Welcome to Emotional Wellness Daily, a project of SIMHA. We've been talking this past week about taking responsibility, and the Torah approach to that concept.
Rav Yerucham Levovotz writes that the Torah examines people with a microscope like in a laboratory where they’re looking for the smallest possible bacteria. That's why the greatest of the greats are often found lacking, not because they're truly lacking, but because the microscope is magnifying any small detail to teach us lessons. One of these lessons is the famous story of Dina. Dina, the daughter of Yaakov Avinu, is his only daughter mentioned by name. She was violated by a horrible man, Shchem, and then he wanted to marry her.
Shchem was definitely a perpetrator and he and his town were wiped out by Shimon and Levy. Yaakov Avinu only complains that it was a dangerous time, but all of the Rishonim explain that they deserved what happened. Shchem deserved to be killed, and the people who stood on the sidelines and did not prosecute Shchem deserved to be killed.
One would think that Dina would be absolved of any contribution to the story. I won't use the word responsibility because that's a harsh word, but did she contribute anything to the story? Of course, only with the Torah eyes and Torah glasses can we say this, but the Torah says, Vatetzeh Dina/Dina went out, and they hold Dina slightly responsible for going out, whatever that meant in those times. Of course, we're not saying that a lady can't go to the supermarket, but whatever Vatetzeh Dina meant at that time, that was her contribution. And they trace this back to her mother Leah, one of Imahot, the mother of Yehudah, the mother of Mashiach. Leah is held responsible because she too went out. Yes, Leah went out for a holy purpose, to meet her husband Yaakov Avinu. But again, there was a little something there that contributed to the story. Only the Torah can do that.
As we said, the reason we are great and strong and resilient is because we're able to be held accountable.
There was another fellow in the Torah that we would really call a victim. He's known as the Mekalel, the one that cursed God. He was the son of Shlomit bat Divri, who was the one lady in Egypt that was violated by an Egyptian. Moshe Rabbenu killed that Egyptian on his first day out. Then, many years later, when it came to dividing the land, this man who did not know that his father was an Egyptian, did not have a portion, because the division of land went by the father and father was not Jewish. When the story erupted and he realized what happened, he cursed mGod, and he was punished by death.
One might say, “Hold on. Poor guy. He came from a broken home. His father was an Egyptian who was killed.” There are lots of excuses, but the Torah does not allow him to play the victim card. God, who knows the depths of man, knew that he had a responsibility. He had the ability to choose how to act in that situation and he made the wrong choice, a very bad choice. So, he was the one that taught us the law of what happens when one curses God, Has V’Shalom. Again, the Torah is there to demand perfection.
Rabbi Wolbe once said that we can look at God's Middah of justice as mean cruel justice that's there to beat you up. But really, God's justice is demanding perfection.
We want you to do the best you can do; we want you to get the best possible mark on the test. We're not asking for a hundred, we're asking the best that you can do. And if it's a 68, we're demanding a 68, because we know you can do it. But if you don't do it, there's no excuse. You can do it. We're demanding perfection. That's why we're great; because we don't just give slack. Of course, there is a concept of just love them, but everything must be done in a balanced proper way.
That is our story for today. I hope this is clear and I hope it doesn't ruffle any feathers.
Have a wonderful day.