"Ve'osiso hayoshor vehatov" says the posuk
(Devorim 6:18). This implies that we must conduct
ourselves beyond what is "legally" required from us; we need
to go further.
In Torah, there is din -- Law, and there is lifnim
mishuras hadin -- beyond the letter of the Law. The
din -- the law of the Torah -- obligates each one of
us; there is no difference between a minor, barely bar
mitzvah, or a great and elderly sage. Each one of us, as a
Jew, has been obligated in the 613 mitzvos which are all
included in the warning of: "Cursed is the one who does not
fulfill the words of this Torah" (Ibid. 27:26). That is
din.
Yet, extending beyond the letter of the law -- lifnim
mishuras hadin -- is dependent upon one's individual
madreigah as a person. Reb Eliyohu Lopian zt'l
used to comment upon the mishna (Ovos 2:1)
"Eizo hi derech yeshoroh sheyovor lo ho'odom?" -- What
is the correct path for the person to choose? Reb Elya
emphasized ho'odom -- the man to signify the
complete man. The odom hasholeim must choose a straight
path; the path which extends beyond our mere obligations: the
path of lifnim mishuras hadin.
With a man of smaller stature, less is expected. If he is
greater, he is expected to extend himself further. It all
depends on the individual status.
The gemora (Bovo Metzia 30b) brings down: Rabbi
Yochonon said: Yerushalayim was destroyed because its
inhabitants conducted themselves according to din Torah
- - strict law -- and not beyond that. Asks Reb Elya Lopian
zt'l: Doesn't the gemora in Yuma bring
down that Bayis Rishon was destroyed because of the
three cardinal sins found amongst Bnei Yisroel:
avodoh zorah, gilui arayos and shefichus domim?
Those two gemoras seem contradictory; was the Bais
Hamikdosh truly destroyed because of the three aveiros
chamuros, or because the Yidden conducted themselves only
according to strict requirement, and not beyond?
Of course the churban came as a result of the three
greatest aveiros, answers Reb Elya. Yet, as long as
Bnei Yisroel acted lifnim mishuras hadin, they
were not punished for their sins. This is in line with the
gemora (Sotah 9b) which states that one is dealt
with from Heaven in the same manner in which he conducts
himself Below. Because Klal Yisroel extended themselves
-- in their performance of mitzvos and avodas Hashem --
beyond their obligations, Hashem responded likewise, and did
not bring punishment upon His children even though they truly
deserved it. Yet, once that conduct ceased from within Bnei
Yisroel, it came to an end from Hashem's part as well.
We learn an awesome lesson from the above: Hashem will favor a
person with more good than he has actually earned -- even when
the person is truly not deserving -- because this person
conducts his own dealings in the spirit of lifnim mishuras
hadin!
Bnei Yisroel committed the worst crimes, yet Hashem
held His Wrath, because they acted beyond the call of mere
duty. Once they began performing mitzvos only in accordance
with the strict requirements, however, Hashem said, "If you
are doing only what is required of you, and no more, I will
act likewise. According to the Law, you deserve the punishment
of churban habayis, and I am not required to withhold
that from you any longer!"
We can deduce from this that we have a tremendous protective
shield to use to prepare ourselves from the Day of Judgment.
That is, to accustom ourselves to act beyond the letter of the
law. Although we might have legitimate complaints against our
associates, let us withdraw them. Let us treat our friends
with more goodness than they deserve, so that Hashem will
respond likewise with His list of complaints against us and
wait for us to do teshuva -- even though we don't
really deserve the grace period!
Can anyone confidently say of himself that he will be
exonerated at his trial? Has anyone performed each and every
one of the 613 mitzvos in the way Hashem has intended him to?
How many commandments have we violated -- whether
accidentally, or intentionally? Are we truly scrupulous in the
laws of damage and monetary issues with our fellow Jews? Do we
constantly remember the halochoh in Hilchos
Gezeila that one who borrows without permission is a
thief?
