Yesterday we discussed how a man can not be called wicked unless he is rebuked, and how most ( if not all) people today are considered before rebuke. We don’t know the art of rebuking, but we can begin to learn a little about it, from one of my favorite Chafetz Chaim stories:
The Chafetz Chaim traveled throughout Europe, selling his books. He once stopped off at a Jewish inn for the night. As he sat in the dining room waiting for a meal, a large fellow barged in, sat down, made rude comments, cursed, didn’t wash before eating, and wolfed down everything with no beracha before or after. It was quite a site. The Chafetz Chaim began to approach this man, who was apparently Jewish, when the innkeeper stopped him. He told the Chafetz Chaim not to bother, because the man was a Cantonist (he had been conscripted into the Czar’s army at a young age) and had served in the army for twenty- five years. The innkeeper told the Chafetz Chaim not to bother trying to change him, as many had tried before. The man was stubborn and had missed the opportunity, at the right age.
The Chafetz Chaim was unfazed by this warning. He sat down next to the man, introduced himself as Yisroel Meir, and asked the man his name.
The Chafetz Chaim then asked if it was true that he’d been drafted, as a Cantonist, into the Czar’s army for twenty-five years. The man said it was true.
The Chafetz Chaim then told the man that he must be a holy individual, having been able to retain his Jewish identity after all those years, probably having been beaten countless times, and pressured to convert to Christianity. He continued that the man probably never had time to study Torah, and yet he still held on; that through the worst of conditions he was able to stay strong.
The Chafetz Chaim told the man that he wished he could have his merits. He said he wished he could have his portion in Olam Habah.
The Cantonist then burst out crying, and kissed the hand of the Chafetz Chaim.
The Chafetz Chaim continued, and told the man, “You will go to Olam Habah, but you never learned Torah, and you aren’t keeping Mitzvot. You will be embarrassed to be amongst all those great people.
If you’d improve in just a few areas, do you know how great you would be? There would be no one like you!”
The man turned his life around and made Teshuva.
That is rebuke.
Rebuke comes out of love and concern, and it’s non-judgemental.
There are few people that have the abilities of the Chafetz Chaim, to give rebuke. That’s why we can’t hate the rough “Cantonists.”
A Cantonist is not just someone who was conscripted into the Russian army. It’s anyone who was not given the proper upbringing with Torah values, who therefore started off with a handicap.
And until we have the proper skills and techniques of rebuke, we cannot deem anybody a Rasha.
Therefore, we have no right to hate any body, based on the theory that we consider them a Rasha.