהרה הוא חוטא ומי שאין לו בושת פנים בידוע שלא עמדו אבותיו על הר סיני,” “‘In order that the fear of Him should be upon your faces,’ refers to embarrassment, ‘so that you will never sin,’ teaches that embarrassment brings to fear of sin ... Anyone who has the trait of embarrassment will not soon come to sin and if someone lacks the trait of embarrassment, his parents certainly never stood by Mt. Sinai.” We see from here that the critical “take away point” from the Sinai experience was attaining the quality of embarrassment, which is the key to the self-motivation to avoid sin. In fact, Chazal tell us that this trait (embarrassment) is one of the hallmarks of a Jew (Yevamos 79a). We might have thought that the quality of embarrassment is a good thing, but is tangential to a Jew’s nature. These teachings, however, demonstrate that the attainment of the quality of embarrassment is an essential part of the purpose of the Sinai experience and what it means to be a Jew. 

What, then, is the source of the quality of embarrassment? The Alter of Novardok, in his essay “נקודת האמת,” “The Essence of Truth,” explains the foundation of the trait of embarrassment through the story of Eliyahu Hanavi on Har Carmel. At that time, during the reign of Achav and Izevel, the worship of the Baal was rampant among the vast majority of the Jewish people, even though the people believed in and served Hashem as well. Achav’s wife, Izevel, had all of Hashem’s prophets executed. The only survivor was Eliyahu who, in his zeal to uphold G-d’s honor, decreed a famine in the land which lasted three years. 

After three years, the people begged Eliyahu to rescind the decree and end the famine. He agreed, on the condition that they hold a “showdown” between the prophets of the Baal and he, Eliyahu, to demonstrate the falsity of Baal worship. They agreed, but before the “contest” between the 450 prophets of the Baal and Eliyahu began, he gave the Jewish people the following introduction (Melachim 1:18:21): “עַד מָתַי אַתֶּם פֹּסְחִים עַל שְׁתֵּי הַסְּעִפִּים אִם ה' הָאֱלֹקים לְכוּ אַחֲרָיו וְאִם הַבַּעַל לְכוּ אַחֲרָיו,” “How long will you dance on two sides of the fence?! If Hashem is G-d, go after Him! And if Baal is, go after him!” Rashi explains that the two sides of the fence are the two thoughts regarding who G-d is.  

The Alter of Novardok explained that the purpose of Eliyahu’s introduction was to sensitize them to the fact that Divine service and Baal worship are mutually exclusive; the two cannot coexist. He wanted to infuse them with “הרגשת הסתירה,” “a feeling of contradiction.” They must realize that the worship of Hashem and Baal cannot coexist. They cannot have it both ways. In response to Hashem’s demonstration on Mt. Carmel that only He is G-d, and not the Baal, the Jewish people responded enthusiastically (Id. at 39), “ה' הוּא הָאֱלֹקים ה' הוּא הָאֱלֹקים,” “Hashem is G-d! Hashem is G-d!”

The root and foundation of the trait of embarrassment is the feeling of cognitive dissonance one experiences when he realizes that he is living a contradictory life. When one realizes that, he feels embarrassed to continue deluding himself into thinking that he can “have it all.” Why do people think they can live this double life? Chazal say that (Shabbos 31b) “יודעין רשעים שדרכם למיתה,” “The wicked know their path ends in death.” Chazal also teach (as quoted by the Alter Rebbe in Tanya 11) that “רשעים מלאים חרטות,” “The wicked are full of regrets.” Why do people continue sinning even when they know it is wrong and that they will not profit from it in the long term? It is because they only know this intellectually, but lack “הרגשת הסתירה,” “a feeling of contradiction.” The do not feel embarrassed by sinning because they lack a conscious awareness that the way they live and what they know to be true are mutually exclusive. The Gemara (Shabbos 119b) says “לא חרבה ירושלים אלא מפני שלא היה להם בושת פנים זה מזה,” “Yerushalayim was only destroyed because people had no embarrassment in front of one another.”

