STAM
TORAH
PARSHAS
BEHA’ALOSCHA 5777
“WHO YOU GOING TO CALL”
My Rebbe, Rabbi Berel Wein, related that there was a woman who survived the horrors of the Holocaust and the Concentration Camps, but lost everything, including friends and family. For years, she would peel vegetables and cook a pot of soup every day. Then, when it was ready, she would angrily spill it down the drain to ‘spite G-d’ for all the pain and agony she had suffered.
Rabbi Wein commented that although her act seems like blatant brazenness, one can view it from a vastly different perspective: Despite all that she had gone through, and all of the horrors she had endured, she still maintained her unwavering belief that everything that occurred to her was orchestrated by the Hand of G-d. She was angry at that Hand but she knew, unquestionably, that it was all G-d’s work!
It was finally time for the nation to
travel forth from Sinai. After all of the glory and greatness of what occurred
at Sinai, from that point onward there seemed to be one tragedy after another. The
gemara says that when the nation departed Sinai they did so “like children
running away from school”[1].
They were afraid that more laws and restrictions would be imposed upon them.
Shortly after, complainers aroused tension and unrest among the masses, igniting
G-d’s wrath. A fire raged within the camp causing much damage.
When that debacle concluded, yet another
tragedy followed. “The rabble that was among them cultivated a craving, and the
Children of Israel also wept once more and said, ‘Who will feed us meat?’[2]”
They complained that the manna was trite and unfulfilling, and they desired
real food. That event too ended in severe tragedy, with many dying a horrible
death.
Rabbi Yecheskel Abramsky zt’l was once
asked the following question:
Our forefathers who witnessed the exodus, revelation
of Sinai, and the omnipresent miracles in the desert were known as the “Dor
De’ah – Generation of knowledge”. There never was, or will be, a generation
that had such a deeply rooted connection with the G-d as they did. Every individual
of that generation merited being a progenitor of the eternal Chosen Nation. Yet,
when studying the events that transpired throughout their forty year sojourns
in the desert, there seems to be a glaring lack of faith and connection with
G-d. If they were so connected how could they repeatedly fall prey to sin?
Rabbi Abramsky answered by relating that, one
year during the reading of Megillas Esther on Purim, he noticed a young boy who
did not shake a grogger when the name of Haman was read during the Megilla. Later
on, he asked the boy why he didn’t make noise like all the other boys his age
did. The boy replied that he did not have a grogger. The boy explained that he
was an orphan and had no one to ask to procure a grogger for him.
Rabbi Abramsky explained that the greatness of
that generation was that they truly felt that G-d was their father, who cared
about every petty detail in their lives. Therefore, as soon as there was
anything in their lives that bothered them they turned to their Father and
voiced their dissatisfaction. Thus, it was their incredible faith and
connection with G-d which caused them to subtly lose perspective and complain
to G-d inappropriately.
In other words, it wasn’t a lack of faith
that caused them to sin, but an overwhelmingly stark realization of their
connection with G-d. The problem was that their stark understanding caused them
to lose sight of proper boundaries.
Rabbi Abramsky added that when the nation
gathered en masse to donate materials for the construction of the Mishkan the verse
says[3]:
“The Children of Israel brought a donation to G-d.” The Torah is testifying that when they brought
their donations to Moshe it was solely “for G-d”, i.e. without any ulterior
motive. They were not interested in personal fame and honor, only the honor of
G-d.
The greatness of that generation was their
deep-rooted knowledge that G-d is truly a loving Father. They understood that
when one has complaints or doubts in lives, ultimately the only One who can
help is G-d.[4]
To them it wasn’t polemics; they lived with that realization!
Some
years ago, a yeshiva student wrote a letter to Rabbi Shimshon Pincus zt’l,
about certain serious issues that he felt were impinging his growth. He turned
to Rabbi Pinkus to solicit his advice. Rabbi Pinkus’ response is characteristic
and legenendary[5]:
“To the
precious student…
“I received
and read your letter. I must say that I have not reached a level where I can
give advice to people, telling them exactly what to do. However, I will reply
and respond to your remarks according to my limited understanding.
“It seems to
me that you are trying very hard to grow in Torah and Yiras Shamayim (Fear of
Heaven), and that you are certainly fulfilling your required efforts and hishtadlus
in this regard. However, you now find yourself in a position where you simply
need help from outside. The logical explanation for this is simply because all
lofty and spiritual pursuits require special assistance, above and beyond our
physical capabilities. Therefore, I am providing you with the name and address
of someone who can surely help you:
“They call Him
G-d.
