Rabbi Doniel Staum, LMSW
Rabbi, Kehillat New Hempstead
Social Worker, Yeshiva Bais Hachinuch
If you know anyone interested in receiving Stam Torah via email each
week, send their address to: thestaums@kewnet.com
STAM TORAH
PARSHAS KI SAVO 5769
“THE OLD FOOLISH KING”
The Alter of Norvadok, Rabbi Yosef Yoizel Horowitz zt’l1, related a witty parable which presents an accurate portrayal of much of our society:
A stranger came running into town one day, looking flustered and breathless. When people noticed a harried stranger excitedly searching for something they became curious and intrigued. They too rushed outside and began following the stranger on his relentless pursuit. As they continued down the street others noticed the commotion and joined as well. Within a short time an entourage of hundreds of people joined, and were running through town. However, the masses had no idea why they were running, all they knew was something excited was about to happen and they didn’t want to be left out.
A lone man noticed the procession whizzing by him. He ran past all the followers, and all the distinguished leaders of the community, and caught up with the breathless stranger. “My friend, can you tell me why you are running so fast and why all these people are following you?” The stranger continued running as he replied, “I have no idea why all these people are following behind me. All I know is that I really need to find a bathroom quickly!”
After reviewing all the events and travails that the Jewish Nation had endured throughout their forty year sojourn in the desert, Moshe Rabbeinu foreboded the horrific curses of the tochacha (‘rebuke’) which would besiege the nation if they did not pay heed to the Torah.
Moshe warned them that the curses would be so severe that they would become insane from witnessing them. (28:34) “You will go mad from the sight of your eyes that you will see2.”
I remember once hearing a conversation between two elderly men. The younger of the two was complaining that senility was beginning to set in and, at times, he would forget the most obvious things. The older man replied, “You’re at a tough stage. You still realize that you’re forgetting and that’s why you feel old. Just wait a couple of years and you won’t even realize that you’re forgetting. Then life will become blissful again.”
The Dubner Maggid noted that an insane person is often convinced that his actions are normal. It is only those who watch him that realize he is crazy. However, at times, an insane person may be sane enough to realize that his behavior is eccentric. Such a person will be deeply pained that he is unable to control himself.
Moshe warned the Jewish Nation, that no matter how severe and how terrible the curses of the rebuke would be, they would always maintain an awareness of their ‘insanity’. Many persecuted nations have escaped their misery by ‘selling out’ or defecting. The Jewish Nation lacks that ability. Moshe promised them that they will always be acutely aware of their incredible pain and suffering, and will never be able to become lost in it.
Rabbi Shimshon Pinkus zt’l explains that an insane person is not necessarily a person committed to a mental ward. It can even be a person who society sees as normal. He illustrates this idea by contrasting a destitute individual with an extremely wealthy individual.
A wealthy person who becomes consumed by his money can easily lose himself to his wealth. He can become so obsessive about money that he unwittingly prioritizes it above all else, including his family and friends. His life becomes a marathon in pursuit of another dollar and leaves him no rest. We can say that such an individual has gone crazy on account of his wealth. But perhaps the greatest tragedy is that he is unaware of his madness and does not realize the damage his wealth is causing him.
A destitute person also lives an abnormal lifestyle. He is compelled to beg others for compassion, and he has no choice but to rely on the graciousness of strangers who view him as a nuisance. He must ignore the ignominy and lack of dignity that his ‘profession’ entails. The difference is that the destitute individual is keenly aware of his insanity. If one would ask him about his lifestyle, tears would well up in his eyes and he would sigh out of anguish.
Rabbi Pinkus writes that this concept is true about our generation. Our morally depraved society world is ravaged by breakdowns in the normal social order. Family life has been shattered, respect for elders and authority has been severely compromised, and society is built upon the pursuit of mindless entertainment above all else.
But the scariest part about it is that we see it! It is clear to any sensible rational person that our cultural ‘norms’ are abnormal, and that we must transform our lifestyles. But we refuse to alter our behaviors and trends. We want to have change without changing! And so we continue our madness, aware that we are only deepening our problems.
Rabbi Pinuks continues that this concept is applicable to Torah observant Jews as well. Every Torah Jew is aware of the spiritual bliss one feels when he serves G-d properly. Hopefully, we have all ‘tasted’ the celestial joy of praying well, doing mitzvos, and the feeling of fulfillment one enjoys when learning Torah. And yet we waste so many opportunities to enjoy that bliss. Precious moments and days slip through our fingers because of our inept and sloth attitudes. We are aware of our folly and yet we continue to indulge in it.
The verse in Koheles3 states, “Better is a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to take care of himself.” The Medrash explains that the ‘poor but wise youth’ refers to one’s Good Inclination4. He is wise but is considered poor because most people do not heed his call. The “old and foolish king” refers to one’s Evil Inclination. In truth, it is not the Evil Inclination who is foolish, but us, the victims of his schemes and plots. By luring us into vapid temptation and inane sin, our Evil Inclination causes us to appear foolish and callow.
One of the greatest schemes of our Evil Inclination is to create ‘something out of nothing’. Much of our culture is built on the pursuit of the happiness and inner peace that is achieved from glamour, wealth, paparazzi, and fame. But it is all futile, because that whole concept is nonexistent. It is - as the Alter of Norvadok explained - a society mindlessly pursuing what everyone else is pursuing, as if without recourse.
Intellectually we are aware of the traps that our Evil Inclination lays out for us. Yet we often succumb anyway. It takes a discerning eye and heart to, not only see the emptiness of our society, but to be ready to fight its trends.
It is a daunting task to refuse to be insane in an insane world, but one who does so is ensured a life of inner peace and happiness.
“You will go mad from the sight of your eyes that you will see”
“An old and foolish king”
0 comments:
Post a Comment