To give some more modern examples, we have people who use their iPhone as a Sidur and say, sincerely, in Shemonah Esrei “Forgive us our Father for we have sinned!,” and then half an hour later, the same person is looking inappropriate pictures and videos on that same iPhone, may Hashem protect us. Another person cries over the spilled blood of a precious Jewish soldier killed by terrorists in Eretz Yisroel, and the very same day, he humiliates his wife and children, which Chazal teach us (Avos 3:14) is like spilling blood! We have women who believe sincerely and wholeheartedly in Hashem but who walk into Shul wearing skirts that do not even approach their knees. To give a more extreme example, we have all heard stories of Rebbeim who teach children the Aleph Beis, how to read the Torah and daven, and after class they murder these children by molesting them. Let us consider the man who sponsors the Choshen Mishpat kollel in the mornings, who studies halachic civil law every day, but when he goes to work he fails to disclose the money he earned off the books for tax purposes, he steals from a gentile, or enters into contractual agreements with no intention of fulfilling his part of the bargain unless the other side forces him to. How can we live such contradictions?! 

Each one of us has something that he is guilty of, some way in which he or she is living a double-life. We are not embarrassed because we lack that “הרגשת הסתירה,” “feeling of contradiction.” Our job as Sinai Jews is to at least feel embarrassed about what we are doing wrong, which is an important first step even if we haven’t yet mustered up the courage to change. Then we must align our lives more and more with Hashem and less with the “other side.” 

Rav Yaakov Galinsky offers a humorous parable to illustrate the contradictions with which we live. He tells a story of a gentile in the Shtetl who sees another gentile friend of his leaving a Shul. He asks his friend what he is doing in the Jews’ Shul, and the friend answers him that he dresses up as a Jew, walks around in Shul saying “Tzedakah, tzedakah,” and the Jewish people are merciful and give him plenty of money. He probably makes more money without all the work and sweat that he friend endures! Liking his friend’s idea, the man learns what to say, proceeds to obtain the necessary clothing and goes to Shul the next day asking for tzedakah and the people responded generously! Pleased with his success, he continued going from Shul to Shul, collecting, but he noticed another collector in one of the Shuls who was doing noticeably better than he was. So he asked the man his secret. The man told him that he is a Ger Tzedek, a convert, and that Jewish people have a special feeling for converts. Noting the Hebrew word for convert, he began saying “Tzedakah for a Ger Tzedek!” Indeed, people began giving him even more than before. 

As the man continued collecting, he saw another person collecting even more successfully. People did not just give him their spare change. They gave him bills! So he approached this person and asked him why everyone was so generous with him. He explained that he was a descendant of the Baal Shem Tov, and that Jewish people have a special feeling for the descendants of tzadikim. Noting the Hebrew expression for a descendant of the Baal Shem Tov, the man began attempting to collect the next day “Tzedakah for a Ger Tzedek, a descendant of the Baal Shem Tov!” Needless to say, his luck ran out. But we live with contradictions as preposterous as this swindler. We must begin recognizing that we are living a life of contradictions. Once we feel that, we will feel embarrassment and will then be able to change. 

The trait of embarrassment is why it was not enough that Hashem told us on Har Sinai “I am Hashem your G-d.” He also had to tell us “You shall have no other gods before Me.” We must recognize that we cannot dance on both sides of the fence, between the two ideologies of Yiddishkeit on one hand and some other power to which we are beholden on the other. We must see the fact that there is a contradiction. We cannot serve Hashem one minute and then our other masters the next minute. If we work now in these days leading up to Shavuos to cultivate the sensitivity to be embarrassed by our lives’ contradictions, we will then be worthy of the tremendous covenant entrusted to us at Sinai and we will prove that we are people whose ancestors indeed stood at Sinai to receive the Torah. 

As the pasuk says in this week’s parsha, the center of the Jewish camp is the Mishkan, Hashem’s dwelling place. We must ensure that all aspects of our lives surrounding that center are consistent with it. With Hashem’s help, may we merit to receive the Torah and attain the sensitivity to be embarrassed by any inconsistency in our lives which contradicts our Divine service. May we then merit the day when we can cry out for a final time, without any embarrassment or shame, “ה' הוּא הָאֱלֹקים ה' הוּא הָאֱלֹקים,” “Hashem is G-d! Hashem is G-d!”

