Today’s learning is dedicated to the refuah sheleima of Simcha Nosson ben Zissel.

In our previous post we discussed the instruction of the Mishnah to be deliberate in judgement. Rather than rush to negative conclusions, we must always attempt to find merit in others. By implementing this practice, we can fulfill the next dictum of the Mishnah, to “raise many disciples.”

Applying these words to the leaders of each generation, the Lubavitcher Rebbe teaches (The Rebbe in Biurim), “Do not rush to judge your flock harshly. Patiently consider the conditions of Divine concealment that led them to their sorry state. You will then be impressed and excited by the small amount of good that they do exhibit. The true leader must recognize the challenges his potential students face and judge them favorably. He will therefore raise many students, finding merit even in those that appear to be meritless.” (This is a continuation from the opening words of the Mishnah which discussed the dissemination of Torah from Har Sinai; such an attitude by our leaders ensures that the Torah is perpetuated from one generation to the next.)

As Reb Noson elaborates (Avos d’Reb Noson 12:12), the instruction to raise many disciples refutes the view of Rabban Gamliel who declared, “One whose inside [state of spiritual development] does not match his outside [behavior] may not enter the academy” (Berachos 28a), and unlike the view of Bais Shammai who held that a Rabbi should teach only those “who are wise, humble and pedigreed.” Instead, the Men of the Great Assembly teach us to heed the words of Bais Hillel who asserted, “Teach every man, since there were many wayward individuals who were welcomed to study Torah and emerged saintly, pious and upright”; and the view of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya who welcomed all students regardless of their spiritual standing or merits. Unlike Rabban Gamliel’s selective approach that asserted that the students must be screened before accepting them into the study hall, the new approach contended that anyone who seeks to study Torah should be given the opportunity to do so.

(The Talmud teaches that after Rabban Gamliel was deposed as head of the Talmudic academy and Rabbi Elazar was instated in his place, it was announced, “Anyone who wishes to study may enter!” Hundreds of benches were added to the house of study due to the overwhelming influx of new students.)

As Rebbe Nachman teaches (Sichos HaRan # 19), “I have a great longing to institute a rule that each person should study a fixed amount in our sacred literature every day, without fail. This should apply even to those who are very far from holiness – even those who are caught in the evil trap and sin habitually, Heaven forbid. The strength of the Torah is so great that it can free them from their habitual sins. If even the worst sinners would take upon themselves a firm obligation to study a set amount every day, they would be able to escape from the evil snare; the Torah’s strength is extremely great.”

The Mishnah is teaching us a fundamental rule – nobody is ever considered passed the point of no return. We must never turn away from those seeking help or assistance. There is a place for anyone who has the desire to learn Torah, to better themselves, to right their wrongs. (Also, we must never think that Torah study is beyond our capabilities. As the Alter of Slabodka, Reb Nosson Tzvi Finkel said, “The Torah is not lacking even to the most accomplished scholar, nor is it beyond the grasp of the simplest schoolchild.”)

In fact, Rebbe Nachman teaches, “When someone studies Torah without understanding what he is learning or gaining any new insights, nonetheless G-d Himself has great joy from his learning.” (Advice, Torah Study # 27; see Likutey Moharan I, 21)

(Additionally, Rebbe Nachman teaches that a person benefits greatly when teaching Torah to others; even if the words do not penetrate the listeners heart or mind, there is a “reflective light” which illuminates for the one speaking words of Torah. As Rebbe Nachman writes (Likutey Moharan I, 184), “Even if the intended recipient cannot accept his friend’s words, the friend can be inspired by what he himself is saying. When his words come forth from his mouth and strike the other, the light is reflected back to the speaker just as when something thrown against a wall bounces back to the thrower. In the same way, when you speak to a friend, you can be inspired by the words that bounce off him even though he himself is unable to accept them. Had you told yourself exactly the same thing it may be that you would not have been aroused in the least. But by addressing them to your friend, you yourself are inspired even if he is not, because your words are reflected back to you from your friend.”)

The true Tzaddikim accept responsibility for every Jewish soul, brining closer those who are distant. While commenting on the verse (Shemos 19:17), “And Moshe brought the people forth from the camp to meet G-d,” the Chiddushei HaRim explains (quoted by the Imrei Emes), “It is the task of the Jewish leader to remove his people from corruption and bring them closer to holy things. Moshe fulfilled this task, for he ‘brought the people forth from the camp’ of everyday life and caused them to rise ‘to meet G-d.’”

The Tzaddikim accomplish this by emphasizing and highlighting the intrinsic beauty and strength of each individual, regardless of how distant they may appear. As Rabbi Yaakov Klein writes, “There is a rule that Tzaddikim do not desire the destruction of anything in the world. Every inanimate object, plant, animal, or human is entirely precious to them since it embodies the wisdom of Hashem. Their only wish is for blessing to be drawn to the entire world through their service… It is for this reason, the Tzaddikim are referred to as ‘builders’ (Taanis 20a).”

