Some people are blessed with extraordinary charisma or persuasion, which they use to change the lives of others. But some have a profound effect even without that magnetism. Rabbi Avrohom Abba Freedman of Detroit was not a powerful speaker, yet he was mekarev hundreds of people, convincing parents to send their children to a Jewish school in Detroit’s early years and bringing busloads of Russian immigrants on an inspirational trip to New York. What was the secret of his success?
The Orchos Tzaddikim states that a humble and unassuming person will wield powerful influence over others. People will naturally accept whatever he does, and he will inspire others. Ultimately, he will bring greater honor to Hashem.
Rabbi Freedman lived for the sake of Hashem. He was not motivated by pride. His son, the executive director of Bais Yehuda in Detroit, once posted an article on the school bulletin board describing Rabbi Freedman’s role in the establishment of Detroit as a makom Torah. The article soon disappeared. Every time he put up a new copy, it was removed again.
Finally, the principal told the younger Rabbi Freedman, “You may as well give up. You may be stubborn, but your father is much more stubborn. He is the one who keeps taking down the article, and he even wants to call the editor to object to it as a distortion of the truth.”
Because Rabbi Freedman had no ulterior motives at all, everyone could sense that his messages were pure, unadulterated truth.
Reproduced from A Life Worth Living by Rabbi Shraga Freedman with permission of the copyright holders, ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications, Ltd.
