Today’s class is dedicated in memory of Cookie Massry a”h, Mazal bat Sylvia by her family, on her yahrzheit, which is today.
The message we’ve been speaking out about for the past few days is the concept that when a person has Bitachon, they can do what they have to do in religion, without being concerned with other people’s opinions or possibly even their ridicule. Furthermore, they have the ability, as in the case of Yirmiyah, to say their opinion or prophecy even though it might not be popular.
As an aside, this definitely connects to the wonderful woman whose Yahrzheit is today, Mrs. Cookie Massry, a”h. She was a soft and refined person, but at the same time she always did what was right and stood up for what was right.
We will quote from Sefer Yesod HaTeshuva, from Rabbenu Yonah, where he tells us that if a person is used to eating Seuda Shelishit on Shabbat, and he is invited as a guest to someone who does not keep this Mitzvah, Don’t leave the Mitzvah because you’re embarrassed or uncomfortable. Rather, you need a little of what we would call “chutzpah” to overcome your inhibitions and say that you’d like to eat Seudat Shelishit as Hashem commanded, or some other tactful way of getting the message across. Don’t be concerned by people ridiculing you, calling you a rabbi, or other such lines that people might say when they see someone doing something more religious than them. Of course, if you can avoid confrontation, avoid it.
But the point is that Bitachon helps us in religion, by freeing us from the concerns of outside forces. How important is this trait?
The Tur, who was the codifier of Halacha that the Shulchan Aruch based his order on, quotes a Mishnah in Pirkei Avot, in his opening chapter, that is part of the daily prayers of many people.
“In your service of G-d, you must be brazen leopard, light like an eagle, fast like a deer, and strong like a lion”.
The Tur says there are four different traits that need to serve Hashem.
Each one is a stage to get to the end. Sometimes you need the strength of a lion, or a little lightness, to finish off a perfect deed. But the Tur says that the first step is to have that ability to be courageous, and unconcerned, because this is a fundamental of serving Hashem. It happens quite often that a person really wants to do a mitzvah but doesn’t do it because he’s worried about what people are going to say. A person has to be able to overcome those inhibitions.
The Bet Yosef explains this Tur, by saying that the phrase used by the Tur - והעיז פניך- have brazenness in your face, doesn’t mean that you should start arguing or fighting with the person, because, he says, that will cause the trait of arrogance to become a pert of you, and you will end up applying it even when it’s not for the service of G-d.
So the lesson here is not to be embarrassed to do what you have to do, but, not, says the Bet Yosef, to start talking in a brazen fashion.
The example the Tur gives is David HaMelech. David HaMelech says about himself,
וַאֲדַבְּרָ֣ה בְ֭עֵדֹתֶיךָ נֶ֥גֶד מְלָכִ֗ים וְלֹ֣א אֵבֽוֹשׁ׃
I will speak of Your testimonies (Your Torah), and not be ashamed in the presence of kings.
David HaMelech was a king. He was royalty. What do kings typically speak of? Their latest conquests, their latest acquisitions, their latest palaces... but David HaMelech wouldn’t speak about those things. He gave his Dvar Torah and was not concerned with the other people.
I spoke about this topic yesterday, in a different venue, and it brought to mind a dear friend who recently passed away, Mr. Eddie Missry a”h. I vividly remember that over 20 years ago, when I came to Deal, I would see him at different events, wearing his big black kippah, not embarrassed, even though many people were not wearing big black kippahs at that time. He always shared a D’var Torah, always had a nice Hiddush, a nice thought from Rabbi Miller, while the people around him weren’t necessarily doing that. I remember him pulling me into a corner at an engagement party, to share Chiddushim. That’s greatness: A person who says, “I know what I have to do- even if other people aren’t doing it. Hopefully one day they will. I’m not going to get in a fight with them, but I’m not going to be embarrassed or hold back.”
That is a necessary requirement in Avodat Hashem, that you can only get to, through Bitachon.
A man told me that he’s a salesman of a certain product, so he needs to be friendly with people. He was once in a shul, and there were certain things going on that he wasn’t comfortable with. He felt that it wasn’t proper, so he took a stance. Someone then told him to be careful, because that stance could make him unpopular and it could affect his business. But that man didn’t care, “because you gotta do what you gotta do,” but you need to Bitachon for that. If you’re concerned about popularity, you may never get to do what you have to do.
This was the important point that we started the week with. Yirmiyah HaNavi was not afraid. We connected it to the three weeks, because that was the opening lesson of the prophet- that you can’t be worried or concerned about public opinion.
Again, we don’t want to fight, or be aggressive, or become argumentative. We do what we have to do, and if we can avoid public light, we avoid it. But if push comes to shove, and we have to take a stance, we will, in the most peaceful way. Of course there are exceptions of extreme situations, but we won’t get to that today.
Have a wonderful day.