Peace : Pirkie Avot 1:12-15

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Two of the greatest sages of the Talmud, some may say of the Torah, were the two Chochim/Wise men Hillel and Shammai.

It is well known that one was considered Strict and the other considered Lenient, with Hillel being the Lenient one while Shammai was always the Strict one.

The following statements from the Talmud Tractate Pirkie Avot (Wisdom of the Fathers) demonstrates some of their traits:

12. Hillel and Shammai received the Torah from them. Hillel said: Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving your fellow creatures and bringing them close to the Torah.

13. Hillel used to say: He who aggrandizes his name, loses his name. He who does not increase his knowledge, decreases it. He who learns not, forfeits his life. He who makes unworthy use of the crown (of the Torah) shall pass away

14. Hillel used to say: If I am not for myself who will be for me? Yet, if I am for myself only, what am I? And if not now, when?

15. Shammai said: Make your study of the Torah a fixed habit. Say little and do much, and receive all men with a cheerful face.

I would mainly like to discuss the first statement which Hillel made, "Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving your fellow creatures and bringing them close to the Torah.". What does Hillel really mean with this statement? How was Aaron the symbol of peace? It is not really clear from this statement. What is needed is some commentary, and looking into how Aaron acted at certain points in the Chumash (5 books of Moses).

What follows are some explanations of this view of how important making peace really is. And we need to really define what Peace is, because as we all know Peace is not something that self-hating organizations such as PEACE NOW espouse. Nor is true Peace what organizations such as the United Nations espouse. True peace is something which only the Torah, and observing its commandments, can truly bring to the world. This kind of peace is the kind of peace which Aaron brought about, causing brothers to love each other, and sons and fathers to resolve problems. The kind of peace which Aaron brought was a peace between the family, between fellow Jews.

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http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/694137/jewish/The-Teaching-of-Aaron.htm

The Teaching of Aaron
By Tali Loewenthal

This week's Torah reading1 tells us of the passing of Aaron, brother of Moses and High Priest of the Jewish people for forty years.

The Tanya2 relates that when a tzaddik, a righteous person, passes from this world, all his or her spiritual achievements continue to have an effect in the realm of the living. They become a powerful source of blessing for all those "who follow in his way."

This means that if we study what Aaron stood for and emulate him to the best of our ability, becoming his devoted disciples, we will benefit from Divine blessing in his merit. And a blessing from G‑d is always a good thing...

What was Aaron's teaching?

We find this clearly expressed in the first chapter of Ethics of the Fathers: "Be amongst the disciples of Aaron—loving peace, pursuing peace, loving ordinary folk and bringing them near to Torah."

The Sages tell us that Aaron devoted himself to carrying out the command "love your fellow" to the highest degree. The Midrash relates how he attracted people to the teachings of the Torah. He never got angry if people failed to meet the expectations of Jewish law. He would meet a person who was somewhat lacking in his observance of Judaism and greet him with a smile and a warm reception. On leaving, the man would think to himself: "If Aaron the High Priest greets me so warmly he must think I am a very worthy person. I must improve myself!"

In this way, simply through pleasantness and warmth, Aaron encouraged the Jews of his generation to feel close to the ideals of the Torah.

The word used in Ethics of the Fathers for "ordinary folk" is beriot, meaning "creatures." This is explained as meaning that Aaron's example was to love everyone including "creatures," that means, people with very negative behaviour, as if their only redeeming feature is that he or she was created by G‑d. Yet the path of Aaron is to find the hidden good that exists within all.3

The Sages tell us that Aaron worked to bring peace between people in general, and especially between husband and wife. He found ways to patch up quarrels, sometimes by subterfuge: if A and B were in conflict, he would tell A how much B likes him, and tell B that he heard A singing his praises...

We can imagine Aaron—a man of infinite sincerity, who stood for peace and love and succeeded in engendering these ideals in the lives of other people. The Lubavitcher Rebbe, whose yahrtzeit, the 3rd of Tammuz, is always observed in proximity to this week's Torah reading, had similar goals. Through his teachings and personal example he taught a path of recognizing the inherent potential for good in each person. The Rebbe taught that this wholesome perspective itself strengthens that person's power for good and for positive action.4

The Sages tell us it is through love of one's fellow that the Temple will be restored. By striving to be disciples of the Rebbe in our generation, and of the chain of Sages reaching back to Aaron and Moses in the past, we will bring the Redemption.

FOOTNOTES
1.   Numbers 19:1-25:9.

2.   The basic text of Chabad teaching, written more than 200 years ago by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi. See Part 4, sec. 27.

3.   See Tanya, Part 1, ch. 32, 41b.

4.   See Aryeh Solomon The Educational Teachings of Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson (Jason Aronson, 2000).

