Personalized Expectations
Because he committed an abominable act in Yisrael... and such a thing may not be done. (Bereishis 34:7)
There is a story about R. Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, the Beis HaLevi. Once, in the deep of winter, the Beis HaLevi knocked on the door of a Jewish innkeeper late at night. It was terribly cold outside. The innkeeper at first did not want to let him in at all. In the end he agreed to let him in, but did not want to go through all the trouble of setting him up in a regular room. He just told him to lie on the floor next to the oven.
A while later, there was another knock on the door. One of the great Chassidic Rebbes of the generation had arrived. The innkeeper immediately ushered him in, lit all the lights, and prepared a nice, hot meal for him and his Chassidim. In the middle of the meal, the Rebbe noticed a Jew sleeping on the floor next to the oven. He told one of the Chassidim to go over and invite the poor fellow to the table. The Chassid crouched next to the stove and discovered that the man was none other than the illustrious Beis HaLevi. He cried out in shock.
The innkeeper immediately begged the Beis HaLevi's forgiveness: “I’m so sorry; I didn’t know you were the Beis HaLevi!!”
The Beis HaLevi responded, “Listen to this: After Shechem took Dinah, the pasuk says: ‘The sons of Yaakov came from the field... and they were very angry because he did an abominable act in Yisrael... and such a thing may not be done – וְכֵן לֹא יֵעָשֶׂה.’
What is implied by, ‘And such a thing may not be done’? It means that even the non-Jews of those times had accepted upon themselves not to commit indecencies such as that perpetrated on Dinah.”
The Beis HaLevi continued, “The sons of Yaakov therefore answered Shechem as follows: Had it been acceptable to treat an ordinary girl in such a way, then you would not be held responsible for what you did, as you did not know she was a daughter of Yaakov and must be treated with extra respect. But even an ordinary girl may not be treated in such a way, so you are held liable for wronging the daughter of Yaakov!
“And so,” concluded the Beis HaLevi, “had it been acceptable to treat a simple Jew as you treated me, and only for an important Rav would such treatment be deficient, you would not be held responsible for what you did. But in fact, even a simple Jew should not be treated like this! Therefore, you are held liable for mistreating the Beis HaLevi.”
This story offers us an awesome insight. We believe that each one of us will, at the end of his lifetime, ascend to the Heavenly court of justice. And they will say to us, “Okay, go ahead, start with the first Mishnah in Maseches Berachos.
“Ah, you don’t know Maseches Berachos? So start with Maseches Shabbos.”
And so forth. He doesn’t know Shabbos either? So start with Eruvin, with Pesachim, with Shekalim...
If he doesn’t know any of them, he will be held responsible for all of them. He should have learned all of Shas, and this is the truth.
But why? How can Hashem expect us to know everything? The Torah was given to the lofty generation of the Midbar, and then to the great Torah personalities of the subsequent generations, to the Tannaim and the Amoraim, and then to R. Akiva Eiger and other Gedolim. How can we little people be expected to keep the same mitzvos that were required of them? How can we be held to the same standard??
The answer is as we said. Hakadosh Baruch Hu will say, “Okay, go ahead, start with Berachos.” And the person will answer, “But I don’t have the abilities that R. Akiva Eiger had, or that the Chofetz Chayim had. I don’t know entire masechtos by heart.” So Hakadosh Baruch Hu will say, “Okay, so what level of ability do you have? What are you capable of?”
This is the rub. If a person in fact did what he could, but was not capable of doing the rest, he is exempted from the rest. He is not held responsible for what is beyond his ability. However, if he didn’t even do what he can, he is held responsible for the entire Torah.
