ruled that quality can override quantity.
Whatever role a Jew assumes in Klal
Living for Others
A Gadol’s Responsibility to Klal Yisroel
By Rav Moshe Shternbuch
The following was
written by Rabbi
Daniel Yaakov Tra-
vis based on a drasha
given on leil Shabbos
by Rav Moshe Shtern-
buch, Rosh Av Beis Din
of the Eidah Hacharei-
dis of Yerushalayim.
•••••
ERASED FROM
THE TORAH
“Why isn’t Moshe Rabbeinu’s name
mentioned in Parshas Tetzaveh? When
Klal Yisroel sinned and Hashem threat-
ened to wipe them out, Moshe said, ‘If
You do so, then wipe me out from the
Torah’ (Shemos 32:32). The Zohar (Pin-
chos 286) explains that the curse of a
chochom is fulfilled even if the condi-
tions are not met. Therefore, Hashem
removed Moshe Rabbeinu from Par-
shas Tetzaveh” (Baal Haturim, Shemos
27:2).
The words of the Zohar, as cited by
the Baal Haturim, are quite astounding.
Moshe Rabbeinu was moser nefesh to
We must infuse our actions with emotion and fervor.
defend the Jewish people, and agreed to
have his name wiped out from the To-
rah in order to ensure their perpetuation.
Why was he punished for such a seem-
ingly noble act?
What makes this even more difficult
is that we find that the Zohar criticizes
Noach for his lack of initiative in de-
fending his generation. So much so that
the Zohar calls the Mabul “mei Noach,
the waters of Noach.” Instead of con-
demning Moshe Rabbeinu for his de-
fense of the Jewish people, the Torah
should praise him for his actions.
We can understand Moshe Rab-
beinu’s absence from Parshas Tetzaveh
in a completely different light. Gedolei
Yisroel, the Torah leaders of each gener-
ation, are obligated to be moser nefesh,
to give up everything, for the sake of
Klal Yisroel. They must go out on a limb
for the Jewish people, even if it means
losing out in their own lives.
While this principle is certainly true
regarding sacrificing personal comfort,
it even extends to spiritual endeavors.
Each day in Krias Shema, we proclaim
that we must serve Hashem with all of
me’odechah, literally our possessions.
The Chofetz Chaim explains that this
refers to that which is the most (me’od)
important to us, namely, willingness to
make spiritual sacrifices for the sake of
Klal Yisroel.
While every Jew must be ready to
give up anything for the sake of the
Jewish people, for gedolei Yisroel, for-
going their personal growth for the sake
of the nation as a whole is part of their
essence. Willingness to sacrifice their
own spiritual ascension shows that they
are completely sincere and dedicated to
their work; this is the litmus test wheth-
er they have truly given themselves over
to Hashem’s will completely.
Chazal tell us that even when a per-
son leaves this world, if his name is
19 Adar 5770 • March 5 2010
mentioned in the context of his learning,
then sefasayim dovevos bekever, it is as
if he is still alive and learning Torah in
this world. Moshe Rabbeinu’s sugges-
tion that he be removed from the Torah
was the greatest act of spiritual self-
sacrifice that a person could ever offer.
Moshe was ready to give up this possi-
bility for eternal reward throughout all
the generations in order to ensure the
perpetuation of the Jewish people.
In this light, the removal of Moshe
Rabbeinu’s name from Parshas Tetza-
veh is an accolade and not a criticism. It
is a reminder of his great self-sacrifice,
and a lesson to all future Jewish lead-
ers. Gedolei Yisroel must be willing to
follow suit and relinquish some of their
spiritual growth for the sake of Klal Yis-
roel.
A FATHER
OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE
Moshe Rabbeinu taught us that a Jew-
ish leader must give himself over to the
people. A gadol is a father to Klal Yisro-
el and must fulfill his role accordingly.
While he must be willing to sacrifice
himself for everyone’s needs, he must
put in extra effort for those who cannot
take care of themselves.
Once, a local rov visited the great
gaon, Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzensky
zt”l. Rav Chaim asked him what he
considered the role of a Jewish leader.
The rov responded that such a person is
obligated to worry about the kashrus,
chinuch, mikvaos and eruvin of the town
where he holds his position.
Dissatisfied with his answer, Rav
Chaim Ozer pressed, “Is there anything
else?” The rov thought for a minute,
trying to think of any other halachic re-
sponsibilities that he might have omit-
ted. He could not think of anything else,
and replied that this seemed to be it.
Rav Chaim told him that he had for-
gotten one of his most important jobs
- to care for the orphans and widows
in his town. As the leader of his com-
munity, it was the rov’s obligation to
ensure that individuals who had no one
to worry about them were taken care
of. Rav Chaim Ozer practiced what he
taught and was known as the father of
all orphans and widows in Klal Yisroel.
PERSONAL ROLES
While it is a great privilege to have
the opportunity to give to the Jewish
people, each person must know what his
personal role is. One Jew’s job might
be to be involved with kiruv rechokim,
bringing back his brethren who have
strayed from the truth of Torah. A dif-
ferent person’s role is to learn diligently
and become a talmid chochom.
Taking the wrong role is a serious of-
fense. The Gemara in Maseches Eruchin
writes that a Levi who was meant to
sing, yet instead locked doors, or vice
versa, was obligated to be killed. Each
person must take advice from rabbonim
as to which role is best suited for him.
At first glance, the jobs that put a per-
son in the limelight and present opportu-
nities to affect the masses seem the most
attractive. The Chazon Ish, however,
YATED NE’EMAN
One true talmid chochom can have a tre-
mendous impact on the Jewish people
just by his own private learning in his
home or bais medrash.