By Tali Loewenthal   More articles...  |   

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http://www.shemayisrael.com/parsha/kahn/archives/teruma71.htm

Torah Attitude: Parashas Terumah: Unconditional love for every Jew

Summary

We must love our fellow Jews unconditionally. Aaron helped others change their ways by conversing with them as if they were his best friends. Rabbi Meir listened to his wife's advice to pray for the criminals to return from their evil ways. The Chofetz Chaim, Rabbi Sonnenfeld and Rabbi Feinstein exhibited such love for their fellow Jews that it brought them to feel an eagerness to observe Torah commandments. "Words emanating from the heart of one enter the heart of the other." In order for chastisement to be effective it must come from a loving heart. It is the holy duty of every Torah observant Jew to conduct himself in such a way that his love for every fellow Jew shines through his actions.

Disciples of Aaron

The next thing enumerated in the Mishnah needed to acquire Torah is "to love people." (see Torah Attitude: Parashas Nasso: To save a marriage, June 4, 2009 how to develop love for someone by giving to that person). Earlier in Pirkei Avos (1:12) it says: "Be among the disciples of Aaron … loving people and bringing them close to Torah." The Rambam, in his commentary on this Mishnah, quotes from Avos d'Rabbi Nosson (12:3) who describes how Aaron used to conduct himself. When Aaron found out about someone who behaved in an evil manner, he would make an effort to befriend the person. He would get into long conversations with him as if he was his best friend. The culprit would feel ashamed thinking to himself "if Aaron would just know what I am really like, he would not even look at me. I can see that he really thinks that I am an honourable person. How can I let him down." In this way, the person would often change his ways and even become a disciple of Aaron.

Love and bring close to Torah

This teaches us that when the Mishnah encourages us to love people and bring them close to Torah, it is not referring to two separate items. Rather, these are two parts of one package. When a Torah observant person shows his unconditional love and care for a fellow Jew, it will bring about that even someone who is far removed from Torah observance will become closer to Torah (see Tanya, chapter 32). Sometimes it will only cause a change in attitude, but in most instances the recipient will take steps to become more observant. This is how Torah scholars have conducted themselves throughout all generations. On the one hand, they will fight those who have abandoned the Torah way of life. But this in no way contradicts their love for their fellow Jews. On the contrary, their battle stems from the strong love beating in their hearts for every Jewish person.

Love G'd, hate evil

In Tehillim (97:9) King David says: "Those who love G'd hate evil." This should not be misunderstood neither by the Torah observant person nor by the transgressor to be interpreted as a personal animosity. Rather, it means hate the evil but not the evil doer (see Torah Attitude: Parashas Vayeira: Hate the sin, not the sinner, October 25, 2002). The Talmud (Berachot 10a) relates that there was a group of criminals that lived in the neighbourhood of Rabbi Meir, one of the rabbis of the Mishnah. These criminals were bothering him so much that Rabbi Meir prayed for them to die. His wife, Beruria, asked him why he would pray for their death. "Is it because of what it says (Tehillim 104: 35) 'May the sinners cease from the earth?' This could be literally translated as "May sins cease from the earth", said Beruria. "Rather than praying for the sinners to cease from the earth, pray for them to return from their evil ways." Rabbi Meir listened to the advice of his wife, and soon the criminals did teshuva. They returned from their evil ways, and stopped disturbing Rabbi Meir.

Chofetz Chaim

It is well known that when the Chofetz Chaim met non-observant Jews, he would engage them in conversation and try to influence them to change their ways without a word of chastisement. He would exhibit such a love for his fellow Jews that it brought them to feel an eagerness to change their ways and observe the Torah commandments.

Heart to heart

This is a classic example of the famous saying: "words emanating from the heart of one enter the heart of the other." When a person addresses another with genuine feelings of love, he will influence the listener in a very real way. On the other hand, if someone engages another person in an intellectual dispute it will enter the mind of the other person but will not affect him. As Rabbi Israel Salanter used to say, "What a person knows intellectually has no more influence on his conduct than if it was another person who had the knowledge." Only when a person internalizes the intellectual knowledge and takes it to heart will it have a real affect on the person's conduct and way of life. This is what the Torah says (Devarim 4:39): "And you shall know today, and you shall take it to your heart that HASHEM is G'd in the Heaven above and upon earth below. There is no other." Even the knowledge of G'd's existence is not sufficient to influence someone if he does not take it to heart and develops an emotional commitment to act upon his knowledge.

Need to reprove

But sometimes there is a need to chastise and give reprove. This applies especially in education of children. Says King Solomon (Mishlei 27:5): "Open chastisement is good from hidden love." The Metzudas David explains that in this verse King Solomon teaches us that in order for chastisement to be effective it must come from a loving heart. If one manages to establish a good and loving relationship with a child, then even in times when one has to reprove the child, the child will accept and even appreciate the reproof. For the child will understand that the reproof is borne out of a genuine love and concern. This applies both at home and in school where educators must find a way to show their charges their love and care at all times. If one gives reproof in anger or frustration, children may listen out of fear for the consequences. But it will not have a lasting effect on them, and the moment they see the opportunity they will do what they want rather than following the reproof. The same applies to Rabbis and other spiritual leaders. They will have a much better chance to influence their congregants and followers if they manage to convey a general message of love and care.

