A man involved in communal needs relates: “At the beginning of my work, when I started getting involved in communal needs, there was an event that I organized, and I very much wanted it to be successful, but not everyone was agreeable with the plans. I tried to change the agenda a little to make everyone happy, but then others were not agreeable. How I tried to change the plans, yet I was still not successful to come with an agenda that was agreeable to both sides, I did not know what to do.
“In my distress I turned to my teacher, my Rav and presented my dilemma. While speaking I added that I was especially pained because of all the effort I voluntarily exerted for the event, and instead of the community appreciating my effort, they had harsh complaints against me, and not one was ready to compromise, and in the end, I now had enemies because of my work.”
My teacher, my Rav wisely answered me, “Come into the Bais Medrash and see the young man sitting in the corner of the Bais Medrash, learning diligently, he has no enemies, do you know why? Because he is not involved in communal needs. But in contrast to this take everyone who is involved in communal needs, he has enemies, and they disagree with him because he is involved in communal needs.” With these words, my teacher, my Rav encouraged me to continue being involved in communal needs with emunah, and not to heed the complaints of the people, of course while considering others, and try to do the will of Hashem.
HaKadosh Baruch Hu says to Moshe Rabeinu (29:9), 'ומלאת יד אהרן ויד בניו' – ‘and you shall fill the hand of Aharon and the hand of his sons’, and perhaps we can explain that He told him that he had to encourage Aharon and his sons and to be strong to stand firm in their task and appointment as we see in Parashas Shemini. Rashi brings there (9:7), ‘For Aharon was embarrassed and afraid to approach. Moshe said to him, “Why are you embarrassed? This is what you were selected for.” We see that Moshe Rabeinu encouraged Aharon HaKohen to stand in his appointment, and this must be an example for us as to how we are to conduct ourselves for all selected for the public, for every shliach tzibbur, and anyone involved in communal needs, in the way of the world to be criticized. But this is not the Torah way, this is not how HaKadosh Baruch Hu wants them to conduct oneself. Instead of criticism, find a good word to say to the shliach tzibbur for his Tefillah, to a teacher for his work, to a gabbai for his devotion, to communal leaders for their work, this is the will of Hashem Yisbarach.
Tiv HaTorah – Terumah-Tetzaveh