“On the verse (Tehillim 34:16) ‘the Eyes of Hashem are to the Tzaddikim,’ Rebbe Nachman of Breslov explains that Tzaddikim approach the world with ‘Godly eyes’, they approach all of creation in an entirely different way than others do. They are able to live with the constant realization that every human, every animal, and indeed, every insect is bursting with the wisdom of Hashem.”

“Since they recognize the wisdom of the Craftsman in all of creation, they desire only construction, never destruction. These are the holy ‘builders’ of the world, who constantly look for ways to provide blessing and life to anything and everything they encounter.”

Similarly, Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev writes (Kedushas Levi, Chukas, V’dibartem), “There is a person who chastises with good words, making known to each Jew his incredible worth and the place from which his soul was hewn, for in truth each Jewish soul is carved from the Throne of Glory. He tells each Jew about the tremendous pride and joy Hashem has from our mitzvos and about the euphoric joy which erupts in the spiritual worlds above when a Jew performs a mitzvah.”

However, as the Talmud states, “Just as no two faces are alike, so too no two minds are alike”; what inspires one person, may not inspire the other. The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains (The Rebbe in Biurim), the dictate of the Mishnah to be deliberate in judgement is a message to the true leaders, imploring them to judge or assess the distinct characteristics of their students, customizing an individualized path of development for each person in particular. Accessing and bringing forth the truest potential of each student requires individualized attention, speaking to each person according to their own spiritual level.

As Rebbe Nachman teaches, “The true Tzaddik seeks to instill wisdom and fear of Heaven in his disciples. To this end, he must speak to each befittingly. To those who are spiritually accomplished, he must demonstrate that they have yet to know anything of G-d. To those who are sunk in the depths of despair, he must reveal that G-d’s radiance is everywhere, hidden within all things; this will awaken those who despair from their spiritual sleep and cause them to return to G-d.”

“By being discriminating with his various disciples, the Tzaddik fulfills the mandate to be deliberate in rendering judgment. Because he relates to each individual’s unique nature and circumstances, the Tzaddik is sought after for instruction and comes to raise up many disciples.” (Mili de-Avot, based on Likutey Moharan II, 7:8)

Similarly, Rabbi Klein writes, “There is another outlook a Tzaddik must give, this time to those of his followers who merit seeing success in their service of Hashem. To the higher-level Jew, the Tzaddik provides gentle admonition, reminding him of the aspect of Hashem in which He ‘surrounds all worlds,’ constantly remaining infinitely far away and impossible to grasp whatsoever. As Rebbe Nachman teaches, “The principle wholeness of the Tzaddik manifests when he can be both ‘above’ and ‘below,’ which means that he has the ability to show those who are ‘above’ and consider themselves to be holding on lofty levels, that they are not as they think, and on the other side, to show those who are ‘below,’ on the lowest of levels, that they are still close to Hashem.” (Likutey Moharan II, 68)

As Reb Noson teaches, “A teacher requires much wisdom and forethought to illuminate those who occupy a high spiritual rung with even greater and more expanded perceptions of G-d’s awesome transcendence. He must warn these students not to be complacent. For as high as the angels are, they never tire of asking, ‘Where is the place of His glory?’ (Musaf Kedushah). Likewise, a teacher needs the same deliberation to be able to convey the reality of G-d’s immanence and closeness to those who occupy a lower spiritual rung. Like the holy angels, they too, must realize, ‘The entire world is full of His glory!’ (Yeshayahu 6:3).”

“This is the meaning of ‘For the Lord shall go before you.’ These words are directed to those who have attained a high spiritual level. They must know that they have not reached their final destination, for true understanding of G-d is always far beyond anything we can imagine. On the other hand, those who have fallen behind must never despair, for ‘The G-d of Israel will surely gather you in.’ G-d is with them in all their trials and tribulations, and He enfolds them in His mercies. This, then, is the context for the Sages’ statement: Be deliberate in rendering judgment, raise up many disciples, and make a fence for the Torah. To attain these sublime insights and to enlighten others, we must be deliberate and discerning. For there are times when we may need to hear how much more we must grow to advance spiritually, while at other times we need help to appreciate how much we have achieved already… Deliberateness is the key to advancing safely from one level to the next on our own path, and it is an essential quality to help others advance, as well.” (Likutey Halakhot, Shutafm BeKarka 5:23)

By being deliberate in judgement, the Tzaddikim successfully raise many disciples. They understand how to navigate this delicate balance; ensuring that their followers do not become complacent resting on their laurels, while at the same time, making sure they never feel lowly or despondent.

On a related note, the importance of customizing a personalized path of spiritual development teaches us a crucial lesson concerning our individuality. While it is essential for us to admire those who stand on an exalted level, and while we are instructed to constantly strive for greater heights, me mustn’t let these aspirations and hopes lead to feelings of inadequacy when comparing ourselves to others.