Rabbi Sonnenfeld

At the time of the British mandate in Palestine, as it was called then, one of the great rabbinic leaders of the orthodox community was the rabbi of Jerusalem, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld. He stood up as a lion to protect the old establishment of Jerusalem and did not tolerate any changes that the secular immigrants wanted to introduce. There was an ongoing battle between the two camps. One rainy winter day there was a knock on the elderly rabbi's door. The visitor had grown up in Jerusalem but had abandoned his old lifestyle and joined the secular Zionist camp. He apologized for disturbing the rabbi but explained that one of the leaders of his organization was very ill and had been hospitalized for a month in a hospital run by English missionaries. The doctors had given up hope on the patient, and the visitor asked if the rabbi would write a note to Doctor Wallach who was the head of the Orthodox hospital Shaarei Zedek in Jerusalem. As soon as the rabbi heard the request he got up to put on his coat. The visitor said that all he wanted was a note of recommendation, and not to bother the rabbi to go out, especially in the heavy rain. Rabbi Sonnenfeld said to him, "If I write a note, I am not convinced that they will accept the patient. But if I go there myself, I am sure that I will be able to convince Dr. Wallach to accept him." The rabbi went and got the patient into the hospital, and thereby saved his life. When it came to dealing with a person on an individual level, Rabbi Sonnenfeld did not look at the lifestyle or observance of the person. He did whatever he could to help a fellow Jew in need.

Rabbi Feinstein

The great halachic authority, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, who was one of the leaders of post-War American Jewry, conducted himself in the same manner. He was very uncompromising when it came to dealing with streams of Judaism who did not adhere to halacha. But he treated every Jew with genuine love. Once on Erev Yom Kippur he was taken in a wheelchair down an elevator on his way to the yeshiva that he headed. An obvious secular Jew also entered the elevator and the two exchanged cordial greetings. Rabbi Feinstein wished the gentleman that he should have a good year and blessed him with health, success, and nachas from his children, as well as that he should merit to see the coming of Mashiach. The gentleman was visibly touched by the sage's warm blessings, and expressed his surprise to one of the family members who escorted the rabbi. "It is obvious that I am a secular Jew", he said. "Nevertheless, I am 'somebody' in the eyes of the rabbi." When the family member later related to Rabbi Feinstein how the person had reacted, he said very simply, "But he is a Jew". That said it all.

Love every Jew

We live in a time when the secular media and politicians try to portray the observant community as looking down upon and despising their secular fellow Jews. Nothing could be further removed from the Torah way of life. It is the holy duty of every Torah observant Jew to conduct himself in such a way that his love for every fellow Jew shines through his actions. This applies especially nowadays where most non-observant Jews were brought up in an environment where they did not have a chance to learn what Torah observance is all about.

Reach out and bring close to Torah

Obviously, the obligation to show love for others does not apply only to non-observant Jews. The Torah obligates us even more in regards to observant Jews (see Sefer HaChinuch #243 and the commentary of Minchas Chinuch). The Talmud (Taanis 7a) quotes Rabbi Chanina, who used to say: "I learned a lot from my rabbis, but I learned even more from my colleagues. And from my students I learned more than from anyone else." This refers to the three levels of Torah study. One starts as a student of a mentor. Then one continues to learn Torah with study partners. And the one who merits will eventually be able to become a teacher with his own students. At all three stages it is important that a person has a love for his fellow Jew, for only then will he be able to succeed in any of these situations. But the love for a fellow Jew goes way beyond mentors, study partners and students. It obligates us to reach out to every Jew and bring them close to Torah.

These words were based on a talk given by Rabbi Avraham Kahn, the Rosh Yeshiva and Founder of Yeshivas Keser Torah in Toronto.

Shalom. Michael Deverett

[muman613]

Here is a lesson from WebYeshiva:

http://blog.webyeshiva.org/pirkei-avot/insights-in-pirkei-avot-hillel-aharon-and-loving-humanity

Insights in Pirkei Avot: Hillel, Aharon, and Loving Humanity
Written by Rabbi Yitzchak Blau

Sunday, 13 December 2009 12:22

Hillel and Shammai received from them. Hillel would say: Be like the students of Aharon. Love peace, pursue peace, love humanity, and bring them close to Torah. (Avot 1:12)

Our sages present Aharon, the High Priest, as the great promoter of peaceful relations. When two Jews quarreled, Aharon informed each disputant that the other desired reconciliation; thereby, he brought about renewed harmony (Avot de’Rabbi Natan 12:3). Can we root this midrashic theme in biblical passages?

Some verses in Malachi may provide textual support. Talking about the priests, the prophet says: “The Torah of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found on his lips, in peace and integrity he walked with me, and turned many away from sin” (Malachi 2:6). Assuming that this verse refers to Aharon, he is associated with pursuing peace. Furthermore, the end of the verse in Malachi explains another midrashic motif associating Aharon with influencing others away from sin. According to the same section of Avot de’Rabbi Natan, Aharon’s mere friendship toward the wicked embarrassed them into mending their ways. Both themes about this biblical hero also appear in Hillel’s statement above.

