Rabbi Frand on Parshas Kedoshim
This dvar Torah was adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissocher
Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Tapes on the weekly portion: Tape # 236, The Do's
and Don'ts of Giving Tochacha. Good Shabbos!
The Power of Rabbi Akiva
This week's parsha contains the command to "love your neighbor as yourself"
[Vayikra 19:18]. There is a very famous Medrash (Sifra) that children sing:
"Rabbi Akiva said that the mitzvah to love your neighbor as yourself is the
fundamental principle of the Torah." There is a similar Talmudic passage
[Shabbos 31a] concerning a gentile who was interested in converting to
Judaism. He asked Hillel to teach him the whole Torah "while standing on one
foot". Hillel instructed him -- what you would not want done to you, do not
do to others.
It is obvious to us that it can be very hard to observe this mitzvah
properly. But I have a theory that it is specifically Rabbi Akiva who can
justifiably preach to us regarding the importance of this mitzvah.
This time of year - between Pesach and Shavuos - is the period of the Omer
Counting, when we observe certain mourning customs in memory of Rabbi
Akiva's students. Rabbi Akiva had 24,000 students, a mind-boggling number
compared to our current concept of a "big" Yeshiva. Rabbi Akiva was a great
Rosh Yeshiva (Dean). Yet during the Omer period, his 24,000 students all
died.
If you or I were Rabbi Akiva and we had a Yeshiva with 24,000 students and
our whole Yeshiva died -- due to some character flaw, which ultimately
reflected negatively on the Rosh Yeshiva - what would our reaction be? Most
people's reaction would no doubt be, "I am not cut out to be a Rosh Yeshiva.
I must be doing something wrong." This must have been a devastating
experience for Rabbi Akiva. This was his life's work -- and they all died!
What, however, does the Talmud tell us? "When Rabbi Akiva's students died
and the world was desolate, he got up and went to the south of Eretz Yisroel
and started over again!" [Yevamos 62b]
It seems evident that Rabbi Akiva had unbelievable resilience. He was the
type of person who, despite experiencing the biggest disaster, could find
something positive within that disaster, providing him with the ability to
continue onward. He had an incredible ability to be able to evaluate
the worst of situations and believe that "all is not lost".
Another example of Rabbi Akiva's resilience is evident from an incident that
occurred following the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash [Holy Temple]. The
Talmud tells us [Makkot 24a], that several Tanaim were walking near the area
that was once the Holy of Holies. There was total destruction surrounding
them. When they saw a fox emerge from the site of the Holy of Holies they
all began to cry, except for Rabbi Akiva, who began to laugh. Rabbi Akiva
saw the positive in the situation: If the prophecy which predicted the
destruction came true literally, then the prophecy which predicted the
redemption will also come true literally.
Rabbi Akiva tells us [Yoma 85b] "Happy are you Israel -- Who purifies you?
Your father in Heaven".
Rabbi Akiva personally experienced Yom Kippur when the Bais HaMikdash was
still standing. He experienced the Kohen Gadol [High Priest] doing the
special Service of the Day, as well as the instant knowledge of whether it
would be a good year or a bad year. There was nothing more beautiful than
the radiance of the Kohen Gadol when he emerged from the Holy of Holies.
But Rabbi Akiva had to deal with a generation that had to experience a Yom
Kippur soon after the Temple's Destruction, when there was no Kohen Gadol.
Imagine how the people felt! This is a Yom Kippur? And Rabbi Akiva went to
them and convinced them that Yom Kippur was still beautiful. We do not
necessarily need a Kohen Gadol! We are now purified directly by G-d Himself.
Rabbi Akiva's strength was that he always saw the positive in every
situation. That is why he taught: "Love your neighbor like yourself". Every
person has SOME positive aspect. The Baal Shem Tov (1698-1760) interprets
the word "Kamocha" (as yourself) in this pasuk [verse] as follows: When a
person gets up in the morning and looks at himself in the mirror he thinks,
"I am basically a good person. I have my faults and foibles; I am not
perfect. But I am more good than bad." This, the Baal Shem Tov says, is how
we must evaluate our neighbor: He is basically good; I will overlook his
faults.
This is not always easy. It requires us to focus on the good, rather than
the bad -- to always see the glass as half full rather than half empty. That
was the power of Rabbi Akiva and this is the key to the fulfillment of the
mitzvah that is called "The fundamental rule of all of Torah".
This week's write-up is adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissochar
Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Torah Tapes on the weekly Torah portion (#236).
The corresponding halachic portion for this tape is: The Do's and Don'ts of
Giving Tochacha. The other halachic portions for this Parsha from the
Commuter Chavrusah Series are:
Also Available: Mesorah / Artscroll has published a collection of Rabbi Frand's essays. The book is entitled:
and is available through your local Hebrew book store or from Project Genesis, 1-410-654-1799.
