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THE WEEKLY SIDRA- VAYAIRA
Rabbi Moshe Greebel

Without question, one of the most severe obligations of a legitimate Rabbi, is to be a very positive role model. As a matter of fact, it could probably even be argued that the greatest disadvantage to being a Rabbi, is that on occasion, one is obliged to act like one. Every word he states in public, must first be measured and weighed by him, as we see from the following Mishna in Avos 1-11:

“Avtalyon used to say, ‘Sages, be careful with your words…..’”

But, this obligation of being a positive role model is not restricted only to Rabbanim. It is an obligation as well, for each head of each household. For, if the head of a family is too lenient in his approach to the Mitzvos of the Torah, his household will learn from him, as we can see in this week’s Sidra, when Avraham was informed of the prophesized birth of Yitzchak:

“Therefore, Sara laughed within herself, saying, ‘After I am grown old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?’ And HaShem said to Avraham, ‘Why did Sara laugh, saying, “Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?”’” (B’raishis 18:12-13)

Now, the text K’hilas Yitzchak’ (page 18) posed the following on these P’sukim (verses). Since Sara did the ‘irreverent’ laughing, why did HaShem address Avraham (by asking ‘Why did Sara laugh?’), and not her? After all, Sara was an even greater N’viya (prophetess) than her husband was a Navi (prophet). This can be seen from the following Passuk (verse), where Sara demanded of Avraham that he cast Hagar and Yishmael out into the wilderness of Be’er Sheva:

“And G-d said to Avraham, ‘Let it not be grievous in your sight because of the lad (Yishmael), and because of your slave (Hagar); in all that Sara has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Yitzchak shall your seed be called.’” (ibid. 21:12)

On this Passuk, Rashi learned:

“Listen to her voice…..the holy spirit that is in her. This instructs us that when it came to N’vua (prophecy), Avraham was inferior to Sara.”

And, posed the K’hilas Yitzchak, since she was greater than her husband in N’vua, why did HaShem not address her directly? For the answer to this question, the K’hilas Yitzchak turned its attention to the words of the renown Rav Yisroel Salanter (Rav Yisroel Lipkin 1810- 1883) of blessed memory.

If we enter someone’s kitchen, and see that the maid is not very heedful of the Kashrus of what she is cooking, we know directly, that the head of the household was initially not very heedful of Kashrus himself. As well, through her husband’s negligence, the wife must also be very careless when it comes to the Kashrus of her house. Because of this head of the house then, others living there learn to sin as well.

That is why, explained Rav Yisroel, when HaShem took note of the laughing of Sara, that a ninety year old woman as she would bear a child, HaShem knew that this impertinence was the result of her husband Avraham, who at one time was somewhat insolent when it came to a previous N’vua (the K’hilas Yitzchak did not expound on when this took place). And, since Sara learned from Avraham’s example, she laughed at the N’vua of her giving birth to Yitzchak. That is why, according to Rav Yisroel, HaShem addressed Avraham, and not Sara, for he was chiefly to blame.

From here, continued the K’hilas Yitzchak, a great exhortation may be learned, that every head of every household take great care in the performance of Mitzvos, never being inattentive with any aspect of any Mitzvah. For, if he is negligent, Chalilah, his household will unfortunately follow in his footsteps. This must be avoided at all cost!

Touching back to this subject of Avraham having once been insolent when it came to a previous N’vua, while it is certainly not the aim of this weekly email to vie with the positions of great Torah luminaries, posing questions nonetheless, would be perfectly permissible.

Let us begin this way. After HaShem assured Avraham that his seed would be in the multitudes, and inherit the land of Canaan, we find the response of Avraham:

“And he said, ‘L-rd HaShem, how shall I know that I shall inherit it?’” (B’raishis 15:8)

The Gemarah in N’darim 32a offers several answers to the question of why Avraham Avinu was punished with having his children descend to Egypt, and them being exiled there for two hundred and ten years. One of those answers reads:

“…..Shmuel said, ‘Because he went too far in testing the attributes (i.e., the promises) of HaShem, as it is written, “How shall I know that I shall inherit it…..?’”

Since the Gemarah held Avraham accountable, is it then possible that this ‘testing the attributes of HaShem’ was the insolence of Avraham spoken of in the K’hilas Yitzchak? Perhaps, one day we shall know.

Continuing on with this theme of being a good example for others, the K’hilas Yitzchak cited another interesting thought from Rav Yisroel Salanter, concerning that time prior to the death of Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai, where the Gemarah in B’rachos 28b, relates the following:

“When Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai fell ill, his disciples went in to visit him. When he saw them he began to weep. His disciples said to him, ‘Lamp of Yisroel, pillar of the right hand, mighty hammer! Wherefore do you weep?’ He replied, ‘If I were being taken today before a human king who is here today and tomorrow in the grave, whose anger if he is angry with me does not last for ever, who if he imprisons me does not imprison me for ever, and who if he puts me to death does not put me to everlasting death, and whom I can persuade with words and bribe with money, even so I would weep…..’”

Rabban Yochanan went on:

“…..’Now that I am being taken before the supreme King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, who lives and endures for ever and ever, whose anger, if He is angry with me, is an everlasting anger, who if He imprisons me imprisons me for ever, who if He puts me to death puts me to death for ever, and Whom I cannot persuade with words or bribe with money — nay more, when there are two ways before me, one leading to Paradise and the other to Gehinnom, and I do not know by which I shall be taken, shall I not weep?’”

Now, when it comes to the expression ‘When there are two ways before me, one leading to Paradise and the other to Gehinnom,’ is it not true, posed Rav Yisroel, that there are two ways before every man at his departure from this life, may it be in a hundred and twenty years? Why was this ‘before me’ used in the syntax of the Gemarah, as if to designate that only Rabban Yochanan would have two paths before him?

Rav Yisroel explained that since Rabban Yochanan was the Gadol HaDor (the greatest man in his generation), everyone listened to every word he publicly uttered, and took note of every one of his actions in open society. Everyone would learn from everything he said and did, even if there might have been a shortcoming on the part of Rabban Yochanan.

As Gadol HaDor, he had two roads before him then, that others did not, because of his obligation of being a positive role model for that entire generation. As a result of those who learned to do good from observing him, he would be granted the road to Paradise. As a result of those who learned to be careless from him, there would be another road. Such roads would never be taken by the average Ba’al HaBayis (householder).

And so, we see how important and essential it is for everyone to be heedful with all the Mitzvos of the Torah. For, other than HaShem, we really never know who is watching, and what effect our actions will have on another. In truth, our responsibilities concerning the Torah extend well beyond ourselves, to future generations for whom we are equally obligated. Let us make certain to always acquit ourselves favorably concerning such matters.

May we soon see the G’ulah Sh’laimah in its complete resplendency- and in our times.

Good Shabbos.

 

 

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