Rabbenu Yona adds an insightful comment regarding the first two parts of Hillel’s teaching. Someone can profess great love of peace and even harbor strong feelings about this ideal without doing much to promote it. Therefore, Hillel follows up his call to “love peace” with a directive to “pursue peace.” Rabbenu Yona provides us with an important reminder not to measure ethical excellence based on which sermons people give or what values they prefer to discuss. A person can talk about ethics endlessly without actually acting in an ethical fashion.

Hillel certainly did much more than mouth ethical platitudes. Talmudic stories about Hillel’s patience when confronted by a series of questions intended to irritate him and when dealing with a trio of prospective converts with unusual requests (Shabbat 31a) reveals a person with great character and love of humanity.

R. Yisrael Lipschutz (Tifferet Yisrael) notes the implications of Hillel’s word choice. Hillel does not speak of love of “ha’adam” but of love of “ha’briyot.” He explains that the later term indicates a more universal message including non -Jews whereas the term adam, in contrast, was sometimes used by Hazal to refer specifically to the Jewish community (see Yevamot 61a). Hillel calls for a wider love that encompasses all human beings.

This comment takes on added meaning in light of a passage in Rav Kook’s writings. Rav Kook portrays Avraham as the paragon of universal compassion and Aharon as the paradigm of a more parochial benevolence, focused on the Jewish people (Orot Ha’Kodesh 3:337). According to R. Lipschutz, Hillel depicts Aharon himself as having a universal element since Hillel identifies love of humanity with the students of Aharon. Perhaps the true students of Avraham and of Aharon would understand the need for a dual approach to chessed, one that focus special energy on Jewish brethren even as it remains concerned with the suffering of other people’s as well.

May we not just talk about ethics but act ethically and may the reach of our concern encompass the various elements necessary for ethical splendor.

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http://www.sichosinenglish.org/books/sichos-in-english/26/09.htm

Chapter 1 Mishnah 12-14

2

There is a connection between the first chapter of Avos, and the portion of Shemini.

Let us read the words of Hillel:

Hillel said: Be of the disciples of Aharon, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving your fellow creatures, and bringing them near to Torah. He used to say: He who seeks renown loses his name; he who does not increase [his knowledge of Torah] decreases it; he who does not study [Torah] deserves death; and he who exploits the crown [of Torah for his own ends] shall perish. He used to say: If I am not for myself, who is for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I? etc.
(Avos 1:12-14)

How is this connected to the portion of Shemini? In Shemini we find Moshe praising the greatness of Aharon, as Rashi brings:

... during the whole seven days of the installation when Moshe was setting up the Tabernacle and officiating therein and dismantling it daily the Shechinah had not rested upon it and the Jews felt ashamed ..., He therefore had said to them, "This is the thing which the L-rd commanded that you should do so that the glory of the L-rd may appear to you, my brother Aharon is more worthy and excellent than I am, so that through his sacrifices and ministrations the Shechinah will rest upon you." (Rashi, Vayikra 9:23)

This same thought is included in Hillel's words. But first let us note that Hillel has been compared to Moshe in many respects:

A) Hillel was the Nassi of the Jewish people just as Moshe was.

B) Hillel was counted among the "receivers" of the Torah -- a link in the Chain of Tradition from the first "receiver" of Torah -- Moshe.

C) The Sifrei writes: Moshe lived to the age of 120, one of the four, who died at 120, these are their names: Moshe, Hillel the Elder, etc. Moshe lived in Egypt for forty years, in Midyan for forty years and maintained the Jews for forty years. Hillel the Elder came up from Babylon at the age of forty, he served the sages for forty years, and he sustained the Jews for forty years.

Similarly when Hillel advises us to be disciples of Aharon he is praising the qualities of Aharon, just as Moshe did.

Essentially, Moshe and Aharon had different paths of Divine service, Moshe was the embodiment of Torah and Aharon's role was "Kehunah" (service) -- prayer. But in Moshe's words as well as in Hillel's words we perceive not an exclusion of Aharon from Torah, but rather the incorporation of Torah into prayer. This was made evident when Aharon was told by Moshe to teach the Jews, and when Moshe admitted Aharon's superiority, and was not ashamed to say so. In Hillel's words, the idea was expressed thusly "... loving your fellow creatures and bringing them near to Torah." So Hillel speaks of the combination of the work of Aharon with Torah, and in the next Mishnah we again see Hillel speaking of the "Crown of Torah."

In a previous farbrengen the idea of Crown of Torah was explained to mean that Torah crowns the person and his entire existence is enveloped and permeated by Torah.

If Hillel speaks of the Crown of Torah he too must be referring to a style of Divine service which is completely absorbed in Torah study -- this would seem to exclude the service of Aharon. For if one must love peace, pursue peace and bring the creatures near to Torah, he would have to neglect his own Torah study in order to go out to the "creatures."

In order to understand this, let us first reexamine the term "Crown of Torah." Actually there may be two different meanings for this term. (A) A "Crown" for the Torah -- some special aspect of Torah study which acts as a Crown of Glory for all the Torah that the individual has studied. (B) The Torah serves as a "crown" for the scholar. These different meanings will apply in different situations.

