‘Parsha Growth Spurts’
Rabbi Dani Staum
Parshas Behar-Bechukosai
“And if your brother becomes poor, and his means fail with you, then you shall uphold him.” (Vayikra 25:35)
Rav Moshe Shternbuch shlita explained that the Torah demands that, not only must we support the impoverished financially, but we must also be concerned for the emotional needs of others. Particularly, if one feels disheartened because he doesn’t feel success in his Torah study it is a mitzvah to encourage and assist him.
This is especially prevalent in yeshivos where there are students who find their studies too difficult, despite their investing valiant efforts. The Torah commands us to give chizuk to anyone who is not as successful as we are.
Rav Shternbuch quotes Rav Avraham Misochatchov zt’l who explained that this was B’nei Yisrael’s charity during their forty years in the desert. At that time there was no financial needs so they couldn’t give charity. Rather, they gave each other chizuk and helped each other grow in Torah.
Rav Shternbuch concludes that there is no greater form of “if your brother becomes poor” than one who feels despondent about his learning. Conversely, there is no greater form of charity than to help him mitigate those feelings by supporting and bolstering his efforts.
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“If you consider My decrees loathsome, and if you reject My ordinances… then also I will do the same to you…” (Vayikra 26:16)
Ohr HaChaim explains that the pasuk says ‘also I’ referring to Hashem’s attribute of compassion, i.e. if we don’t hearken to the Torah and mitzvos, not only will Klal Yisroel be culpable based on G-d’s attribute of judgment, but also according to His attribute of compassion we will be deserving of punishment.
Gra explains that if Hashem punishes out of din (judgment) there is hope that He will have mercy and mitigate the punishment. If Hashem punishes out of mercy however, the retribution will be far more severe.
This is analogous to a father who strikes his son because the son acted cruelly to his brother. The father’s intense reaction towards his aggressive son is fueled by strong feelings of compassion for his victimized son.
This is why, at the beginning of Megillas Rus, Elimelech, Machlon, and Kilyon were punished so severely. Because they left Eretz Yisroel and did not care for their brethren, Hashem punished them out of feelings of compassion – i.e. compassion for the rest of Klal Yisroel who they left forsaken.
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“I will remember for them the covenant of the ancients…” (Vayikra 26:45)
In the beracha of Al Hatzadikim in Shemoneh Esrei we recite a prayer for ‘playtas sofreihem – the remnants of their scholars’. Who does this refer to? Why don’t we pray for the scholars themselves?
Rav Elyashiv shlita explained that ‘remnant’ refers to those who were privy to see and have some connection with the scholars and Torah lifestyle of the previous generation. Every generation has an obligation to try to connect itself with the previous generations. The ‘remnants of the scholars’ are those who are able to foster that bond by nostalgically recounting and retelling the greatness they witnessed in days of yore.
Rabbi Yehuda Hanassi stated (Eiruvin 13b) that he was able to write the Mishna because one time he saw the back of the great Tannaic sage Rabbi Meir as he walked down the road. He then added, “Had I seen him from the front, I would have been even greater”.
Rabbi Berel Wein explained that the Gemara is saying that Rabbeinu HaKadosh saw Rabbi Meir who was a Torah leader of the previous generation. Rebbe was explaining that because he merited to have some level of exposure to the previous generation that was sufficient to make an indelible impression upon him.
Rabbi Wein added that any greatness American Jewry has accomplished is because Torah was founded and built on these shores by great personalities of the previous generation. Those born in America however, were only able to see the great scholars of Europe ‘from the back’. And those born in the next generation lack even that level of exposure. Therefore, we must relish the opportunity to learn the lessons of those who still bear those priceless memories and legends.
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Sources: Rav Shternbuch – Ta’am V’da’as; Gra (Rus 1:19); Rav Elyashiv – Divrei Agadah
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