Divrei Torah for Devorim and Tisha B’Av
Sefer Devorim begins by listing many places that Klal Yisrael passed through in their journey through the desert. Rashi in the beginning of the parsha quotes a Sifri that these are words of tochacha – rebuke, as the Torah enumerates all the places where Hashem got angry at Klal Yisrael. The Haftorah as well talks about tochacha, as Yeshaya Hanavi gives rebuke to Klal Yisrael.
In all generations we find that the gedolei hador are the ones who reprimand Klal Yisrael on their bad deeds. But actually, we are all obligated in the mitzvah of “Hocheiach tochiach es amisecha” - reproving our fellow yid for his misdeeds. Everyone has an obligation to admonish his friend. However, for some reason, we find that only the gedolei hador took it upon themselves to rebuke Klal Yisrsel. Why? Is it possible that only Yashaya Hanavi saw Yidden sinning and no other individual saw?
We can find an answer in a mashal that is said over from the Brisker Rav. There was once a lush garden full of beautiful flowers. The garden gave off such a strong, lovely fragrance that you were able to enjoy the aroma from a distance. Sparkling streams of water winded through the garden. Many people came to enjoy the beauty of this garden and all those who visited had only the highest praise for it. However, there was one person who always thought and spoke negatively of this garden, and that was the gardener. As the one responsible for the garden’s growth and success, he wouldn’t walk through the garden just to enjoy its beauty. Rather, his walk through the garden was to check up on his flowers and plants. Since he had the responsibility to ensure that the garden was thriving, he was actually seeking out the problems and imperfections. And of course, whatever he found lacking, he would make sure to fix it up. The nimshal is obvious – Klal Yisrael is indeed a beautiful, exquisite garden. The average person who comes to tour the garden doesn’t see the imperfections; they just see the beauty. However, our gedolim who take upon themselves the responsibility to ensure that the “garden” is as perfect as it’s meant to be, they are the ones who see the flaws. Therefore, they are the ones who give tochacha to Klal Yisrael.
Yeshaya Hanavi ends off by saying that there should be more shoftim who can give rebuke, because then we would rectify our sins and merit salvation. More tochacha is the ultimate tikkun, as the Gemara says in Shabbos (119) that Yerushalayim was destroyed because Yidden didn’t rebuke one another. Had they admonished their fellow yid properly, they would have helped them improve their ways and avoid the devastation of churban.
The Torah in Parshas Kedoshim says, “You shall reprove your fellow man”. It’s brought down in Sefer HaChinuch that this is a very complicated mitzvah to fulfill properly. There are times that you shouldn’t reprove a fellow yid, like if you know for sure that nothing is going to come out of it. The Gemara in Shabbos 55a says that at the time of the churban, Hashem gave instructions to the malach of fire. Hashem commanded him to put an ink mark on the tzadikim in order that the angel of destruction wouldn’t have power over them, and to put a mark of blood on the reshaim in order that the malach should have power over them.
The midas hadin came before Hashem and said, “What is the difference between the tzadikim and the reshaim? The tzadikim should’ve reproved the reshaim and since they didn’t, they too should be accountable.” Hashem replied that the reshaim would anyways not have listened to the tzadikim. Said midas hadin, “But the tzadikim didn’t know that the reshaim wouldn’t listen, so they are responsible.”
The Dubno Maggid (Bereishis 18:17) brings this Gemara to explain Avraham Avinu and the story of Sedom. Hashem told Avraham Avinu that He decided to destroy Sedom, and Avraham tried convincing Hashem that he shouldn’t destroy them. The Dubno Maggid asks: Why don’t we find Avraham Avinu reproving the people of Sedom? Why did he only daven for them? The Dubno Maggid answers with the Gemara in Yevomos (65b) that just as there is a mitzvah for a person to rebuke if it will be accepted, it’s a mitzvah not to rebuke if it will not be accepted. Rav Abba says that it’s forbidden to rebuke if it will not be accepted, and he quotes a pasuk in Mishlei “Do not rebuke the scoffer, lest he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.” Why does the Gemara quote the second part of the pasuk concerning rebuking the wise man, which doesn’t seem to have any connection to what Rav Abba said? Says the Dubno Maggid, from here we learn the yesod of giving rebuke. Don’t give rebuke to those who will not listen. If you do give such people rebuke, they will consider you to be a fanatic and you will lose your credibility altogether. Then, if you rebuke at a time when it seems like it will be accepted, people will not listen to you because you are already labeled as a fanatic. So, if you wish to “rebuke a wise man and he will love you”, then “you must not rebuke a scoffer, lest he will hate you” and destroy your credibility and effectiveness.
That is why Avraham Avinu didn’t even try to rebuke Sedom. Avraham Avinu understood that if he rebukes the people in Sedom, they would laugh at him and even react violently. If he wanted to influence his children at a later time, then he could not afford to lose his credibility to teach. The pasuk says that “Avraham will become a great and strong nation… and he commands his children and household after him that they keep the ways of Hashem.” By not rebuking Sedom, he was preserving his ability to effectively reprove his own family and talmidim, the people who would willingly listen to his rebuke.
In the early 1900’s, Rav Elchonon Wasserman traveled to America to raise funds for his yeshiva. He heard about a former student of his who became wealthy in the textile business but was not so religious anymore. He decided to make an appointment to see him. When he arrived, the student asked him why he came, and Rav Elchonon replied that he had a button that needed to be sewn back onto his coat. The factory owner replied, “I can’t believe you came here to America just for this. Are you telling me that there are no tailors in Europe?” Again, Rav Elchonon said “I came here that you should sew back my button”. This went back and forth until Rav Elchonon decided to leave. As he was leaving, the student agreed to sew back his button and then for the last time, the student begged, “Tell me, Rebbi, please, why did you travel so far just to sew on a button?”
Rav Elchonon turned to him and said, “Do you believe that your neshama came all the way to this world just to sew buttons on coats?”