In Hillel's Mishnah, he uses the term "taga" -- crown -- which is referred to in Gemara:

Whoever makes use of a crown passes away from the world ... This applies to one who accepts service from one who can repeat halachos -- the Crown of Torah. (Megillah 28b)

Here, Halachos are seen as a special level in Torah knowledge, like the crown on the head.

The other aspect of Crown of Torah we find in the Rambam:

He whose heart prompts him to fulfill this duty properly, and to be crowned with the Crown of the Torah.... to win the Crown of Torah,... he must not allow his mind to be diverted to other objects. Possibly you may say: "when I shall have accumulated money, I shall resume my studies"; Rather make the study of Torah your occupation. He should be especially headful of all his nights and not waste a single one of them....
(Laws of Torah Study 3:6-13)

These pointers are not necessarily connected with learning the Halachah branch of Torah; the Rambam did not mention "Halachah" here. Rather, here the Torah Crown refers to general knowledge of Torah, as it encompasses and crowns the total existence of the scholar. And to reach this state one must follow the distinct directives of the Rambam.

The "Crown" of Halachah is another subject. Studying Halachah puts one in this position, and thereby includes him in the rule that "Whoever makes use of the Crown ... etc." And although this student of Halachah spends part of his time in other matters, and later in life puts his main efforts into other interests, he does not lose his former position.

Hillel's connection of Aharon's ways with the Torah Crown illuminates our earlier problem.

There is no contradiction between the path of one who is crowned with Torah and the work that must be done to attract the "creatures" to Torah. We are not referring to the person whose whole life is devoted only to Torah, day and night, as described by the Rambam, rather to the student of Halachos. His involvement with Halachah makes him eminently capable of dealing with worldly matters and the "creatures" of the world. For it is the detailed Halachah, which actually teaches the way we must conduct ourselves in daily life in the mundane world, that reveals the true Supernal Will, even higher than Supernal Wisdom.

The role of Kohen is directly related to the teaching of Halachah, as the Torah says:

You will be able to render decisions for the Jews in all the laws that G-d has taught you through Moshe. (Vayikra 10:11)

This connection is further emphasized by the ruling that just as the Kohanim are not permitted to drink wine before they enter the Mishkan -- similarly, one who is inebriated may not judge an halachic question -- another parallel between Kohanim and Halachah. Thus, Hillel also connected these facets in his Mishnah.

Another point comes to light. Hillel and Shamai received the Tradition from Shemayah and Avtalyon. The Talmud relates:

Our Rabbis taught: It happened with a Kohen Gadol that as he came forth from the Sanctuary, all the people followed him, but when they saw Shemayah and Avtalyon they forsook him and went after Shemayah and Avtalyon. Eventually Shemayah and Avtalyon visited...the Kohen Gadol. He said to them: May the descendants of the heathen come in peace! [He disparaged them in his jealousy, as they were the descendants of Sancheirev.] They answered him: May the descendants of the heathen who do the work of Aharon [increase peace in the world] arrive in peace, but the descendant of Aharon who does not do the work of Aharon [as he had attacked them verbally], he shall not come in peace.
(Yoma 71b)

When Hillel, who was the disciple of Shemayah and Avtalyon, speaks of the quality of the Kohanic role he stresses: "Be of the disciples of Aharon, loving peace and pursuing peace." It is not enough to be of the children of Aharon, you must also conduct yourself like Aharon; be a disciple of Aharon -- in the manner emphasized by Hillel's teachers Shemayah and Avtalyon.

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http://www.torah.org/learning/pirkei-avos/chapter1-12.html

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Thus, if there was one person in Israel who literally could have claimed he is closer and goes closer to G-d than anyone else it was Aaron. He could have held himself distant and above the rest of the nation -- perhaps even with some degree of justification. Yet, that same Aaron was the one to run around between husband and wife and man and his fellow.

Possibly for this reason Aaron was selected by G-d to become the High Priest -- to represent the people he cared for so dearly and to perform the Temple service on their behalf. Aaron saw himself not as the people's superior, but as their servant, one who humbly serves and assists his fellow man both within the Temple and without.

Our mishna was authored by Hillel, one of the most famous of the early sages of the Mishna. It is not surprising that he too lived up to his advice and has become known as a student of Aaron in the hearts of the Jewish people. The Talmud (Shabbos 31a) records a number of fascinating incidents about him. A person once made a large bet that he could get Hillel angry. He waited until Hillel was washing his hair Friday afternoon and then began nagging him incessantly with nuisance questions. (Why do Babylonians have large heads, Africans have wide feet etc. -- questions which obviously could not have waited.) Nevertheless, the fellow lost his bet.

The Talmud then records a number of stories of non-Jews who approached Shammai (Hillel's colleague, also mentioned in this mishna) and afterwards Hillel with the request that they be converted to Judaism only if certain outrageous conditions be met. (One asked that he be taught the entire Torah while standing on one foot, another asked provided he be made High Priest.) In each case Shammai promptly threw the person out, seeing within him ulterior motives or a lack of respect for the Torah. Hillel on the other hand saw in them some degree of appreciation for the Torah and gave them some of his time -- and regard. Eventually, they all came to appreciate Judaism for its true worth.

