Parshas Acharei Mos-Kedoshim 5785
- Torah Tavlin
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
לא תקם ולא תטר את בני עמך ואהבת לרעך כמוך אני ה' ... (יט-יח)
The Netziv, R’ Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin zt”l quotes the Talmud Yerushalmi which states that Nekama, vengeance, is nonsensical. Imagine a person is cutting meat; his hand holding the knife slips and he cuts his other hand. Would the person then punish the hand that slipped by cutting it as well? The Yerushalmi concludes by explaining that this is the message of the posuk, “We may not take vengeance because we must love one another.” We are all similar to the fingers of a single hand, or limbs of a single body. If we take vengeance upon another person - even to redress a wrong - we are cutting off one of our own limbs. The mitzvah to honor and respect another Jew is not merely designed to serve a practical purpose, to assure order and harmony in society. It has a higher purpose. It is designed to reorient our perspective upon ourselves. We are commanded to refrain from vengeance and to love one another in order to foster within ourselves a healthy and truthful perspective. We must recognize that we are members of a group and nation. This does not mean the individual is not important, or that a person’s sense of individual significance is improper. But our sense of our own individual importance cannot overwhelm our realization and acknowledgement that we are also part of Klal Yisroel.
At the outbreak of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, R’ Isser Zalman Meltzer zt”l and his esteemed son-in-law, R’ Aharon Kotler zt”l, fled Russia to Poland. R’ Aharon stayed in Poland to head the Yeshivah in Kletzk, while R’ Isser Zalman emigrated to Eretz Yisroel and was appointed Rosh Yeshivah of Eitz Chaim in Jerusalem. R’ Isser Zalman is credited with introducing the derech of the Lithuanian Yeshivos to Eretz Yisroel and he was known as the “Rosh Yeshivah of the Roshei Yeshivos.” His middas ha’anavah, his humility and modesty, were legendary. Even when a yeshivah bochur would come talk with him in learning, he would discuss the sugya as if he were talking to an elderly talmid chacham. When a young child would ask a good question or propose a good answer, he would jump for joy.
It is told that a group of 13-year-olds in the Eitz Chaim Yeshivah once came to R’ Isser Zalman to be tested. R’ Isser Zalman asked them about a certain Tosfos, and one of the students was quick to respond - with the wrong answer. With a smile, R’ Isser Zalman answered, “Wonderful! You surely meant such and such,” and he began to explain the Tosfos properly.
The young boy countered, “No, Rebbi, that is not what I meant,” and he reiterated his incorrect response.
Unruffled, R’ Isser Zalman said, “I understand. Come, let’s see.” He then proceeded to explain the Gemara in tedious detail, returning eventually to the question of Tosfos. Afterwards, he explained Tosfos’ answer in such an erudite fashion that its meaning was beyond doubt. R’ Isser Zalman was sure the boy understood the correct pshat at this point.
Yet the boy stood his ground. “Why doesn’t the Rebbi understand - I explained it differently!”
By now the other boys in the class were grinning and snickering, and their Rebbi was becoming increasingly agitated. It was borderline chutzpah and the Rebbi would not abide by it. Yet, for the next 10 minutes, R’ Isser Zalman tried again and again to explain it to the boy, and again and again he would ask, “You probably meant this, right?”
And each and every time, the boy would not relent. “No, no, that is not what I meant.”
Finally, when the situation had gone beyond all reasonable limits, R’ Isser Zalman excused himself and left the room.
Curious to see where R’ Isser Zalman had gone the Rebbi opened the door quietly and peeked into the hallway. He saw the great Rosh Yeshivah pacing the hallway, repeating to himself over and over, “‘Yehi k’vod chavercha chaviv alecha k’shelach’ - your friend’s honor should be just as important to you as your own. When the Torah commanded us to have honor for other people, it was referring to children as well; honoring one’s fellow man includes children!”
Shortly thereafter R’ Isser Zalman reentered the room, returned to his place at the head of the table and turned to the student with a shining face. Once again, he asked, “Now, please tell me, how do you explain the words of the Tosfos ...?”