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Rav Moshe Weinberger Behar-Bechukosai Drasha - How to Achieve Peace in Israel

Below, please find a write-up of Rav Weinberger's morning drasha from Parshas Behar-Bechukosai. Baruch Hashem, this version reflects his review of the write-up. See here for past write-ups. Also, thousands of Rav Weinberger's shiurim are available onlin HERE. Please note that these drashos will only be available online for one month. Shalosh Sheudos will remain up. If you are interested in a particular drasha that is no longer online, you can email me and I'll send it to you IY"H, BL"N.

Rav Moshe Weinberger

Parshas Behar-Bechukosai 5773

How to Achieve World Peace 

Parshas Bechukosai begins by painting a picture of a perfect world, a world as it could be. It describes images of a physical world of peace, security, and tranquility. According to the psukim, this ideal world will exist within the laws of nature. The Torah describes no miracles. In the midst of this section, however, the Torah describes something that sounds almost supernatural. The pasuk (Vayikra 25:6) says, “וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי חַיָּה רָעָה מִן הָאָרֶץ וְחֶרֶב לֹא תַעֲבֹר בְּאַרְצְכֶם,” “I will remove the wild beasts from the land and a sword will not pass through your land.” There is a dispute between Rabi Yehuda and Rabi Shimon Bar Yochai with regard to whether this promise will be fulfilled at the end of time by natural or supernatural means. The Midrash in the Sifra (Bechukosai 2) says as follows:

והשבתי חיה רעה מן הארץ-- ר' יהודה אומר מעבירם מן העולם. ר' שמעון אומר משביתן שלא יזוקו. אמר ר' שמעון, אימתי הוא שבחו של מקום? בזמן שאין מזיקין או בזמן שיש מזיקין ואין מזיקים? אמור בזמן שיש מזיקים ואין מזיקים... וכן הוא אומר "וְגָר זְאֵב עִם כֶבֶשׂ ... וּפָרָה וָדֹב תִרְעֶינָה ... וְשִעֲשַע יוֹנֵק עַל חֻר פָתֶן וְעַל מְאוּרַת צִפְעוֹנִי גָמוּל יָדוֹ הָדָה"-- מלמד שתינוק מישראל עתיד להושיט את ידו לתוך גלגל עינו של צפעוני ומוציא מרה מתוך פיו.

“And I will remove the wild beasts from the land,” Rabi Yehuda says that this means [Hashem] will remove them completely from the world. Rabi Shimon [Bar Yochai] says that it means that [Hashem] will remove their tendency to cause harm. Rabi Shimon says, "What is the greater praise of Hashem? That He removes animals which cause harm or that animals which normally cause harm are present but that they no longer cause harm? Certainly [His greatest praise is when He brings about] a time when animals which normally cause harm are present but that they no longer cause harm. This is what the pasuk (Yeshayahu 11:6-8) refers to when it says, ‘And the wolf will lie down with the lamb... the cow and the bear will graze together... and a child will play over a snake pit and over the eye of an adder and a weaned child will extend his hand.’ This teaches that a Jewish child will be able to stretch out his hand into the viper’s nest and remove the venom from its mouth.”

Rabi Shimon brings a strong proof that the nature of the wild beasts will change in the times of Moshiach. The prophet Yeshayahu explicitly tells us that the nature of carnivorous animals will change such that they will live in peace with tame and peaceful animals, and even children. According to the Ramban, Rabi Yehuda reads the pasuk which says “And I will remove the wild beasts from the land,” according to its simple, natural meaning. The nature of the animals will not change. Rather, they will simply be absent from the land. As we see from experience, when a place is heavily populated and civilized, wild and dangerous animals simply find other places to live. Rabi Shimon, however, is not satisfied with this naturalistic explanation. According to the Ramban, he explains that the pasuk means that the evil within the carnivorous animals will be removed. 

According to Rabi Shimon, when mankind does teshuva, obliterates the reality of sin in the world, and returns the world to its state before the sin of Adam, then evil, aggression, and venom will automatically be removed from the animal kingdom as well. The world is a reflection of the spiritual state of its pinnacle, mankind. Therefore, when man rectifies himself, the world will automatically follow. As Rav Chanina ben Dosa (Brachos 33a) says, “אין ערוד ממית אלא החטא ממית,” “It is not the snake that kills, but rather, sin that kills.” Therefore, when man removes the “evil beast” from within himself, then evil will be removed from the animals of the world as well. The Ramban, the master of the inner meaning of the Torah, concludes that he prefers Rabi Shimon’s explanation over Rabi Yehuda’s. 