To the one who asked to be taught the Torah on one foot, Hillel responded "What you don't like done to you don't do unto others. This is the entire Torah; the rest is commentary. Go and learn." (I don't believe a better one-line definition of Judaism has been formulated since.) The Talmud thereupon concluded that one should be modest and easygoing like Hillel, not strict and exacting like Shammai.

On the other hand, Aaron, for all his sweetness and popularity, was never the true leader of Israel. That was Moses' job. He was the much less forgiving lawgiver and arbiter of justice. The Talmud sums us his attitude as "Let the judgment grind up the mountain!" (Sanhedrin 6b). Moses received and taught the Torah to Israel -- and that required enormous and uncompromising discipline and diligence.

Aaron, by contrast, was nice practically to a fault. Exodus 32 describes how Israel came to commit the sin of the Golden Calf. Before Moses returned from receiving the Torah on Mount Sinai, a portion of the people clamored for an idol -- one to replace Moses. Aaron was the leader of the people in Moses' absence -- and he agreed. He felt it would be pointless to take such a frenzied mob head on. (What we'd today call the policy of "appeasement" -- which I think we can safely say has never really worked, only whetting the appetite of the aggressor for more.) According to the Sages, Hur, son of Miriam, had already been slain by the mob, and Aaron would accomplish little more than getting killed himself. (An excellent alibi -- but not for idolatry.) So Aaron consented, in the hopes of slowing the people down until Moses' return. Aaron was faulted for his "niceness" terribly. His sin was his contribution to the later death of his oldest two sons (see Rashi to Deut 10:20). The Talmud likewise tells us that till this day we are suffering on account of the sin of the Golden Calf (Sanhedrin 102a).

Moses, upon his return the next day, showed no such softness and indecisiveness; he took Israel head on. He ground their idol to dust, threw it into the well, and forced the perpetrators to drink it.

It seems that to run a nation we need both types of leaders -- the Moses who ruthlessly defends law and order, and the Aaron who lovingly and gently brings peace and harmony to the people. And it is a leadership combination Israel has been blessed with many times over throughout its history. In fact, Hillel and Shammai of our mishna fulfilled these same roles. As we saw above, Shammai was the exacting one, who abruptly dismissed the would-be converts who were clearly not ready to embrace true Judaism.

The Talmud records many disagreements in Jewish law between the schools of Hillel and Shammai. The law almost always follows the decisions of the School of Hillel, the "nice" one. However, the Talmud tells us that the students of Shammai were sharper (Yevamos 14a), and there is a tradition that in the times of the Messiah we will follow the School of Shammai. Perhaps ultimately man will be able to live up to the more exacting standards of Moses and of Shammai. But our only hope of ever reaching there is by faithfully following the examples of Aaron and Hillel -- through loving peace and mankind, and by using our knowledge and values to patiently bring the world closer to the Torah and to G-d.

[muman613]

One more on this topic for this evening:

http://www.shemayisrael.co.il/publicat/hazon/tzedaka/shalom2.htm


Part Two: Loving Shalom and Loving People

Your Unique Role as a Disciple of Aharon:
 
As I explained in Part One, this two-part letter is dedicated to the memory of Rabbi Gavriel Beer, my first rebbe.
 
 Dear Friends,
 
In the previous letter, we began to discuss the following teaching from the Mishnah which refers to the unifying role of Aharon HaKohen:
 
“Hillel says: Be among the disciples of Aharon, loving shalom and pursuing shalom, loving people, and bringing them closer to the Torah.” (Mishnah Nezikin, Pirkei Avos 1:12)
 
The commentary, Midrash Shmuel, points out that the Mishnah does not enjoin us to be “like” Aharon; instead, it states that we should become the “disciples” of Aharon. The reason why the Mishnah does not tell us to be “like” Aharon, explains Midrash Shmuel, is because it would be impossible for us to be on the same level of Aharon. All the Mishnah asks of us is that we become the “disciples” of Aharon; i.e., that we learn from Aharon’s ways and follow them to the best of our own abilities. (Cited in the ArtScroll “Pirkei Avos” – Mishnah Series)
 
I discovered a similar insight in a teaching of Rav Aharon Kotler, a leading sage of the 20th century who founded the famous Lakewood Yeshiva in the United States after World War Two. His disciple, Rav Yitzchok Deroshowitz, asked him to explain the following statement of the Rambam (Maimonides) regarding “Moshe Rebbeinu” – Moses, our Teacher:
 
“Each and every human being is fit to be a tzaddik  like Moshe Rebbeinu” (Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Teshuvah 5:2)
 
Rav Aharon Kotler explained that this does not mean that we can become a tzaddik – righteous person – on the same level as Moshe Rebbeinu; moreover, we cannot even become a tzaddik on the same level as Rav Chaim Volozhiner, the most distinguished disciple of the Vilna Gaon, a leading and famous sage of the 18th century. Rav Aharon Kotler then gave the following explanation of the Rambam’s statement:
 
Just as Moshe Rebbeinu totally used his abilities for the good, so too, each of us can totally use our own abilities for the good. (Cited in “The Legacy of Manran Rav Aharon Kotler” by Rabbi Yitzchok Dershowitz – Feldheim Publications)
 
Each of us can totally use our own abilities for the good. This insight can guide us as we share stories about the great men and women of Old Jerusalem. We should not feel overwhelmed by their great spiritual level; instead, we are to learn from their ways and strive to emulate their example to the best of our “own” abilities. Through serving with our own abilities, we can also fulfill the unique mission that each of us has on this earth.
 
