5783/2023
This week’s Parashah starts with the Pasuk: “אל ה וידבר
סיני במדבר משה,” “And Hashem spoke to moshe in the Sinai
desert” (Bamidbar 1:1).
The Midrash (BeMidbar Rabbah 1:7) explains that this
Pasuk teaches us a more in-depth message: "Whoever
does not make himself open and free like a wilderness
will not be able to acquire wisdom and Torah." Matnot
Kehunah comments that this refers to having the trait of
humbleness which allows one to learn from everyone and
to teach everyone.
A person with arrogance will only be willing to learn
from someone if he feels that it is fitting to his honor to
do so. For example, if someone much younger than he has
Torah knowledge that he is lacking, he will not ask that
person to teach him because he feels that would lower his
status. If there is something he does not understand, he
will be very careful before he asks anyone to explain it to
him. He has to size up the situation to see if it is fitting for
him.
Similarly, he will only be willing to teach someone if he
feels he will gain honor from teaching this person.
But the humble person's thoughts are solely on gaining
Torah knowledge. He is willing to learn from anyone who
knows something that he does not, even though he might
have much more overall Torah knowledge than the other
person.
Likewise, he wants to spread Torah wisdom to everyone
he can. He does not focus on his own ego but on gaining
and sharing wisdom.
When Rav Eliyahu Klatzkin settled in Jerusalem, his tiny
room became a crowded center for people of all classes
and groups; there were scholars, but there were also
many wanderers and miscellaneous people with less
understanding. Once, his son asked him why he allowed
everyone to come to his house without discrimination.
He answered, "You must admit that it is logical to assume
that all who come here are decent people. Ask yourself -
for what purpose would anyone come to me? Certainly
not for any material benefit, for everyone knows that I am
penniless and cannot give them any help. Shall we say
they come to be honored by me? Everyone knows that I
am far from flattery and even sparing in words of praise
when phrasing endorsements of the works of great Torah
scholars. Therefore you will be forced to admit that my
visitors must come to hear my words of Torah, and it is
self-evident they must be men of some spiritual worth or
at least of good intentions." Shabbat Shalom!