When Korach and his companions challenge Moshe Rabbeinu, the Torah says, “He fell on his face” (Bamidbar 16:4) – literally he collapsed! Rashi quotes the Medrash Tanchuma. Moshe had to fall on his face as a result of the machlokes, because this was already the fourth major iniquity involving the people. The nation already had three strikes against them. This was already the “fourth strike.”
Rashi continues: They sinned with the eigel hazahav, golden calf (Parshas Ki Sisa) and Moshe davened for them. They sinned with the complainers (Parshas Be’ha’Aloscha) and Moshe davened for them. They sinned with the Spies (Parshas Shlach), and here too Moshe went to daven for Klal Yisroel. But by the machlokes of Korach, his hands became weak. This time he just did not have the capacity to daven for their forgiveness.
Rashi cites the parable of the king’s son who rebelled against his father and the king’s friend appeased the king on his son’s behalf—once, twice, and three times. After that, the appeaser throws up his hands in despair. “I cannot go in anymore to petition the king on behalf of this chronically rebellious child.” There are only so many times that someone can go back to the well. There comes a point when the well dries up.
Why does Moshe not daven for Klal Yisrael here? He is ready to daven for Klal Yisroel but he cannot believe it is going to work, because how many times can someone go back?
Now, put yourself in Moshe Rabbeinu’s place. He is being attacked personally. His integrity is being challenged. Most people in that situation are interested and care about themselves, about their own reputation and status. But what is Moshe Rabbeinu worried about? What is going to be with Klal Yisroel? This is the ultimate selfless Jewish leader. It is not about me. I do not care about me. I do not care about my job or what they say about me. I care about what is going to be with my people. This is an example of self-denial and concern about others, which distinguishes Moshe Rabbeinu and makes him the ultimate manhig Yisroel [Jewish leader].
We are not necessarily leaders, but this capacity to think about somebody else—even in a moment of personal distress—is something which ideally should not be beyond our grasp.
The wife of Rav Shlomah Zalman Auerbach, zt”l, predeceased her husband. He was in the hospital because his beloved wife had just died. A student of Rav Shlomah Zalman Auerbach met his Rebbe in the corridor of the hospital (unaware that his Rebbe had just lost his wife). The wife of the student had just had a baby. The student came over to Rav Shlomah Zalman and said, “I just had a son (or daughter, whatever the case may have been)!” Rav Shlomah Zalman gave him a big smile and such a hearty “Mazal Tov!” Here in a moment of such sorrow, he was able to put his personal tzorus aside. This fellow deserves a Mazal Tov now and I will not let my personal problems dampen his simcha. I will give him the 100% sincere and hearty Mazal Tov that his simcha warrants, as if nothing had happened to me. There are people who do not live for themselves, but rather they live concentrating on the needs and feelings of others.
There is a famous story with R’ Yeruchem Levovitz, the Mir Mashgiach. He once boarded a train as the door was closing. He stuck out his hand, so the door would not close, and the door pulled off the glove he was wearing. The glove fell to the platform outside the train, as the train doors closed. Rav Levovitz lost his glove. What did he do? He ran over to the open window of the train and threw out the other glove. The students who were with him asked him: “Why did you throw out the other glove?” He told them: “What am I going to do with one glove? This way, there is already one glove lying there on the station platform. If I throw out the other glove, now a person who finds them will have a decent pair of matching gloves. At least someone will have a pair of gloves.”
This is a small incident, but realize what this incident says. This was an instantaneous reaction. Okay, I lost my glove, but at least somebody will now have a pair of gloves. This is a demonstration of a person who is not wrapped up in himself, not self-possessed with his own problems and his own loss. Even in a moment of distress, it is possible to think about somebody else.
This is the avodas hachaim which we should try to learn. We should not only to be impressed by the attributes of our gedolim, but we should try to practice the same in our daily lives. (R’ Frand)