We therefore need to be aware that each human being has a unique and significant role in the creation, as the Talmud states: “Each human being is obligated to say, ‘For my sake, the world was created’ ” (Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:5). In the following related teaching, Reb Zusia of Annapoli, a leading Chassidic sage of the 18th century, explains that each person has a unique mission and is therefore given talents and attributes for the sake of this mission:
 
“Each person is sent down to this world in order to fulfill a specific Divine task, to carry out on earth a lofty, heavenly purpose. This is the mission of human beings on earth; moreover, for as many people as Hashem sends down to earth, He has just as many different tasks and purposes. The work of one person is totally independent of the task of any other person, and each one must carry through and complete his given purpose. Therefore, Hashem endows each person with unique talents and attributes necessary for him to fulfill his task. These talents cry out within each person, demanding to be expressed and to fulfill the mission for which they were sent to this world.” (Cited in Hamodia, Cheshvan 10, 5759)
 
The following is another related teaching from Reb Zusia:
 
Before he passed away, Reb Zusia spoke to his disciples, and he said that if Hashem will ask him why he was not like Moshe, he will tell Hashem that He didn’t give him the very great potential that He gave to Moshe. But if Hashem asks him – “Zusia, why weren’t you like Zusia?” – he will then have reason to worry.
 
I will conclude this letter with a related teaching of Rav Yisrael Salanter, a leading 19th century sage who was the founder of the Mussar movement:
 
Rav Naftali Amsterdam was a noted disciple of Rav Yisrael Salanter. Rav Naftali once expressed to Rav Yisrael his concern that he, the disciple, did not have the following gifts: the “head” of a certain sage famous for his genius, the “heart” of another sage famous for his fiery emotional devotion, and the wonderful “character traits” of Rav Yisrael, his own rebbe. Rav Yisroel responded, “Naftali, serve Hashem with “your” head, with “your” heart, and with “your” character traits!”
 
May Hashem help us to become the disciples of Aharon with “our” heads, with “our” hearts, and with “our” character traits!     
 
Have a Good and Sweet Shabbos,
Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen  (See below)
 
Related Teachings and Comments:
 
1. As we discussed in this series, we, the People of the Torah, were given the Divine mission to serve as a model in Zion for all the peoples of the earth. In order to fulfill this Divine mission, however, we ourselves need role models. The Rambam (Maimonides) therefore writes:
 
“It is natural for a human being’s thoughts and actions to be patterned after those of his friends and neighbors and for him to conduct himself in the way of his society. A person must therefore attach himself to the righteous and always sit among the sages so that he will learn from their ways.” (Mishneh Torah, Hilchos De'os 6:1)
 
In his commentary on Mishnah Pirkei Avos (1:17), the Rambam writes that one form of beloved speech is “to praise those who are great and to speak of their positive attributes so that their manner of behavior will find favor with human beings, and they will follow in their ways.”
 
 Our tradition teaches that when we attach ourselves to sages and their disciples who serve as Torah role models, we are actually fulfilling one of the 613 mitzvos of the Torah. A source for this mitzvah can be found in the verse where Moshe tells us to “love Hashem, your G-d, to walk in all His ways and to cleave to Him” (Deuteronomy 11:22). A midrashic commentary on this verse explains that one of the ways to cleave to Hashem is to cleave to the sages and their disciples who serve as living examples of Torah (Sifri). Through this process, teaches the Talmud, we cling to the Shechinah – the Divine Presence (Kesuvos 111b).
 
The insights that we discussed in the above letter give us the following guideline regarding the mitzvah to cleave to the sages and their disciples:
 
Our task is not to become exactly like these role models; our task is to be “inspired” by their example, so that we can fulfill our own unique mission.
 
2. One of the ways to have Torah role models is to read well-written biographies of great sages and tzadikim. I prefer those biographies which reveal some of the human struggles that they went through in order to achieve their level of righteousness and wisdom. The biography of Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld – “Guardian of Jerusalem” – can serve as an example. The Creator endowed this sage with great talents and noble character traits; however, the book describes some of the difficult struggles he had in developing those talents and traits. Through reading the book, I will not become exactly like Rav Yosef Chaim, but the book is helping me to become Yosef!
 
