Rabbi's Derasha

There are lots of Amirot -- lots of acts of speaking -- in the beginning of the Parasha.  It says “Hashem spoke to Moshe,” which is normal, but then He tells him to say to the Kohanim, saying.”  Why so much “saying”?  Rashi famously says that it implores Moshe to warn the “Gedolim about the K’tanim.”  This is usually taken to mean that the adult Kohanim have to start to teach the young Kohanim from an early age.  

But the Noam Elimelech, an early Chasidic rebbe, says the phrase should be understood differently.  It’s not speaking simply to “Gedolim” as in adults.  It is speaking to them as people of stature.  And the “ketanim,” the “small,” refers not to children but to small acts.  In other words, people of prominence must be careful about small acts.  It is those acts which make a person truly prominent.  

The Gemora in Avoda Zara tells a story about R’ Yosi ben Kisma visiting R’ Chanina ben Tradiyon.  R’ Chanina was publicly defying the decree of the Romans against teaching Torah.  R’ Yosef pleaded with him: “This nation [the Romans] have been crowned by the heavens.  They destroyed His house, they burned His sanctuary, they killed His pious ones and destroyed His good ones, and [the nation] still exists.  And yet I’ve heard about you that you are teaching Torah to the masses.” 

To which R’ Chanina replied: “From the heavens they will have mercy.”  R’ Yosi was dumbfounded.  “I tell you things which make sense and you reply, ‘from the Heavens they will have mercy’?!  I will be astounded if they do not burn you and the Sefer Torah with fire.”  But R’ Chanina was unmoved.

The Gemora continues with a shorter conversation between them.  R’ Chanina asked, “Do you think I will have a place in the next world.”  To which R’ Yosi asked, “do you have a good act?”  R’ Chanina recalled that he had once become confused in his own pockets between his own money and money that was meant to be given away to the poor.  In the end, he gave it all to the poor.  R’ Yosi told him, “if so, let my portion be your portion…”

Many have asked how this conversation can be understood.  How does it connect with the first conversation?  And why does such a seemingly small act inspire such reverence?  R’ Eliyahu Dessler, writing in the 20th century, asked these questions and answered this way: It is true that huge challenges often bring out heroic responses.  But that’s not the measure of who one truly is.  This is measured by smaller acts that take place in the day-to-day and about which perhaps no one knows or hears except Hashem.  These are the true measure of a person.  

Indeed, heroic acts often flow from a basis in complete goodness, a basis built by innumerable small acts of virtue.  Last year, we heard from R’ Netanel Elyashiv about his childhood friend, Ro’ee Klien, hy”d.  Ro’ee is known for a single heroic wartime act in which he threw himself on a grenade in order to save several other soldiers in his unit.  But it became known later that his life was full of small acts of goodness.  He had a sterling character, as revealed in the documentary, “B’chol Nafshecha,” which we showed here once.  The movie was made by one of his siblings, and features interviews with his friends, his family, other soldiers in his unit, and his wife.  That heroic act for which he is famous sprang from these small acts.  

The Gala on Sunday was planned by people who paid attention to the little things.  Almost certainly, something will go wrong.  But only after 1000 other details were covered by selfless people whose contributions are barely known.  We thank them for that service, as we place the spotlight on bigger acts, including the heroism that has sustained Israel over the last 19 months.