LOOKING WITHIN

By Harav Y. Reuven Rubin Shlita

We all know the feeling. A challenge blows into your life and suddenly you feel your very breath being squeezed out of you.

The walls seem to be closing in and your heart feels the chill of despair. Yes, life is not easy, nor was it ever meant to be. Obstacles are placed in our path with a purpose, often so that we draw closer to Hashem.

Rabbi Abraham Twersky Shlita shares a thought regarding the uprising that was led by Korach who defied the Divine will.

Moshe Rabbenu is in a state of distress and did what the Torah prescribes: He prayed for Divine assistance.

Moshe said to Hashem “Do not attend to their offering. I have not carried off one of their asses nor have I offended even one of them.”

Moshe’s words are difficult to understand. It was apparent that Korach and his crew were in the wrong and that Hashem would never accept their offerings. What difference would it have made, asks Rabbi Twersky, if Moshe had received some slight personal benefit or had offended them? The simple fact was Korach was rebelling not against Moshe and Aaron, but against the word of Hashem, and Moshe knew this to be the truth as he stated, “Therefore you and your community have assembled against Hashem”. This was certainly enough of a reason why Korach’s offering should be rejected.

Prayer has many facets, and is not easily explained. In this episode we are made aware of one such dimension. Prayer is not about a change in Hashem, but in the supplicant.

In the midst of his turmoil Moshe turns to Hashem and makes a soul searching inventory. Rebono Shel Olam, I have looked into my actions and can truthfully say I have never offended even one of them not taken anything of theirs.

In our present moment we as a community are facing huge challenges. Our chinuch is being attacked by those who have no concept of what Torah means nor who we are as a holy nation. We must and are doing everything possible in terms of representations to the authorities and others involved. However, there is something else we must do, an aspect that may be of the most importance. We must make a soul searching inventory of our actions, both singularly and as a community. Are we totally innocent, or have we been remiss in some of our actions? Those kids who can’t find a place in our mosdos, those with special needs that never get needed support, these and more come to mind. Can we really face Hashem with our tefilahs and say we are totally blameless? I could go on, but I don’t want to Chas Vesholom be mekatrig any Yieden, that is not what motivates this article. What I hope to awaken within us all is the sense of responsibility for our situation.

Allow me to end with a very special story. A family in White Russia were once having trouble with their young son, Mordechai. He never wanted to study, only to play outside. He also had a tendency to get into mischief. It caused the parents tremendous anxiety.

One day they heard that the great Rebbe Reb Aaron of Karlin would be coming to their town. So they brought their son to meet the Rebbe. He listened to the parents’ story and responded to them very roughly. “I’ll have a few words with him and set him straight. Leave him to me. I’ll teach how to behave.” The parents, taken aback by his stern demeanour, yet assured by his confidence, let him take their son into his private room.

The Rebbe leaned back on his couch and gently called the boy to come over. He held out his arms and motioned for Mordechai to come nearer. Then he pulled him close and held him against his heart for a long time. They then went out together. Not revealing his special method of persuasion, Reb Aharon of Karlin again spoke roughly to the parents. “I had a word with him. He’ll shape up now!”

The boy did indeed change and became a well-known tzaddik, R’ Mordechai of Lecovitz, the father of the Slonim dynasty. He always told his chassidim that he first learned Torah from R’ Aharon of Karlin, who taught him Torah from the heart.

We will hopefully defeat this present problem, and perhaps this will come thru our re-evaluating our responsibilities and allow our hearts to teach all our young.