The Depth of the Tzaddikim's Leadership and the Power of Torah to Protect the World
Class No. 110 | Cassette 110, Wednesday, Parashas Va'eschanan, 10 Menachem Av 5757 - A class given at the Third Wall (Choma HaShlishis) at the opening of the Bein HaZmanim (intersession) yeshiva for the young men of the Breslov Nechamas Tzion Shuvu Banim Yeshiva (Continued in No. 111)
A class explaining the immense power of the tzaddikim, starting from Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair and Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa, through to the supreme importance of Kiddush Hashem (sanctifying God's Name) and derech eretz (proper conduct). From this, it is explained how the Torah study, prayer, and shalom bayis (marital harmony) of every Jew are what sustain the world and save it from harsh decrees.
The Power of the Tzaddikim and the Holiness of the Torah
When we contemplate the greatness of the Tanna'im and Amora'im (sages of the Mishnah and Talmud), we see what tremendous spiritual levels a person can reach. It is told of Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair that two se'ah (a biblical measurement) of barley were deposited with him. What did Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair do? For seven years, he would plant this barley, and it multiplied more and more until it filled entire storehouses and treasuries. After seven years, when the depositors remembered and came to take their barley, they found immense treasures.
Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair reached levels of expanded consciousness (mochin) and constant attachment to Hashem (deveikus). He knew the entire Shas (Talmud), the Zohar, and the Etz Chaim by heart, and he walked around all day with mochin d'gadlus (expanded spiritual awareness). We too must strive for this, to sit and study Gemara. As Rabbi Abbahu said when he sent his son to study Torah in Tiberias, the goal is for the Torah to fill the mind, so that the entire Shas will be engraved in our minds.
The Merit of the Tzaddik of the Generation
The Gemara in Tractate Bava Kamma (page 50a) tells of the daughter of Nechunya, the digger of wells, who fell into a deep water well. They came and informed Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa. He said to them, "Peace, she will come up." And indeed, an old man came with a male ram (this was Avraham Avinu with the ram of Yitzchak) and saved her. They asked him, "Are you a prophet? How did you know?"
"He said to them: I am not a prophet, nor the son of a prophet, but I said: Something that a tzaddik pains himself over and engages in for the benefit of the public, will his offspring stumble in it?"
The Shitah Mekubetzes asks there: Why was the daughter saved, whereas the son of Nechunya, the digger of wells, later died of thirst? He explains: When the daughter fell, Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa was alive. He was the tzaddik of the generation, and in his merit, she was saved. Although Nechunya, the digger of wells, performed tremendous acts of loving-kindness and accomplished much, to save someone from death requires the merit of the tzaddik of the generation. When the son died of thirst, it was already after the passing of Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa, and therefore there was no one to protect him with that same power.
Sanctifying God's Name and Caring for the Public
Another story that illustrates the leadership of the tzaddikim is the incident with Rabbi Shimon ben Shetach, who bought a donkey from a certain Ishmaelite. His students went and found a precious stone tied to the donkey's neck. The students said to him, "Rebbe, look what a blessing from Hashem! After all, the lost property of a gentile is permissible to keep." But Rabbi Shimon ben Shetach refused to take the stone and said, "I bought a donkey, I did not buy a precious stone." He went and returned the stone to the Ishmaelite. When the Ishmaelite saw this, he called out in amazement:
"Blessed is Hashem, the God of Shimon ben Shetach!"
From here we learn a tremendous foundational principle: We must make a Kiddush Hashem (sanctification of God's Name) at every possible opportunity, even in the eyes of a gentile.
We find this as well with Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair, when he went to perform the mitzvah of pidyon shvuyim (redeeming captives) and arrived at the Ginai River. He commanded the river to split, and the river refused, arguing that they were both doing the will of their Creator. Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair decreed upon it that if it did not split, water would never pass through it again. The river split for him, as well as for another person who was carrying wheat for Pesach, and also for an Arab who had accompanied them on the way. Why did Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair ask that the river split for the Arab as well? So that the gentile would not say that the Jews only care about themselves. There must not be even a thought (hava amina) for a gentile that we only care about ourselves. The Jewish people must show that they care about everyone.
Regarding this, Rav Yosef said that Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair is greater than Moshe Rabbeinu, for Moshe split the sea once, and he split it three times. The Gemara explains that he is "like Moshe," because the soul of Moshe Rabbeinu is impregnated (mis'aberes) in every single generation within the true tzaddikim.
Shalom Bayis and Saving the World Through Torah
From all these Midrashim we learn that derech eretz (proper conduct) precedes the Torah. Rebbe Nachman says in Torah 4 (Likutey Moharan) that the world stands on our Torah study. We do not learn just to become Roshei Yeshivas or dayanim (rabbinical judges); we learn so that our Torah will save the world from disasters. How can we allow Hashem to decree harsh decrees? A person needs to do an hour of Hisbodedus (secluded prayer) a day, and sit down to truly study Torah. Whoever finds it difficult to study Gemara should study Midrash Rabbah, or study stories of tzaddikim that bring a person to simple emunah (faith).
But at the same time, it is forbidden to neglect the home. A kollel student who comes home after a day of learning cannot simply jump into bed. A wife did not get married so that her husband would only learn in kollel and sleep; she got married so that he would come home, be a mensch, speak to the point, listen to her, and say a joyful word of encouragement. One needs to sit and eat dinner calmly. Shalom bayis (marital harmony) is the first foundation for educating children. When a child sees that his father and mother live in peace, he wants to continue on this path.
Moharnat explains in Hilchos Metzarney (Laws of Boundary Neighbors) that the entire existence of the world depends on Torah study. All the changes in the world and everything that happens depend on the question of how the Torah was studied—whether it was studied with awe and love (b'dchilu u'rchimu). When one studies Torah out of awe and love, the world is protected. Every day the world is created anew, and it is created through the prayers of Minchah and Maariv, Shacharis, waking up for Chatzos (midnight prayer), and Hisbodedus. Whoever merits to wake up for Chatzos of the night, in his merit the world is created, and in his merit harsh decrees are nullified from upon the Jewish people.
Part 2 of 2 — Class No. 110
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