STAM
TORAH
PARSHAS
KI SISA 5778
“RELATABLE
GREATNESS”[1]
After the passing of the beloved Mirrer Rosh Yeshiva,
Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel z”tl, R’ Mordechai Grunwald, executive director of
Yeshivas Mir and a close talmid of Rav Nosson Tzvi, was asked to deliver a
hesped at the Yeshiva Gedolah of Teaneck. Amongst many stories that he told
about Rav Nosson Tzvi, he related the following:
Approximately 15 years before Rav Nosson Tzvi’s
passing, there was a family from New York who lost their father, a
distinguished Talmid Chochom, and talmid of the Mir. Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel had
a particularly fond relationship with the deceased and took it upon himself to
ensure that his orphans have a fatherly figure in their lives. He told the
children to correspond with him through letters, and that they can ask him any
question that they have on their minds. Rav Nosson Tzvi kept photos of these
orphans in his pocket as a constant reminder of his “other” family.
The children took advantage of their surrogate father
and would correspond with him about everything. Despite the challenges of Parkinson’s
disease which ravaged his body, Rav Nosson Tzvi would write back letters in
response. This went on for many years until the boys grew up and went to Eretz Yisroel
to learn in Yeshivos. Rav Nosson Tzvi helped arrange for the boys to go to
Yeshivos that catered to each one’s uniqueness. Every Friday night, the boys
could be found enjoying their Shabbos Seudah at the table of the Rosh Yeshiva.
After R’ Mordechai Grunwald completed the hesped, he
was approached by one of the kollel yungerleit of the Yeshiva Gedolah of
Teaneck who related the following:
“The story about the orphans is unbelievable, but it
doesn’t end there. There was an 8-year-old girl among those 4 orphan boys.
Unlike her older brothers, she didn’t know how or what to write to Rav Nosson
Tzvi, and she was saddened that she didn’t have a close relationship with the
Rosh Yeshiva. Then one day her mother handed her a letter from Yerushalayim
that was addressed to her. She excitedly opened the letter and pulled out a
hand-drawn picture of a large heart shape with a message to her, signed by Rav
Nosson Tzvi on the bottom.
Since her father had passed away, she never felt so
loved. That little girl is my wife. To this day she recalls how happy that
letter made her feel.”
When the Torah describes the attributes of Bezalel, the chief architect of
the Mishkan, it says, "Hashem filled him with G-dly spirit, with wisdom
(chochmah), understanding (tevunah) and knowledge (da'as)".[2]
Rivash[3]
defines "da'as" as basic conceptual understanding, such as ‘the sum
of a whole is greater than its parts’.
Maharal asks that if the Torah lauds
da'as as one of Bezalel’s qualifications for constructing the Mishkan, how can
it refer to simple awareness of the most rudimentary concepts?
Rav Yochanan Zweig explains that often individuals who possess genius-level
talents in a particular field, lack awareness of basic rudimentary procedures
or social norms. At times, those who delve and dabble in esoteric or mystical studies,
lose touch with reality. Their heads become so lost in the clouds, that they
cannot relate to basic earthly matters. Those procedures which are elementary
to the average person or basic common sense, become foreign to such people.
The gemara states that after being childless for many years, Chana prayed
for a child that would be average. The Navi teaches that her prayers were
answered when her son Shmuel was born.
As a child, Shmuel was already issuing complicated Halachic rulings. He was
clearly a prodigy who was ultimately blessed with prophecy. He is also compared
in stature to both Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon HaKohein combined. How is his
birth a fulfillment of Chana's prayers for an average child?
What Chana was praying for is a child who would be considered normal by his
peers, irrespective of his capacities and talents. This is indeed a blessing
for often those who are imbued with special talents and abilities are viewed as
eccentric or, even worse, abnormal.