Can we honestly stand before the King in confidence? We do not
stand before a mortal flesh-and-blood king who is here today,
and in his grave tomorrow! We stand before the Immortal
Melech Malchei Hamelochim, the Creator, the Lord, the
Provider, the One before Whom the angels tremble in fear and
dread! Chazal tell us that there are rivers in the Higher
Spheres, created from the perspiration of the angels who stand
before Hashem, quaking in fear, perceiving His Awesome
Greatness.
If we were to stand trial for a minute monetary matter, how
much apprehension would we feel? Wouldn't we tremble if we
were to be in trial in which large and heavy sums hang in the
balance? And if we were standing trial, and we ourselves were
at stake -- to be freed, or to be sent off to prison publicly,
full of shame, and charged with guilt -- what would we feel
like?
Yet here we are, preparing for a Day of Judgment which is
greater than we can possibly imagine! In a few weeks, we will
be called to stand trial before the Great Almighty, the King
of Kings Himself, and we do not tremble, and we do not
perspire in fright?
I was zoche to witness the tefillos of many
gedolim, among them the great tzaddik Reb
Eliyahu Chaim Meislish zt'l (one of the talmidim
of Reb Isser Zalman Meltzer zt'l). After each of Reb
Elya Chaim's tefillos, he had to change his clothing
from head to toe, as they were soaked with perspiration from
the fear of standing before the King of all Creation.
We all know the halochoh that one who prays only
Boruch She'omar, Ashrei, Yishtabach, and Borchu
with a minyan has fulfilled his obligation of
tefillah betzibbur. The Chofetz Chaim used to say: It
is brought down in the gemora (Brochos 40b),
that one who cannot recite Bircas Hamozone should
simply say, "Blessed is Hashem, the King of the World, Who
Owns this bread," and with that, he has fulfilled his
obligation to bentch. However, said the Chofetz Chaim,
he would not wish to sit with such a person in Gan
Eden. He prefers to sit in Gan Eden together with
one who performed the Will of Hashem in its entirety -- the
way Hashem intended it to be.
I remember how Reb Elya Lopian would arrive at the beis
medrash half an hour before davening began. What do
we do? We do come to davening, and recite the
Birchos Hashachar. Occasionally we begin with Mizmor
shir. What happens to Korbonos? We are considered
the bnei Torah! (When I was in chutz la'aretz, I
noted a praiseworthy custom among ordinary laymen. That is,
that they recited the entire section of korbonos
betzibbur. Laymen were conducting themselves thus and we,
the bnei Torah do not.)
This is especially noteworthy in view of the fact that all the
parts of the tefilloh are arranged like the Four
Worlds: Asiyoh, Bri'oh, Yetziroh, Atzilus, and the
korbonos section of davening is symbolic of the
Olom Ho'Asiyoh, and includes great and lofty
inyonim.
According to the letter of the law, we fulfill our obligation
of prayer even if we do not recite korbonos. Yet, with
fear and trepidation, we must honestly question ourselves: Are
we fulfilling only our obligations?! Do we chas
vesholom want Hashem to respond likewise, and grant us
only what He is "required to, by Law"? Rabbosai!
Especially now, in these days of Elul, we must strengthen
ourselves in our tefillah and our kavonoh, to
concentrate on every word! Our tefillos should not be
only what is required from us -- but far beyond that.
If we conduct ourselves in this vein, we will merit that
Hashem will respond by favoring us with more than He is
required to; He will go beyond the letter of the Law, and hold
His wrath until we return to Him in true repentance. We will
thus be zoche to be inscribed and sealed in the Book of
Life.
HaRav Moshe Aharon Stern zt'l was menahel
ruchani, Yeshivas Kamenitz, Yerushalayim. The above
appeared in the Tishrei, 5758 edition of the bi-annually
published Kol HaTorah journal. It has been translated
with permission.
