“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos
Kodesh parshas Yisro
19 Shevat 5783/February
10, 2023
לזכר
נשמת נטע יצחק בן אלכסנדר ז"ל
YEARNING
& LEARNING
It
was the morning of the first day of the camp season at Camp Dora Golding a
number of summers ago. I was a division head and was davening next to my
campers and counselors. The chazzan was finishing his recitation of Chazaras
Hashatz when one of my counselors rushed over to me and quizzically said
“Birchat Kohanim!” I smiled and motioned that it was okay.
After
davening I asked him if this was his first time outside of Eretz Yisroel. He
replied that it was. In Eretz Yisroel, the Kohanim bless the congregation every
morning during Chazaras Hashatz. Outside of Eretz Yisroel the custom of
Ashkenazim is that the Kohanim only bless the congregation during major
holidays. Because the Israeli counselor had never been outside Eretz Yisroel,
the omission of Birchas Kohanim was foreign to him.
Whenever
I have the opportunity to be in Eretz Yisroel I get excited for the opportunity
to be blessed by the Kohanim every morning. The fact that I am a Levi and have
the privilege to wash the kohanim’s hands prior, only adds to the experience.
Rabbi
Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz once quipped that a Jew outside of Eretz Yisroel is
like a polar bear in the Bronx Zoo. The bear may eat, sleep, and have its needs
taken care of in comfort. But it’s not in its natural habitat.
When
Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner was in Eretz Yisroel, a student asked him if there was
anything he missed about chutz la’aretz (living outside the Land)? Rabbi Hutner
replied that he missed the feeling of yearning to be in Eretz Yisroel.
The
Chida famously writes, “Ein davar ha’omeid bifnei haratzon — nothing
stands in the way of desire.” This statement (which is mistakenly quoted as a
teaching of Chazal) is often understood to mean that if a person has a strong
enough desire to do something, nothing will prevent him from succeeding. Where there’s
a will, there’s a way.
However,
that is patently not true. Many people fail to achieve their hopes and
aspirations, despite their most arduous and dedicated efforts.
The
Imrei Emes of Ger explained that the Chida is conveying a different idea.
Although we are not always capable of bringing our aspirations to fruition,
nothing can stop us from desiring them and thereby investing effort to attain
them. We can always pine, hope and aspire. What we dream about and yearn for is
very telling about our values and priorities. Even if a person doesn’t actually
hope for something, just wanting to yearn for something has an effect and can
slowly help him develop greater connection with the object of his
wished-for-longing.
In
exile, there are many mitzvos we are unable to fulfill. However, we can develop
a sense of longing to be able to perform those mitzvos.
There
is much worthy discussion and revitalized interest in fulfilling the mitzvah of
having techelis on one’s tzitzis strings.
A
friend of mine (who does not wear techeiles) noted that every morning when he
dons his tzitzis and tallis and when he kisses his tzitzis during Shema he
yearns for the opportunity to fulfil the mitzvah of techeiles.
This
friend also said he makes it a point to recite the passage about the offering
of the Korban Tamid each morning and, when doing so, he tries to think about
the Bais Hamikdash. He tries to generate within himself a feeling of longing
for the return of the Avodah. (It’s worth noting that Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky
writes that reciting the Korban Tamid is “close to obligatory”.)
When
a person is away for some time, he wants to know that that his absence was
noticed and that he was missed. The Bais Hamikdash has been in ruins for over
1900 years. There is something glaringly missing from our lives.
When
we have the merit to visit the Kosel, we should remember what an incredible
opportunity it is. On the other hand, as we watch the Muslims enter any gate they
desire in order to ascend Har Habayis, it should cause a painful emotional
flutter within our hearts and a longing to return to where we belong.
The
power of role models too cannot be understated. The people we look up to can
mold our behaviors and even our ways of thinking.
I
have often told my students that if they admire a professional sports player,
they can aspire to play the game the way that player does and perhaps imitate
his moves and mannerisms while playing that sport. But they should remember
that those players aren’t our role models for life. We have incredible people
to look to to and aspire to be like. Our heroes aren’t lauded for natural,
physical talents, but rather for spiritual accomplishment through constant and
relentless internal focus and effort.
Rabbi
Yaakov Bender related that on one occasion he was in attendance at a Torah
Umesorah meeting for Roshei Yeshiva in an upscale hotel in Manhattan. When the
meeting was over, one of the Roshei Yeshiva asked Rabbi Bender if he could stay
behind so he could speak with him after another meeting he had then.
Rabbi
Bender related:
“I went downstairs and was waiting for
the Rosh Yeshiva by the entrance to the hotel. I noticed that there was a big
commotion in the lobby. Standing next to me was a fellow with a beer-belly
wearing a baseball cap, holding a pad and a pen. Every few minutes a limousine
pulled up outside the hotel and the man excitedly rushed down to see who was
coming out of the limousine. Each time he would come back up the steps,
muttering dejectedly.
“After watching this
happen a few times I asked the man what was happening and who he was waiting
for. He replied that the Major League Baseball awards were being given out in
that hotel that evening. The best players were arriving at the hotel for the
event. He then explained that he only cared to meet and get the autograph of
one player, his hero, Yankees pitcher Roger “the Rocket” Clemens.
“When Clemens finally
arrived, he was so excited to get his autograph that he looked like a
starstruck child. I suddenly had an idea. I always carry a small pad with me so
I could record any ideas or thoughts I think of during the day. I decided that
I was going to get Clemens’s autograph.
“I waited to meet him
and told him I was the head of a major educational institution, and I asked him
to personalize his message: “To Rabbi Bender and the students of Darchei Torah
(he needed help with the spelling). Best of luck, Roger Clemens”.
“This happened on a
Monday. I waited excitedly until it was time to give my weekly schmooze to the
entire Yeshiva on Erev Shabbos. Then I took out the autograph and showed it to
them. I asked them who was interested in buying it. Almost every hand shot up.
I told them we would start the bidding at two dollars. In a very short amount
of time, it was up to twenty dollars. I told them to stop. I then took out the
paper and, in front of them, tore it to shreds.
“Listen
to me,” I told them, “You are willing to pay money for the autograph of this
lowly person because he can throw a ball really fast. But you learn Torah! You
are princes! He should get your autograph! You are truly great people because
you work on growing constantly. A person like Roger Clemens may pitch well, but
he isn’t a great person worth having his signature. Appreciate who you are!”
When
I related this story to my children, we agreed that if we were there, we would
have gathered up the ripped-up pieces of paper and taped them back together.
Roger Clemens autograph torn to shreds by Rabbi Bender! Now, that’s worth
keeping.
The
things a lesson yearns for, dreams about, and aspires for help define his
values and priorities. In addition, they give a person direction, because he
lives his life trying to connect in any way with his ultimate dreams.
Shabbat Shalom
& Good Shabbos,
R’ Dani and Chani Staum