When Rav Shimon bar Yochai and his son, Rav Elazar, came out of the cave for the second time, they still carried with them the judgment that the world was not living up to its potential.
The Gemara in Maseches Shabbos tells us that everything Rav Elazar would look at with harshness, Rav Shimon would sweeten the blow. Over and over again.
The first time they left the cave after spending 12 years hiding from the Romans and elevating their avodas Hashem, their mere gaze caused havoc and death. They were then asked to return to the cave for another 12 months.
This time, Rav Shimon told his son, “Dai le’olam ani ve-atah.” Classically, this is interpreted as, “Let’s not be so harsh on the world. If only you and I are learning Torah, that would be enough to keep it in existence.”
But the Baal Shem Tov opens up a whole new world for us, based upon his reading of these words.
One of the oldest talmidim of the Baal Shem Tov was on his way to a small town but was confused as to why he had to make this long journey. He had asked his master to teach him how to achieve sterling middos, and the Baal Shem pointed him toward an out-of-the-way town where he was to contact the local rav. This special person would be able to teach him all he needed to know.
“But why?” he wondered. “Isn’t my master himself a perfect role model?”
Upon arriving, he was invited to stay by the rav of the town. Yes, there were indeed middos to learn, and the rav was a tremendous scholar as well.
The lessons became clear to him as the weeks progressed, and he was then fully prepared to leave for the return trip home. Mission accomplished.
But one thing gave him no rest. At the rav’s residence, there was another guest, who had the worst behavior he had ever seen. This man did not care one iota about his fellow man.
The contrast was too much for him to bear, and as he took leave, he thanked the rav for the tremendous hachnosas orchim and the remarkable lessons but said there was one thing he must ask.
“Why does the Rav let such a depraved person, such a corrupt individual, stay in his household?”
“I am so sorry,” the rav answered, “I did not know. I will have people look into it right away. But there is one question I have for you. When did you have the time to notice this man’s behavior if you were so dedicated to working on your own qualities?”
At that moment, the talmid realized why his master the Baal Shem Tov had sent him there.
One who truly wants to work on his middos must finish his own inner examination before he sets his sights on correcting others!
As Rav Shimon bar Yochai told his son, “Bni dai leolam, my son, the correct approach by which to look at this world is ani vetah.” First look at ani, yourself, then at atah, someone else.
Of all the yahrzeits that we celebrate, Lag Baomer is far and away the most popular. Perhaps one of the reasons is the lesson that Rav Shimon and his son eventually taught this world after achieving heights that we can only dream of reaching.
Look at every Jew favorably, and don’t criticize until we are absolutely certain that we have corrected ourselves fully.
