See also Yalkut Shimoni (Mishlei 932), which tells that Chiya, the nephew of Reb Elazer, had a beautiful voice, and Reb Elazar would always tell him, ‘Chiya, my son, stand up and honor Hashem with what Hashem gave you.’ Each person must serve Hashem with his talents, and since Reb Chiya had a pleasant voice, he had to serve Hashem in that venue. His uncle, Reb Elazar, told him, “Navos (mentioned in Sefer Melachim) had a beautiful voice. When he would go up to Yerushalayim, all the Yidden would gather around and listen to him sing. Once, he didn’t go up to the Beis HaMikdash for yom tov, and because of this sin, he was punished. (Achav killed him when he didn’t want to sell him his field. But the real reason he was punished was because he didn’t do his service, to sing in the Beis HaMikdash.) He didn’t serve Hashem with the talent that he had.”
Reb Zusha said this out of humility, but he was a great talmid chacham, and in his younger years, he served as rav of a city for several years.
The Shitah Mikubetzes quotes the Mahari Lunil who writes, "To overcome one's yetzer hara is greater than performing several mitzvos."
According to Your Nature
We discussed above that one should change his nature. However, sometimes we are told that we shouldn't change our nature; instead, we should serve Hashem according to our nature.
For example, we quote from the Vilna Gaon on the pasuk (Mishlei 22:6) פי על לנער חנוך ממנו יסור לא יזקין כי גם דרכו, “Educate a child according to his way, so that even when he becomes old he will never leave it.” The Vilna Gaon zt’l explains, “Train the child to perform the mitzvos according to his nature, because even when he will become old, he will not leave them. If you train him against his nature, he will only listen to you now, because he fears you. But when he reaches independence and will not have to listen to you anymore, he will not be able to go against his true nature.”
The Vilna Gaon quotes the Gemara (Shabbos) which states, “Someone who was born under the mazal maadim, with a nature for shedding blood, should become either a mohel, or a shochet, or a doctor.” Instead of going against one’s nature, it is better to understand his tendencies and channel them for avodas Hashem.
Perhaps the explanation is that one should serve Hashem according to his nature. But when he finds that his nature is preventing him from serving Hashem, he has to bend and break that nature. As we wrote, this is possible, and is accomplished with small steps and with siyata d'Shmaya.
The Rebbe Reb Zusha zt'l would go to galus, traveling from one place to another. Once, he came upon the city where the gaon Reb Yusfa zt'l lived. Reb Yusfa was a great talmid chacham, an expert in all parts of the Torah. Reb Zusha went to hear his shiur. After the shiur Reb Zusha went over to Rav Yusfa to tell him how much he enjoyed the shiur. "It was worth traveling the long distance from home to come here, just to listen to this sweet shiur."
Rav Yusfa told Reb Zusha, “I understand why you were happy with my shiur, but I can't figure out why I’m so impressed by you. At first impression, you look like a standard beggar who goes from city to city to collect money. But I perceive that the spirit of Hashem rests on you. You are certainly a great talmid chacham.”
Reb Zusha answered, “Not at all. I'm an am haa’retz.... But perhaps it's because I know how to daven...”
Rav Yusfa replied, “And the people here don’t know how to daven?”
Reb Zusha replied, “They know how to daven, but I know how to daven before the Ribon HaOlamim [Master of the World].”
Rav Yusfa asked, “Maybe you can teach me how one davens ‘before the Ribon HaOlamim’?
“I can teach you, but not in front of everyone else. Let’s go into a private room and I’ll teach you.”
Reb Zusha taught the Rav the secrets of tefillah; how to pray properly before Hashem. Rav Yusfa was very inspired, “Perhaps I should leave my rabbanus and my yeshiva, so I can always daven properly?”
Reb Zusha replied, “Hakadosh Baruch Hu created thousands of people in the world, and although everyone was created with the same two eyes, two ears, a nose and a mouth, everyone still appears differently. Chazal tell us, ‘Just as their faces differ, so are their minds different.’ Why did Hashem do this? It's because Hashem wants each person to serve Him according to his own way, according to who he is, in accordance with his strengths and talents. Therefore, you should continue on your path of avodas Hashem to teach Torah to Yidden, and I will continue along my path, the path of tefillah."
The Chortkover Rebbe told this story to Reb Meir Shapiro. He added, “Hashem wants you to teach Torah to Yidden. That's the portion that Hashem chose for you. This is why He gave you the talents, willpower, intelligence, and all other traits needed to succeed in that field. You should do your service and teach Torah to Yidden, and I will do my service, to daven to Hashem.”
After this conversation with the Chortkover Rebbe, Reb Meir Shapiro decided to open Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin, where he channeled all of his abilities to teach Torah to Yidden.