The Rambam, however, explains the nature of the age of Moshiach differently. As a rationalist, the Rambam always chooses a natural explanation of the psukim whenever possible. Here too, he explains (Mishna Torah, Hilchos Melachim 12:1) that in the times of Moshiach, “עולם כמנהגו הולך,” “The world will continue in its natural state.” He therefore explains that the seemingly supernatural prophecy in Yeshayahu “And the wolf will lie down with the lamb” should be interpreted allegorically to mean that the aggressive nations of the world will live together with the Jewish people in peace. The Ra’avad, who is connected to the secrets of Torah like the Ramban, argues with the Rambam, pointing to the pasuk in this week’s parsha, “And I will remove the wild beasts from the land,” to show that the evil nature of the wild beasts will change, just as Rabi Shimon says in the Sifra as explained by the Ramban. This would therefore imply that the Rambam sides with Rabi Yehuda in holding that the nature of the animals will not change in the times of Moshiach.  

The Radvaz, however, defends the Rambam from the Ra’avad’s proof from our parsha. He says that the pasuk regarding the removal of the wild beasts from the land should also be interpreted allegorically to mean that the evil and wild people will be removed from the land of Israel in the times of Moshiach. Indeed, we find that evil people are referred to as “wild beasts” when Yaakov says (Bereishis 37:33), upon seeing the blood-soaked multi-colored coat brought by his sons, that Yosef had been consumed by a “wild beast,” which alludes to the wicked people of Egypt and the wife of Potifar, who attempted to seduce Yosef to sin. So too, the Radvaz explains that in the times of Moshiach, the wild and wicked children of Yishmael who live in the land of Israel, who are called (Bereishis 16:12) “פֶּרֶא אָדָם,” animalistic men, will be removed from the land.  

In actuality, however, the difference between Rabi Shimon/the Ramban/the Ra’avad on one hand and the Rambam and the Radvaz on the other, becomes less stark when one considers how the Rambam concludes his explanation of the times of Moshiach. He writes (Hilchos Melachim 12:5): “ובאותו הזמן, לא יהיה שם לא רעב ולא מלחמה ולא קנאה ותחרות... ולא יהיה עסק כל העולם, אלא לדעת את ה' בלבד,” “At that time, there will be no more famine or war, nor jealousy or envy... The world will involve itself in nothing but the knowledge of G-d alone.” While the Rambam characterizes his explanation of the end of times as completely natural, it is difficult to imagine a more miraculous world than the one described by the Rambam! 

We must therefore explain as follows. The difference between the Rambam/Rabi Yehuda and the Ramban/Rabi Shimon is not whether or not mankind will experience a spiritual transformation. We see that both approaches agree that in the end, mankind attain a spiritually elevated state of dedication to the service of Hashem. Rather, the difference must be that according to the Rambam/Rabi Yehuda, this transformation will take place gradually, and not all at once. According to this view, mankind has the natural ability and potential to rid itself of evil both internally in terms of sin, and externally, in terms of ridding the land of wicked people. 

Rabi Yehuda/the Rambam’s explanation is the first stage. Once man does his part to rid the world of evil, the world will be ready for the second stage, Rabi Shimon/the Ramban’s world in which the evil within mankind will be transformed.  If we try to skip over the first stage in which we obliterate evil from the world, including the people who behave like wild animals and inhabit the land of Israel, it is doubtful that we will ever reach the ideal world in which all of mankind can live together in peace. This is the foolishness of the Western ideal of diplomacy. They believe that they can make peace with the Arab and Muslim world right now. They want to skip the first stage and make peace with those who still actively want to destroy the Jewish people as well as the entire civilized world. Whether the wild animals come from Syria, Iran, or  Chechnya, they must first be obliterated. We can only achieve the peaceful world described by the Navi Yeshayahu after those who do evil are destroyed. 