As Rabbi Moshe Kormornick writes, “Everyone is created differently: physically, mentally, and emotionally. Our strengths and weaknesses are different from one another, as are our experiences and struggles. As such, our success in life cannot be determined by being compared to those around us. Our only measurement to determine success is whether we could have done better based on our own potential.”

It states in Tanna D’Vei Eliyahu (Chapter 25) that each Jew is obligated to yearn to reach the exalted level of the Avos, saying, “When will my actions reach those of our forefathers?” However, as Rabbi Klein writes, “This idea seems very difficult to understand. One wonders how the actions of even the greatest Tzaddik of our generation – let alone the actions of us simple Jews – could come anywhere near the actions of Avraham, the chariot of the Divine Presence. To entertain such an objective seems surely to border on either hopeless foolishness or outrageous arrogance. How could we possibly set a goal which seems so incredibly lofty, an objective which seems so impossible to reach?”

Perhaps our discussion can shed light and clarity on this perplexing statement. Clearly, Eliyahu HaNavi did not mean that we are expected to reach the lofty levels of our forefathers, or even dream of such an attainment. Rather, we must try to serve Hashem to the best our abilities, striving to achieve our very own potential, just as Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov served Hashem to the best of their abilities.

As Reb Zusha of Anapoli famously said, “When I go up to heaven, I am not afraid that they will ask me why I wasn’t Moshe Rabbeinu or Dovid HaMelech. I am afraid that they will ask me why I wasn’t Zusha.”

As Rabbi Klein writes, “Each one of us, in saying ‘When will my actions reach those of the Avos,’ must long to become not Avraham Avinu, but to become ourselves, to fulfill our individual potential for the growth, dedication, and love of G-d that we are all able to reach.”

Similarly, the verse states (Shemos 6:26), “This is Aharon and Moshe,” but the very next verse reads, “This is Moshe and Aharon.” Rashi explains that the Torah alternates who is listed first to show that Moshe and Aharon were considered equal. Commenting on this statement, Rabbi Moshe Kormornick writes, “Rav Moshe Feinstein (Darash Moshe) asks how Rashi could possibly suggest that Moshe and Aharon were of equal stature. The Torah tells us that there was no one who was comparable to Moshe! How are we to understand Rashi’s comment? Rav Moshe answers that Rashi isn’t suggesting that Moshe and Aharon were equal in terms of their accomplishments. Rather, Rashi is explaining that just as Moshe fulfilled his role in serving the will of Hashem to the best of his abilities, so too Aharon equally fulfilled his mission and purpose in serving the will of Hashem to the best of his abilities.”

“Rav Moshe is teaching us a very powerful and important lesson. Hashem doesn’t expect us to be someone else, nor will Hashem judge us relative to other people. The only thing Hashem expects from us is that we become the best people we can be. If we focus on continuing to work on ourselves to maximize our potential, then we are certain to accomplish great things and exceed even our own expectations!”

The final instruction of the first Mishnah is to “make a fence for the Torah.” Simply understood, this is a directive to establish Rabbinical safeguards and provisions that act as protective bounds against violating Torah prohibitions (Yevamos 21a). These are additional enactments beyond Torah law that serve as a buffer zone to keep a person from transgressing the Torah itself. As the Torah says, “And you shall safeguard my charge” (Vayikra 18:30; Moed Katan 5a; Rambam). For example, the Rabbis forbade even the handling of certain utensils on Shabbos, lest one use them to perform a labor that is forbidden by the Torah.

We protect that which is dear to us. When we truly value and appreciate the Torah, we will guard and protect it at all costs. Upon being asked why he was so stringent in Halachah, the Brisker Rav answered with a question of his own: “Would you be willing to sleep on the roof of a hundred-story building, if there was no gate around its parameters? You would refuse to sleep there even if you weren’t at the edge. Now, if you are so afraid and cautious for your physical wellbeing, shouldn’t you be concerned and cautious for your spiritual wellbeing as well?”

However, this teaching also contains a deeper message. As Rebbe Nachman explains, the Mishnah is continuing from its previous statement to raise many disciples; although the Tzaddik welcomes all who wish to study, still he must make a fence for his words. By using his judgment to withhold lofty insights that are beyond his disciples’ grasp, he makes a fence for the Torah. (Mili de-Avot, based on Likutey Moharan II, 7:8)

(The Meiri states that this teaches us to “make a fence around our words” when teaching Torah to others. We must be sensitive and considerate towards our audience and their capabilities; carefully considering the appropriate content, length, and time.)

Lastly, as Reb Noson explains (Likutey Halakhot, Shutafim BeKarka 5:23), “By increasing the number of people who learn Torah, one also constructs a fence around the Torah, for this ensures that the Torah will never be forgotten. Each generation of students will teach the next, in increasing numbers. In this way, the Torah will endure forever… Those who follow the ways of the true Tzaddikim will preserve the transmission of the Torah so that it endures until the coming of the Mashiach, may he be revealed speedily in our days. And then all humanity will behold the truth.”