By Rabbi David Bibi
There was once a gaon, philosopher and kabbalist, Rebbi Yehudah Aryeh of Modena z”l (1571-1648) who has a book called “Ari Nohem” and responsa. This gaon was graced by Hashem with a great talent for learning, his was literally a fulfilment of the passuk, “the words of his palate are sweet and he is all delight” [Shir HaShirim 5:16]. He lived in Venice and during his time there was a huge bet knesset in the city which could seat a thousand men. One day the gabbaim of the bet knesset came to the rav and asked him that since they don’t have a rav who can give derashot that he come on Shabbat to the bet knesset and give them a derashah before Musaph. The rav replied that since the bet knesset was far from his home and he was getting old he was unable to come and give them a derashah. The gabbaim greatly pressured him to heed to their request to come just for one Shabbat. Until the rav was unable to withstand their pressures and he ceded to their request to come and give them a derashah.
On Shabbat Kodesh before Musaph the rav was honored to stand before the whole kehillah and he gave a derashah for a full hour about the Parashah of the week.
The rav darshened and his mouth spoke pearls and gems! The congregation made their ears receptive to hear his sweet words and they very much enjoyed it. They were literally unaware that a whole hour had passed!
A Token of Their Appreciation – a Gold Watch
On Sunday the gabbaim came to the rav’s home. They said to him, “Kavod harav we have brought you something, not chas veshalom as a payment, for it is impossible to paid his honor for the words more precious than gold and fine gold, just a token due to ‘appreciation’, we brought his honor a gold watch!” The rav saw and accepted the watch.
A woodcut illustration of Rebbi Yehudah Aryeh of Modena
The gabbaim said to him, “Kavod harav, his honor saw how much the congregation benefitted from his words on Shabbat, do us a favor for Hashem’s sake and darshen before us also this coming Shabbat, this is a matter of meriting the many!” The rav responded, “I cannot! It is difficult for me to make the journey to you on Shabbat!” The gabbaim said to him, “How hard is it? Since this Shabbat his honor already came to us, if so, just like on one Shabbat his honor was able to walk, so shall he do also on this coming Shabbat!”
The rav answered them, “Fine, I will come also this Shabbat! One Shabbat and that will be enough!” The rav was further honored to darshan and the bet knesset was packed from wall to wall and all the congregation were listening most intently to every word that came out of his mouth, “words that come out of the heart enter the heart!” [The source of this adage is Rav Moshe ibn Ezra z”l 1055-1140 in his Shirat Yisrael.] A whole hour did the rav speak and then he returned home.
The Gabbaim Again Brought the Rav a Token Gift
On the next day, Sunday, again the gabbaim arrived at the rav’s home, they said to him, “Kavod harav the payment which his honor is entitled to has no bounds, but we have just brought a token gift, they produced an expensive chandelier and presented it to the rav.” Immediately afterwards they again pressured the rav that he come again on the next Shabbat to the bet knesset to darshan for a third time since “a three-ply cord Is not easily severed” [see Kohelet 4:12] and the rav’s words in a further derashah will certainly make a tremendous impression! The rav agreed and again arrived in the bet knesset , but this Shabbat the rav’s derashah was extraordinary, above anything that the kehillah had heard. The derashah was full of words of wisdom which were pleasant for the ear to hear and the congregation rejoiced in it in an exceptional way.
A Third Unique Gift – An Etrog Box of Pure Silver
Again, on Sunday the gabbaim went up to the rav’s home and presented him with a unique gift, an etrog box of pure silver! And as they were accustomed to, they again pressured the rav that he continue to give derashot in their bet knesset. The rav answered, “Enough! I already told you that I will darshan a third time because ‘a three-ply cord Is not easily severed’, and is now required ‘a four-ply cord’? What do you want from me?” They pressured and pressured, and attempted to convince the rav that he present on a permanent basis in the bet knesset. Eventually the rav conceded, but he said to them, “I have a condition! Before I become the permanent darshan in your holy camp, take with you all the gifts which you gave me, the watch, the chandelier, the etrog box, take everything with you! Only then will I agree to darshan!” The gabbaim were astonished. “What’s the connection? Why is the rav not prepared to accept the gifts?” The rav replied to them, “I will respond with a parable. A person entered a watch shop. He was interested in a unique expensive gold watch, he paid the full price and immediately in front of the seller he took the watch and threw it on the floor smashing it at his feet! The shop keeper won’t be angry with such a person, since he paid for the watch, on the contrary perhaps now he will buy another watch!
“In contrast a chatan stood under the chuppah and one of his loved ones came to him and in their hand was a gold watch which they purchased as a gift with their money. Suddenly the chatan took the watch and threw it to the ground and smashed it at his feet! Surely such behaviour will offend the giver! How dare the chatan despised his precious gift! This is so offensive!
Reprinted from the Parashat Debarim 5784 email of Rabbi David Bibi’s Shabbat Shalom from Cyberspace.