We also find this two-stage process reflected in the psukim in Tehillim (108:10 and 60:10). In the first pasuk, we say “עֲלֵי פְלֶשֶׁת אֶתְרוֹעָע,” “Plishtim, I will shout [in victory].” This alludes to our victory over the “Palestinians.” In the second pasuk, however, we say “עָלַי פְּלֶשֶׁת הִתְרוֹעָעִי,” “Plishtim, join me.” Which one is it? Do we want victory over them or for them to join us in peace? The answer must be that there are two stages. In the beginning, the only rational approach is to vanquish those who try to harm us with a complete victory. Only after that can we attain the second stage in which we can call out to the children of Yishmael in friendship. We can only make peace with that nation after we have removed the wild and sinful nature from them and from within ourselves. 

It bespeaks the foolishness of the Western nations of the world that they delude themselves into believing they can make peace without first achieving victory over the animalistic nations who want to destroy us. May we merit to see our leaders in Eretz Yisroel and the rest of the world begin to take the evil of the nations which terrorize the world seriously and begin to fight that evil in earnest so that we can reach the time of “And I will remove the wild beasts from the land,” when peace and the knowledge of Hashem will fill the world.

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Rav Moshe Weinberger's Parshas Emor Shabbos Drasha - The Kohein Within

Below, please find a write-up of Rav Weinberger's morning drasha from Parshas Emor. Baruch Hashem, this version reflects his review of the write-up. See here for past write-ups. Also, thousands of Rav Weinberger's shiurim are available onlin HERE. Please note that these drashos will only be available online for one month. Shalosh Sheudos will remain up. If you are interested in a particular drasha that is no longer online, you can email me and I'll send it to you IY"H, BL"N.

Rav Moshe Weinberger

Parshas Emor 5773

Lag Ba’Omer - The Kohein Within 

The Torah teaches the mitzva that kohanim may not come into contact with a corpse (Vayikra 21:1) with the words, “אֱמֹר אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם לְנֶפֶשׁ לֹא יִטַּמָּא בְּעַמָּיו,” “Speak to the kohanim, the children of Aharon and you shall say to them, ‘Let none of you defile himself to a dead body among his people.” The commentaries all explain why the pasuk has to say “speak” and “say,” which seems duplicative. The Zohar (88b) explains that the intent of the pasuk is: “אמור אל הכהנים בלחישו,” “Tell the kohanim in a whisper...” Why is the command that a kohein not defile himself conveyed in a whisper?

In the sefer Eitz Hadaas Tov, Rav Chaim Vital, the greatest student of the Arizal, explains why the Torah permits and even commands a kohein to defile himself by coming into contact with a deceased close relative. He explains that close relatives are branches of one tree which draw from the same root. When one member of the family dies, all close relatives are affected and touched by death. Therefore, because the kohein has already been touched and affected by death, he loses nothing by coming into contact with the person’s body and fulfilling the mitzva of escorting the person into the next world. But if this is true, why should a kohein gadol be different? Why is he forbidden to come into contact with even the seven categories of close relatives unlike other kohanim? 

Rav Moshe Wolfson offers an explanation. He points out there there are three general dimensions, עולם, space, שנה, time, and נפש, soul. And every soul has its own place and time. The place that corresponds to the soul of the Jewish people as a whole is Eretz Yisroel. And each individual Jew has his or her own place in Eretz Yisroel. In fact, the Rambam quotes an opinion that a Jew can acquire property using the particular four amos in Eretz Yisroel with which he or she is associated. A kohein gadol’s place in Eretz Yisroel is the Holy of Holies. And the character of the Holy of Holies, which is the resting place of Hashem’s presence, is (Divrei Hayamim 1:16:27) such that “עֹז וְחֶדְוָה בִּמְקֹמוֹ,” “might and joy are in His place.” Mourning and death have no place in Hashem’s home, which is a place of pure joy. The Holy of Holies is a place of life. Death cannot touch it.  

