Chazal say (and we mention it in the tefillah of Kiddush Levanah) that saying Kiddush Levanah is like meeting with the Shechinah.
Amid this special tefillah, the custom is that people say shalom aleichem to one another. We can explain, b'derech tzachus, that this tells us that we should never forget our fellow man. Even at this special time when we meet with the Shechinah, if someone greets you, answer him. Say shalom aleichem three times because one must be considerate and caring to his fellow man, even during the most holy moments.
The Baal HaTanya zt'l lived in the same house as his son, Reb Dov Ber (the Mittele Rebbe) zt'l. Once, Reb Dov Ber's son fell out of his crib. Reb Dov Ber was engrossed in his studies and didn't hear the baby cry. The Baal HaTanya, however, from his apartment upstairs heard the cry, and he went downstairs to take care of the baby. He rebuked his son, Reb Dov Ber, and said, "No matter how engrossed one is in his studies and avodas Hashem, one may never fail to hear the cry of a child." Our devotion to Hashem should never cause us to lose sight of the needs of others.
It states in Pirkei Avos (5:20), "Reb Yehudah ben Teima says, כצבי ורץ כנשר קל ...הוי, 'Be... light like an eagle and run like a deer..."
An eagle is quicker than a deer. After the Mishna states that we should be light and swift like an eagle, why does it add that we should run like a deer, at a slower pace? Reb Shimon Sofer zt'l answers that כצבי רץ, "run like a deer," means that even when we are swift in avodas Hashem, and we run to do Hashem's service, we should be similar to a deer that always looks back it. It states (Shir HaShirim 8:14) לצבי לך ודמה דודי ברח, "Flee, my beloved, and liken yourself to a deer." Chazal explain that when Hashem runs away from us due to our sins, chalilah, Hashem should be like a deer that always looks back. Hashem should do the same and continue to watch over us from afar.
The Mishnah is telling us כנשר קל ...הוי, that one should be very quick in avodas Hashem, and yet he should be כצבי רץ, he should look back to see if someone needs help. His hislahavus to serve Hashem shouldn't prevent him from helping his fellow man.
This lesson particularly applies during sefiras ha'omer, a time designated for spiritual growth. Grow swiftly like an eagle but run like the deer that always looks back to see if others need your help. Your righteousness and spiritual pursuit shouldn’t cause you to lose sight of other people and their needs.
Shulchan Aruch (58:1) states that the earliest time to read Shema in the morning is when one can recognize a friend from a distance of four amos. Saying Shema is a highlight of the day; we proclaim our emunah that Hashem is one. Yet, even at this exalted time, we can't forget our fellow man. This is hinted at in the halacha that the time to say Shema begins when one can see his fellow man.
The Kedushas Levi zt'l (quoted in Bas Ayin) taught that the ד"אח of Shema stands for אח דל, the brother of the poor. You should consider yourself the brother of the poor, who will do whatever he can to help his brother.
The fact that this important lesson is derived from the word אחד in Krias Shema indicates that even at the highest moments of our life when we focus on the One Hashem, we shouldn't lose sight of our needy brothers.
Reb Yehoshua Leib Diskin zt'l had an open kitchen to feed the poor. He would sit near a table on the side, studying Torah, as his guests would eat the meals he graciously served them. Once, one of the elderly guests had difficulty eating the bread. This old man didn't have teeth, and it was hard for him to peel away the crust. Reb Yehoshua Leib stopped learning and helped the old man cut away the crust. Someone asked Reb Yehoshua Leib, "You were studying so intensely; how did you notice that the old man needed help?"
He replied, "Hashem was speaking to Avraham Avinu when the guests arrived, and Avraham recognized them. He asked Hashem to wait until he cared for his guests (see Bereishis 18:3). But how did he even notice that guests arrived? Hashem was speaking with him! He was undoubtedly entirely engrossed in his conversation with Hashem. The answer is that a person recognizes the mitzvos that are important to him. Avraham excelled in the mitzvah of hachnasas orchim; therefore, he could always recognize when guests arrived.