Betzalel was familiar with all of the mystical secrets of Torah. The Gemara
states that he had the capacity to recreate heaven and the earth. Yet, the
Torah testifies that he did not lose touch with reality; he still possessed
"da'as". While this might not appear to be an accolade for the
average person, for an individual whose mind is preoccupied with thoughts that
remove him from this world, possessing da'as is a great accomplishment. True
wisdom must be accompanied by a strong sense of reality. If the wisdom causes
the individual to lose this sense of reality, then the wisdom itself is
lacking.[4]
In the aftermath of the egregious sin of the Golden Calf, Moshe accused
Aharon of unwittingly misleading the nation and causing the sin.[5] Yet,
shortly thereafter, Aharon is appointed as Kohain Gadol. Wouldn’t it seem that
Aharon not be appointed for that very reason?
When Yaakov Avinu blessed his children at the end of his life, he conferred
the blessing of monarchy on Yehuda. Why was it not given to Yosef, who was the
king who guided the entire country of Egypt, and his own family, through very
challenging times?
Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik zt’l offered the following explanation[6]:
“Only the person who encounters sin, who is subject to fall for short
intervals, and also knows the art of rising, of lifting himself up, will
understand the people, will have the compassion with the unfortunate ones, with
those who stayed, with those who got lost and fell.
“Yehuda disgraced himself twice and yet rose again, will extend a hand to
those who trip and fall. He will help them stand up erect again. The saint
would have no understanding of chet (sin), and errors, and his sacrificial
soul is too sensitive to insist, to demand, and to defend.”
The primary role of the Kohain Gadol was to draw the nation close to G-d
through the holy Service, and to achieve forgiveness for the people from their
mishaps and sins. It was impossible to fulfill such a role if he was aloof and
disconnected from the nation. The Kohain Gadol had to sense his own need for
forgiveness and atonement, so that he could relate, and properly intercede for
those he represents.
Aharon was selected not despite his unwitting role in the Golden Calf, but
because of it!
My Rebbe, Rabbi Berel Wein, notes that Shaul, the first king of the Jewish
People, forfeited his role after a mere two years. In a sense, the problem was
that he was too perfect. The Navi describes him as “an excellent young man; no
one among B’nei Yisroel was more handsome; he was a head taller than any of the
people.”[7] He
was unable to relate to the foibles and shortcomings of the nation, and it
caused him to commit some serious mistakes which rendered him unworthy of the
monarchy.
Dovid Hamelech on the other hand, had a vastly different life experience.
He was shunned and discounted by his own family. His father described him as
“the youngest who tended the flock… ruddy-cheeked, bright-eyed, and handsome.”[8] No
one thought Dovid was amount to much. But his sincerity and yearning for
greatness made him the ultimate leader, whose monarchy is eternal. He did not
allow his ow mishaps to destroy him, nor did he ever concede to despair. He is
the symbol of hope and persistence and was able to relate to every Jew with
patience and righteousness.
The gemara[9]
states, “We do not appoint a caretaker upon the public unless he has ‘a box of
insects’[10]
hanging from behind him, so that if he becomes too haughty they say to him,
‘Turn behind you’.” A leader who never
struggled, at least on some level, will not be able to relate to his followers.
The greatest of leaders
are those who are able, not only to lead by example, but also to lead through
experience. Those have been there and done that, can show others the path they
followed to achieve greatness.
“Hashem filled him with G-dly spirit, with... da'as"
“The youngest who tended the flock”
Rabbi Dani Staum,
LMSW
Rabbi, Kehillat New
Hempstead
Rebbe/Guidance
Counselor – Heichal HaTorah
Principal – Ohr
Naftoli- New Windsor
[1] Based on the
lecture given at Kehillat New Hempstead, Shabbos Kodesh parshas Ki Sisa (Parah)
5777.
[2] Shemos 33:3
[3] Quoted by
Maharal on the Mishna in Pirkei Avos which states "if there is no
understanding there is no knowledge, if there is no knowledge there is no
understanding".
[6]
The Rav Thinking Aloud - Shemos
[7]Shmuel
I 9:2
[8]
Shmuel I 16:11-12
[9] Yoma 22b
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