The living, joyous nature of the Holy of Holies spreads out to all of Yerushalyim as well. According to the Midrash (Shmos Raba Pikudei 52), “כיפה של חשבונות היתה חוץ לירושלים וכל מי שמבקש לחשב הולך לשם למה שלא יחשב בירושלים ויצר לפי שנקראת משוש כל הארץ,” “There was a house of calculation outside of Yerushalyim and anyone who needed to work on his books for business would go there. Why [was it necessary to leave Yerushalayim to work on one’s books]? So that one should not make calculations and experience distress [in Yerushalayim], which is called (Tehillim 48:3) ‘the joy of all the land.’” There is no place for sadness, darkness, depression, or mourning in the city of joy, Yerushalayim.  This place of joy is rooted in the Holy of Holies, the place of the kohein gadol, as the pasuk (Divrei Hayamim 1:23:13) says, “וַיִּבָּדֵל אַהֲרֹן לְהַקְדִּישׁוֹ קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים,” “And Aharon was separated to be sanctified, the Holy of Holies.” The kohein gadol himself is called the Holy of Holies!

Death may touch other kohanim but the kohein gadol, who is connected to the heart of Yerushalyim, the Holy of Holies, is above the concept of impurity and defilement. That is why he does not defile  himself even to his close relatives. Mourning and sadness have no place in the person identified with the clearest manifestation of Hashem’s presence, the Holy of Holies.  

The kohein gadol is anointed with the שמן המשחה, the anointing oil. The word for oil, שמן, is connected to the word “eight” because the kohein gadol is above nature, above the seven days of creation. He connects to that which is above nature. And the word for anointing, “המשחה,” has the same letters as שמחה, joy. The kohein gadol is also the only person to wear eight garments, rather than four, further identifying him with a level of joy that is beyond this world.

Every Jew has a little kohein gadol inside of him - a place where sadness and destruction cannot reach. No matter what has happened to him or what he has done, there is a Holy of Holies deep inside of him which is still filled with a spark of Hashem’s light and joy. 

This Shabbos is the eve of Lag Ba’Omer, the hillula of Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai. Rebbi Shimon shared this attribute of being like the kohein gadol, although he was not a kohein or even from the tribe of Levi. And as we are about to say tonight about the tzadik, “בר יוחאי נמשחת אשריך שמן ששון מחביך,” “Bar Yochai you are anointed, rejoice, with the oil of joy from your friends,” and “בר יוחאי מקדש הקדשים,” “Bar Yochai from the Holy of Holies.” Rebbi Shimon was anointed with the number eight, with the holiness of the Holy of Holies. Therefore, destruction, sadness and mourning have no place in his world. Indeed, it once happened that Rebbi Avraham Halevi, one of the students of the Arizal, said “Nachem,” while he was bentching, although we normally that prayer we normally say on Tisha B’Av, in Meiron on Lag Ba’Omer (as he was accustomed to doing all year) and the Arizal saw a vision of Rebbi Shimon warning that because he brought the prayer of mourning which literally means “comfort,” into Rebbei Shimon’s place, which is a place of joy, that this Jew would ultimately need to be comforted. Indeed, Rebbi Avraham’s son passed away a short time later.

According to the Ramchal, the soul of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai is the soul of the ultimate redemption. “Shimon ben Yochai” has the numerical value of “מחיה מתים,” “Who brings the dead to life.” Rebbei Shimon’s essence is life and the numerical value of “בל'ג בעומר,” “on Lag Ba’Omer” is “שמחה,” “joy.”  Indeed, according to the Zohar (296b) Rebbei Shimon’s last words on earth as a fire descended from Heaven to bring his holy body to Meiron were the words of the pasuk in Tehillim (133:3) “כִּי שָׁם צִוָּה ה' אֶת הַבְּרָכָה חַיִּים,” “For there Hashem commanded the blessing, life...” He died just as he was about to utter the word “life.” That is why the joy of Lag Ba’Omer overcomes the sadness of Sefira, when we mourn the death of Rebbi Akiva’s 24,000 students. Death has no mastery on Rebbi Shimon’s day, Lag Ba’Omer. 