Reb Yehoshua Leib explained that although he was immersed in learning Torah, the mitzvah of hachnasas orchim was important to him, and therefore, he was constantly in tune with his guests' needs.
When a question regarding kashrus was brought to Reb Moshe Klirs zt’l, the Rav of Teveria, he was meticulous to rule correctly. He wouldn't take the easy way out when it was a complex shaaleh, and just rule that it isn't kosher. He explained, quoting the Shevet Mussar, that if he makes a mistake when he rules that the food isn't kosher, he is causing a poor person to lose money. That is a sin bein adam lechaveiro, for which Yom Kippur doesn’t atone. This is a greater aveirah than when one errs and rules that something is kosher when it isn't. The latter is a sin ben adam laMakom, which can be rectified with teshuvah.
As an interesting aside, one of the sefarim that the Shevet Mussar wrote is called Eizur Eliyahu (Eliyahu's belt) because of a miracle that happened to him. Once, he awoke in the middle of the night and wanted to study Torah and pray, but he needed a belt. It was dark. He bent down and picked up what he thought was a belt and wrapped himself with it. In the morning, he saw that he had wrapped himself with a snake. To commemorate this miracle, he named his sefer Eizur Eliyahu (the belt of Eliyahu).
Rebbe Shlomo of Radomsk zt’l (the Tiferes Shlomo) came to the Rebbe of Radoshitz zt’l for Shavuos. "But you have your own community," the Rebbe of Radoshitz rebuked him. "They need you. Why did you come to me?" "I also need a Rebbe," the Tiferes Shlomo explained, "so I came to you for Shavuos." The Rebbe of Radoshitz wasn't pleased and said, "Before matan Torah, it states (Shemos 19:14) העם אל ההר מן משה וירד 'Moshe went down from the mountain to the nation.' Rashi writes, 'We learn from this that Moshe didn’t go to his own business. He went directly from the mountain to the nation.' What businesses did Moshe Rabbeinu have? His business was spiritually preparing for matan Torah because Moshe also wanted to prepare himself for this great moment. The pasuk praises Moshe Rabbeinu for abandoning his own growth to help the Jewish nation." This is how the Rebbe of Radoshitz impressed on the Tiferes Shlomo that one must be ready to make spiritual sacrifices to help others.
Someone entered the Baal Shem Tov's beis medresh, possibly for the first time. The Toldos zt'l greeted this newcomer and asked him where he was from. The guest replied, "What difference does it make?" He wasn't interested in making small talk. The Toldos tried another time. He asked him a question, but the man replied, "Where I am from and where I am going to, what difference does it make?" The Toldos told him, "When two people meet and share a few words, they become friends. The next time they meet, they are happy to see one another. They praise Hashem that they had this opportunity to meet with their friend. Hashem loves it when we praise Him, as it states (Tehillim 22:4) ישראל תהלות יושב קדוש ואתה, which can be translated that Hashem sits and awaits to hear the praises Bnei Yisrael tell him. Therefore, it is important to greet your fellow man and to become friends, because this will result in Hashem's name being blessed and praised.
Perhaps there was another reason the Toldos considered it important to greet this stranger. The guest was new in town. Maybe he needed advice, help, a place to be, etc. By greeting him, the Toldos made himself available to help.
As is stated in Kesubos (17.), a person shouldn't live like a hermit, alone. He should be among people, so he can help everyone with what they need.
The Toldos was in the Baal Shem Tov's beis medresh then. He was certainly inspired to daven and to study Torah on a very high level, in the elevated derech of avodas Hashem that the Baal Shem Tov taught. Nevertheless, his inspiration didn't prevent him from thinking about the needs of his fellow man. Someone new arrived, and perhaps he needed help. The Toldos wouldn't forget his fellow man, even then.