This book also gives me a deeper understanding of the spiritual and universal role of the People of Israel in the Land of Israel. For further information, visit: http://www.artscroll.com/linker/hazon/ASIN/GUAH 
 
3. According to our tradition, there is a spiritual decline in each new generation, for each new generation is further away from our collective experience of receiving the Torah at Sinai. This decline will cease, however, in the messianic age, when “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of Hashem” (Isaiah 11:9). The tradition about the decline of the generations is cited in the following teaching of the Chazon Ish, a leading sage of the 20th century:
 
“The generations are continuously deteriorating, but one who is rich in knowledge of previous generations has an extra measure of holiness and wisdom.” (Chazon Ish, Bava Kamma 1:120)
 
The above teaching was cited in the Feldheim book, “In Their Shadow – The Chazon Ish, the Brisker Rav, and Rav Shach,” by Rav Shlomo Lorincz, a former member of Israel’s Knesset. For information, visit: www.feldheim.com
 
4. There is also a tradition that in some generations, Hashem may send a great Torah leader who is actually on the high level of Torah leaders from previous generations. For example, it was said that the Vilna Gaon, who lived in the 18th century, was on the level of the Rishonim – leading sages who lived in the period between the 11th and 15th centuries.
 
This tradition was cited by Rav Shmuel Greineman in the following excerpt from his eulogy for the Chazon Ish, who passed away in 1953, in the city of Bnei Brak – a city which is a major Torah center in the Land of Israel:
 
“Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin once said that his rebbi, the Vilna Gaon, was akin to the Rishonim who lived centuries earlier. Rav Elchonon Wasserman asked the Chofetz Chaim (his rebbe) to explain why Heaven decreed that such a soul such as the Gaon’s descend to a generation in which it did not belong. The Chofetz Chaim explained as follows: In every generation, the presence of Torah leaders serves to impede that generation’s spiritual decline. However, in certain generations, the risks of spiritual decadence are particularly great. Heaven may then deem it necessary to send to this world a soul that actually belongs to an earlier, more sublime period. Such a soul can single-handedly uplift an entire generation and raise its spiritual sights. Such a soul was that of the Vilna Gaon.
 
“Such was also the soul of the Chazon Ish. A soul that belonged centuries ago was sent to preserve Torah life in our time. He planted the seeds of Torah throughout the Holy Land, combated ignorance and secularism, illuminated the world with his Torah wisdom, and raised the sights of an entire generation.”
 
(The above excerpt was cited in the ArtScroll biography, “The Chazon Ish – The Life and Ideals of Rabbi Avraham Yeshayah Karelitz” by Rabbi Shimon Finkelman. For information, visit: www.artscroll.com  )
 
5. I was informed by my good friend, Yitzchak Dorfman, that the full name of Reb Zusia of Anipoli was Reb Meshulam Zusia. He was the brother of another great Chassidic rebbe, Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk, the author of “Noam Elimelech.”
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And just for balance, so that we understand that Judaism is not a pacifistic religion, I present a small example of what the Torah says about war, and how we must wipe out Amalek our enemy.

http://www.torah.org/learning/rabbiwein/5767/kiseitzei.html

War and Peace

The parsha begins with war and ends with war. The first war described in the beginning of the parsha is against an unknown, unspecified and unidentified enemy. It is so to speak, a generic war, fought for causes that are not clear and under undetermined circumstances. The second war described at the end of the parsha is fought against a bitter age-old foe, Amalek, and is a war of self-preservation.

The first war is not a mandatory one. The Torah prefaces it with the word “im” – when, if – you go to war. The second war is one of the mitzvoth of the Torah. It is obligatory on all. It is to save Israel from the hands of an enemy whose sole intention is to annihilate us. The wars therefore differ not only in purpose and cause but in intensity as well. In the war against Amalek we seek not temporary triumph but permanent achievement. We seek literally the obliteration of Amalek.

It is the fulfillment of the rabbinic dictum of the Talmud that “if one comes to kill you then rise earlier and kill him.” In our current world of relative morality and feel-good wishful thinking pacifism, this mitzvah about the destruction of Amalek makes us uncomfortable. Perhaps if we only reasoned with Amalek, appeased him somehow with concessions, he would calm down and be nice to us.

That policy may be valid in the first war described in the parsha. In fact, the Torah bids us always to try peace before embarking on war. But in the war against Amalek no such attitude or policy is even mentioned. It has always been either Amalek or us and if you don’t mind, the Jewish people prefer surviving over favorable obituaries in the world’s press.

There is another major difference between the wars that the Torah points out to us in the parsha. In the first war, there is the danger of fraternization with the women of the enemy. The Torah makes temporary concessions to this situation though it clearly warns against the long term results of such a relationship. But in the war against Amalek such a possibility or situation is not even mentioned. The war against Amalek is so clearly a battle for survival that such a relationship becomes remote if not even impossible. Amalek asks for no quarter for it extends to us no quarter.

It is the ultimate war of attrition, of determining who will finally be left standing at the conclusion of the struggle. Hence it almost precludes any type of social intercourse between the antagonists. Amalek has taken on many different names and guises in our millennia long struggle against him. He is never vanquished permanently but arises again in a different form and location. We hear his bellicose predictions and boasts about our destruction – God forbid – almost daily. We should not be lulled into the belief that his warnings are insincere.

Amalek has always had the one goal of destroying us. He has always met with partial success though always falling in final defeat after time. Let us realize the struggle that we are engaged in against Amalek is a real and desperate one. And let us pray that the God of Israel together with the people of Israel will foil Amalek’s dastardly plans once more.

Shabat shalom.

Rabbi Berel Wein