Rebbi Shimon’s mission was to reveal the secrets of Torah. Every Jew also has his or her letter in the Sefer Torah (Tiferes Shlomo, Shavuos 141a), so Rebbi Shimon reveals the secret,  hidden good that exists within every Jew regardless of what he or she has done in life. A secret is something which can only be given over quietly, in a whisper (see, e.g., Tikunei Zohar 3b). That is why the Zohar says that Hashem’s message to the kohanim that they may not be defiled by death is given over in a whisper. Indeed the whole Jewish people are called (Shmos 19:6) a “מַמְלֶכֶת כֹהֲנִים,” “a kingdom of kohanim” because every Jew has an unsullied core, a Holy of Holies within himself. Every Jew holds this secret. Hashem whispers to each one of us through this parsha, “No matter what happened, I still love you. I still see the good in you which is absolutely pure.” There is a place within a Jew about which the pasuk says “לְנֶפֶשׁ לֹא יִטַּמָּא בְּעַמָּיו,” there is an aspect of the Jewish soul which cannot become defiled, which is a Holy of Holies within him.  

In the place within a Jew which is connected to the Kohein Gadol, he is always filled with joy, where he can say “שָׁם צִוָּה יְהֹוָה אֶת הַבְּרָכָה חַיִּים עַד הָעוֹלָם,” “There, Hashem commanded the blessing of life, eternal.” Recognizing this leads to joy for another reason as well. When a person recognizes that Hashem loves him, is not out to get him, G-d forbid, and wants only the best for him, then even when things are very difficult, when Hashem’s attribute of strict justice seems to be revealed, he still rejoices in the knowledge that it is all for his benefit even if he does not understand how or why. 

We see from a particular incident recounted in the Yerushalmi (Sanhedrin 1:2) how Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai’s rebbe, Rebbi Akiva taught him this secret of quietly knowing one’s inner holiness. The Gemara tells us that after the death of Rebbi Akiva’s 24,000 students, when he was ordaining the next generation of students, “אמר ישב רבי מאיר תחילה נתכרכמו פני ר' שמעון אמר לו רבי עקיבה דייך שאני ובוראך מכירין כוחך,” “[Rebbi Akiva] said, ‘Rebbi Meir should sit at the front.' Rebbi Shimon’s face turned white [from embarrassment]. Rebbi Akiva [whispered to Rebbi Shimon], ‘It is enough that I and your Creator recognize your strength.’” We too must remember that Hashem and Rebbi Shimon know that we have strength, goodness, and holiness within us. We have an aspect of the Kohein Gadol; an untainted core inside.

There is a story of Rav Gershon Henoch of Radzin, the son of the Beis Yaakov, when Rav Gershon Henoch was still a little boy of five years old. In his town, there was a lake that the men and boys used to swim in during the summer. In order to reach the lake, everyone had to pass over a rope bridge that only had enough room for one person to pass at a time. As a child, Rav Gershon Henoch was known as being a brilliant but sharp-mouthed boy who was more than a little bit brazen in his behavior. One day he wanted to go swimming but an old man was crossing the rope bridge very, very slowly. He tried waiting but could not contain himself anymore and pushed passed the elderly man by pushing one of his hands off of the rope handle as he squeezed past him. The man called out “Mechutzaf!,” “Insolent child!” And little Gershon Henoch answered back, “Don’t you know who my father is?!” The older man answered, “I don’t care if your father is Rebbei Shimon bar Yochai! You’re a mechutzaf!” 

Shaken up by the incident, the old man turned around and went to go see the Beis Yaakov, little Gershon Henoch’s father, and told him everything that had happened. Very upset at his son’s behavior, the Rebbe sent for his son to come home immediately. When he returned, the Beis Yaakov asked his son what had happened at the lake. The boy admitted what happened and told his father that the man had said “I don’t care if your father is Rebbei Shimon bar Yochai! You’re a mechutzaf!” The Beis Yaakov asked what he had answered to this. He said that he didn’t answer back but that he was upset because he knew that the Rebbe was bigger than Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai! Taken aback, the Beis Yaakov spent several minutes in deep contemplation. When he returned to himself, he said that the man was right that he was a mechutzaf, but that he, little Gershon Henoch, was also correct that he, the Beis Yaakov, could perhaps, one day become even greater than Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai because as long as a man lives, he must continue striving for greatness.  

With G-d’s help, may we all merit to reveal the aspect of Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai within us. When we connect to that point within ourselves which is still a Holy of Holies, we can connect to a place of pure joy and trust in Hashem and realize that we have purity and goodness within us and that we are never too far gone. It is enough that Hashem and Rebbi Shimon recognize our inner greatness.

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