“He is very
strong, since in truth, He created everything! I also know with certainty that
He loves you personally very much, and that He especially desires that you
should turn to Him. You will have no problem finding Him, since He is
everywhere, in the simplest form of understanding. In fact, even now as you
read this letter, you can simply turn to Him.
“I write this
because many people mistakenly think that this understanding is only attained
through Prayer, good deeds, and exalted levels…. This is all true. However, it
is not the main requirement. Rather, the main requirement is to understand that
G-d is not a “concept”, Heaven forfend. Rather, G-d is real, alive, and eternal and we
can forge a personal relationship with Him!
“The more that
we realize this, the more we will turn to Him - and the stronger our
relationship with Him will become. We will simply share our problems with Him
and ask Him to help us over and over…
“If someone will
give you different advice, it is a waste of your time to pursue it. Simply turn
to the One who can truly help you (Hashem Yisborach) and grab hold of Him and never let go until you
achieve that which your heart desires!
“I sign with
honor for a Ben Torah who is searching for the truth, but simply doesn’t know
where to look!
----Shimshon
Dovid Pincus”
Rabbi Pincus
did not merely preach these ideas. He lived them every day of his life.
There was a
couple who lived in Ofakim[6] who were not blessed with
children[7]. Years went by and, despite
all their efforts they still did not merit a child.
One day the
man approached Rabbi Pinkus and poured out his heart. After listening to the
man’s painful account, Rabbi Pinkus replied that he was going to pick him up
that evening to take him to a special place to daven.
The man
wondered what kind of mystical and holy place Rabbi Pinkus knew of, that he was
going to take him to in the dead of night.
That night
Rabbi Pinkus borrowed his neighbor’s car and, around midnight, drove up to the
man’s house. They drove out of Ofakim into the nearby desert. After some time,
they arrived at a deserted area. Rabbi Pinkus told the man that he should exit
the car. After the man stepped out, Rabbi Pinkus told him: “It is dark and
ominous here in the dead of night! Don’t look for a road to take you home
because there is nothing out here. In this place, it’s just you and the Master
of the World! I am leaving you here and I will return. Do not speak to G-d,
don’t cry, and don’t pray. Rather, scream out to G-d! Pour out your heart and
soul and beseech Him with prayer. In that way, you will receive the slavation
you seek. I will be back in a half-hour.” With that Rabbi Pinkus drove off into
the night.
Rabbi Pinkus
returned a half-hour later and gazed at the shaken young man’s face. “I’m
sorry, but it seems to me that you have not cried sufficiently. I am telling
you again: Cry! Beg! Speak with G-d and relate to Him your request!” With that,
Rabbi Pinkus again drove off.
Sometime later
he returned again. This time he noticed that the man’s clothes were drenched
with sweat and tears. Rabbi Pinkus smiled, “This is what I meant. You will see
that your prayers will be answered.”
Today the young
man is the father of a beautiful family.
The Gemara[8] states: “Anyone who has no
wisdom, it is forbidden to have mercy on him.” Rabbi Shimon Schwab zt’l
explained[9] that this surely does not
refer to someone who lacks intelligence or is lacking mental aptitude. Rather,
it refers to one beset by travails, disease, and difficulties who does not
consider that it is G-d who is behind everything transpiring to him. Such a
person has lost perspective of his suffering and therefore does not deserve the
mercy of others.
The personages
mentioned in the Torah may have been cuplable of various sins on their level,
but they remain our foremost role models, because they understood how to live a
life of connection with G-d. Ultimately, the struggle and pursuit incumbent
upon every one of us is to live by their example. We must truly believe that G-d
is our father and king, and only He has the ability to grant us our needs and
desires.
“Who will
feed us meat?”
“Our Father
in Heaven”
Rabbi Dani Staum, LMSW
Rabbi, Kehillat New Hempstead
Rebbe/Guidance Counselor – ASHAR
Principal – Ohr Naftoli- New Windsor
[1] Shabbos
115b
[2] 11:4
[3] 35:29
[4] Their ‘sin’
was that on their great level they should have presented their complaints in a
more refined and respectful manner.
[5] The letter
is printed in the original Hebrew in Nefesh Shimshon (Igros Umichtavim). I have
found this translation is not my own, but am unsure of its authorship.
[7] This
incredible story is written in ‘Rabboseinu Shbadarom” a biography about Rabbi
Pinkus, page 144
[8] Sanhedrin
92a
[9] Commentary
to Yeshaya 27:12
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