When Pinchos killed Zimri, everybody was against him, since they considered him Mr. Nobody. “What a Chutzpa!” Shitas Novardok is like Pinchos - no Shiflus allowed! You never tell yourself “I’m not worthy”! In time of war we need everybody, and even a plain person goes first class. I was once sitting in a car with R’ Galinsky, and he quoted a Chazal: יְהֵא חֶלְקִי מִמִי שֶחוֹשְדִין אוֹתוֹ וְאֵין בוֹ (Shabbos 118b) Halevai people would suspect me (even though I'm really innocent) and indeed, I saw him twice doing things (deliberately) so I should lose my respect for him. That’s why he was so happy and relaxed, since he wasn’t stressed with: מַה יֹאמְרוּ הַבְּרִיוֹת What will people say?? R’ Wainkrantz Zatzal once told someone that if he is looking for a “Prat”, then after making a speech he should ask people: “How did you like my speech?” so they view him as an insecure Rodef Kavod. (This is not for everybody. You need a Rebbe to guide you).
מָה רַב טוּבְךָ אֲשֶר צָפַנְתָּ לִירֵאֶיךָ פָעַלְתָּ לַחֹסִים בָךְ נֶגֶד בְּנֵי אָדָם (Tehillim 31:20) What great reward awaits the Y'rei Shamayim “who goes against what people think”. The Chofetz Chaim says that a Baal Bitachon can go against what people think, and his Schar is tremendous.
Novardokers Were Taught to Have True Respect & Esteem for ALL Humanity
R’ Gershon Liebman Zatzal was once at the house of a well-to-do Yid. He was asking for money for his Yeshiva. The man started screaming that he has no interest in “idle” Yeshiva boys; he only gives money for promoting professional people like doctors and lawyers. He threw R’ Gershon out while screaming at him.
R’ Gershon asked if he could just enter his house once, to tell him a story. During WWII, he was walking around the streets, with the Talmidim he had, from the unbelievable Yeshiva that he established smack in middle of the ghetto and under the Nazis. They noticed an elderly gentleman who was starving to death, and begging a person for some food. Although this person was holding a double portion in his hands, he refused to give some to the old man. He said: “Each person has to take care of himself!” Right there, the old man died of starvation, and R’ Gershon with his Bachurim did what they could to give him a Ba’kovod’ike Kevura (honorable burial). R’ Gershon said: “In Yeshiva, we produce people who have basic human decency!!!” The rich man started screaming: “Guess who that wicked man was. It was me!” He was deeply ashamed, and he decided to give the money to R’ Gershon.