HAVE A HEART
Hashem tells Moshe Rabbeinu that
the workers he should find to construct
the Mishkan must be chachmei lev -
those who have “wisdom of heart.” In-
telligence is generally associated with
the mind, so it is surprising to find it
here connected with the heart. What is
the deeper meaning of this phrase?
While using one’s mind is one of the
hallmarks of a Jew, it is not enough. We
must infuse our actions with emotion
and fervor as well. The combination of
chochmah and lev produces truly out-
standing results.
Parshas Ki Sisa
Barrier-Free
By Rabbi Aaron Fink
Chazal teach us that the enormous
consequence of the chet ha’Eigel is felt
by each generation. The immense trage-
dy of this devastating sin is hard for us to
fathom. It changed Klal Yisroel forever,
like a scar that never fully heals. As we
reflect on what we lost, one cannot help
but wonder, what would Klal Yisroel look
like had we not erred and is there any
way to recapture that essence?
We know that following Hashem
Yisborach’s acceptance of Moshe Rab-
beinu’s entreaties on our behalf, Moshe
himself was told, “Pesol lecha,” carve
out new Luchos, “karishonim,” similar
to the originals. Of course, they were not
exactly alike. Alas, they could not be, as
the reality of Am Yisroel had changed.
The new Luchos had to include the word
tov, to help remind us that goodness is
We must use the time to reawaken our neshamos.
only found in our spiritual endeavors.
The original Luchos were intrinsically
good. The essence of tov was not miss-
ing; it just did not need to be written. The
unblemished naaseh venishmah commu-
nity could see them for what they were,
the ideal gift from Hashem Yisborach.
They weren’t just good. They were per-
fect! There was clarity, identity and un-
derstanding.
Nevertheless, with the acceptance of
Moshe’s tefillos, there was kapparah
from on High. Hashem Yisborach gifted
us the opportunity to again find that same
clarity, identity and understanding in To-
rah. Only now it would come through the
force of pesol lecha - our personal effort
and yegiah baTorah. Indeed, through our
own ameilus, we could strive to recreate
the original naaseh venishmah society.
However, the shattered Luchos repre-
sented not only a breakdown in clarity of
Torah, but a relationship lost. The Eigel
“maseichah” that the Bnei Yisroel encir-
cled in dance was, as its name implied,
a maseichah - a mask or a barrier - to
kurvah with the Ribbono Shel Olam. As a
result, middah kinegged middah, Moshe
Rabbeinu was required to wear a mas-
veh, a veil, when transmitting Torah to
Am Yisroel. So powerful were the rays of
spiritual luminescence emanating from
him that Am Yisroel needed protection
so they would not be harmed. They were
Yisroel, he should carry it out with much
thought as well as passion. Putting one’s
mind and heart into his actions shows
true commitment to what he is doing.
All Jews should strive to be chachmei
lev, to reach the full synthesis of mind
and emotion in all they do.
•••••
Rabbi Travis is a rosh kollel of Kol-
lel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim, and is
the author of Shaylos U’Teshuvos Toras
Chaim and “Praying With Joy - A Daily
Tefilla Companion,” a practical daily
guide to improving one’s prayers, avail-
able from Feldheim Publishers. Rav
Shternbuch’s weekly shiurim on the par-
sha are now available as a sefer titled,
“A Voice in the Darkness.” For more
information about his work, contact dy-
travis@actcom.com.)
no longer worthy and needed a shield.
They simply could not get as close to the
Shechinah as before.
However, just like Hakadosh Boruch
Hu commanded Moshe Rabbeinu, “Pe-
sol lecha,” as a tikkun for the lost clarity
of Torah, Hashem Yisborach also provid-
ed a vehicle to somehow regain the close-
ness to Him that was lost. A fascinating
semichas haparshiyos teaches us how.
After Hakadosh Boruch Hu acquiesc-
es to Moshe’s bakasha for forgiveness,
Hashem Yisborach tells him, “Shemor le-
cha es asher anochi metzavcha hayom.”
The Ribbono Shel Olam then restates the
obvious: “Elokei maseichah lo saaseh
loch - Do not make for yourselves false,
barrier gods.” Still reeling from the chet
ha’Eigel, this tzivui seems superfluous.
However, when placed in the context of
the very next posuk, we learn a major ye-
sod. The very next verse states, “Es Chag
Hamatzos tishmor,” as we are presented
with the very first parshas hamoadim.
Why now? Because the venue to reclaim
the kurvah lost by our building the Eigel
Maseichah is found through our connect-
ing with Hashem Yisborach at Yom Tov
time. The moadim are a barrier-free meet-
ing time to get close to Hakadosh Boruch
Hu. They are a power that we can harness
through the excitement and geshmak that
we invest and find in celebrating each
chag. When we harness the koach of the
Yomim Tovim and imbibe the spiritual en-
ergy each holiday gifts us, we can again
feel Him in our lives. And potentially, we
can reach almost as close to the Ribbono
Shel Olam as we did by Matan Torah.
That is the power of Yom Tov. However,
like the Luchos sheniyos, the maxim of
pesol lecha is at play. Indeed, to harness
the energy of the moadim, we need effort,
focus and preparation so that the essence
of each chag will permeate our soul.
Shloshim yom kodem lachag is not
limited to only halacha and ritual. We
must use the time to reawaken our nesh-
amos to Sinai and get closer to Him. With
the inspiration of Purim inside us, we are
ready. Let us set our sights on the ch-
odesh hageulah and prepare ourselves to
plumb the spiritual opportunities Pesach
offers. The time is now.
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