The rule which Chazal established that, "If the ancients
were like angels, then we are like mortals," applies as well
to the relationship between the younger members of the
generation with regard to the elders of that same
generation.
"If the ancients were like angels, then we are like people,
and if the ancients were like mortals, then we are like
donkeys, and not like the donkey of R' Pinchos ben Yo'ir."
This does not express doubt about the nature of the Rishonim,
but rather establishes definite and clear-cut parameters of
our approach towards them. If we relate to them in contrast
to ourselves as angels to people, then we are people and can
benefit from their wisdom. But if we regard them as mortals
like ourselves, then we are no more than donkeys. And as
such, we are altogether incapable of being influenced or
taught by them. We are even lower and less able to receive
any influence than the famous donkey belonging to R' Pinchos
ben Yo'ir, whose owner's kedushoh was so great that it
influenced even his donkey and caused it to shun food that
was not tithed.
When speaking about the relations between generations, it is
vital for us to be aware that we are not talking about
generations far removed from us by centuries. This is not so.
The gap between earlier and later generations even applies
within the span of a generation or two, so that the elders
who are contemporaries of the younger ones, with years in
between to be sure, are to be considered like `Rishonim' and
the younger ones as `Acharonim.' This is specifically stated
in the words of Chazal (see Brochos 20a).
Whoever has a proper perspective on this matter is capable of
receiving some genuine lessons and influence from the piety
and wisdom of the elders and sages of his own generation.
Only if he truly regards them as angels of Heaven, will he be
able to absorb the element of prophecy inherent in their
wisdom, as Chazal have noted (Bovo Basra 10a).
Even though prophecy was taken away from the prophets, that
is, even if we no longer enjoy prophecy, still an element of
prophecy exists by the wise. Chazal deal with this matter of
prophecy that exists within wisdom in greater depth in
Shemos Rabbah, Yisro 28:4. "Said R' Yitzchok: Whatever
the prophets were to prophesy in each and every generation
was already transmitted at Sinai. And so we see it written:
`The prophecy of the word of Hashem to Israel at the hand of
Malachi.' It is not written, `In the days of Malachi' because
that prophecy already existed in his hand, as it were,
directly already at Sinai. However until the very hour that
it had to be transmitted to the Jewish people, it was
withheld and he was not permitted to prophesy it. Not only
did the prophets receive their prophecies directly from
Sinai, but even the sages and elders in each and every
generation received their own prophecies directly from Sinai
(see further Brochos 5a)."
If we wish to understand the opinion of a Torah sage who
does, in fact, possess an element of prophecy within his
wisdom, we must realize that he is tied and closely bound to
Hashem yisborach, and everything about his life is
imbued with Torah. Chazal said in Beitza (40a) about
Rabi Chonoh bar Chanilai that he is a great man and busy with
his learning, and Rashi explains that such a sage is one who
forgets worldly matters.
We cannot help but bemoan the fact that in our times people
who have not merited shimmush chachomim and some who
are not even worthy of the title of talmid since the
term talmid denotes a submissiveness, as of disciple
to master in accepting his authority with a blind faith (this
is explained in the gemora in chapter Bameh
Madlikin which tells what Hillel said to a convert)
nonetheless express opinions, even daring ones, concerning
Jewish life, based on criticism against the Torah scholars of
the generation, portraying these scholars to the public as if
they lack experience in practical everyday life.
These critics who did not attend to Torah scholars, lord it
over others and boast of their wisdom and of their practical
experience. They are truly involved in many things in life,
but in fact they are very distant from being absorbed at all
in the holy Torah. Because of their many pursuits and the
difficulty they have in concentrating they do not find much
time to study, and have really lost the deep desire for that
elevated pleasure of being distracted by learning Torah.
Their spirit is dispersed. It is not focused.
Since seeing the truth in Torah has that element of prophecy
that is in wisdom, the only way one can see it is through
total distraction and absorption, that is similar to what
prophets experience when they prophesied. We see that when
prophets prophesy, "Their bodies tremble and they become
debilitated and lose their wits and exclude extraneous
stimuli so that their minds are free to understand what they
visualize" (See Rambam, Yesodei Hatorah, 7). In a
similar way, we must also concentrate completely on Torah,
and study it "with dread and fear and trembling," as it was
transmitted at Sinai, as explained in Chazal in
Brochos.
Only through such an approach can we understand and feel what
Chazal taught upon the verse, "I am a wall . . . " The towers
are the Torah scholars, and as is explained by the Yad Ramah
commentary on Bovo Basra, "The members of that
generation derive benefit from the scholars in their midst
just like an infant imbibes his mother's milk, and their
Torah protects them like watchtowers. For not only does the
generation enjoy the benefit of their counsel, but their
entire subsistence is from these scholars just like an
infant's subsistence is from his mother's milk. When we
relate to them thus, then truly they protect us, like towers
that serve as vantage points for distant lookout.
"Torah scholars have a far-reaching vision that can look into
the past that is already forgotten by the bulk of the nation
and extrapolate their wisdom into the future to know what
will transpire. They do not suffer from shortsightedness or a
narrow view of the present which is like a fleeting shadow,
like others."
We must strengthen within ourselves an appreciation of what
our sages have taught us: A person must forever say: When
will my deeds approach those of my ancestors, Avrohom,
Yitzchok and Yaakov? Chazal did not obligate us to reach
their level, for this is an impossible feat and is dependent
purely on Heavenly assistance to merit this. But they did
obligate us to say, "When will my deeds approach . . . "
We must endlessly, ceaselessly strive for our deeds to
emulate theirs. We must strive for an ongoing continuity in
the tradition and transmission from generation to generation,
from the Patriarch founders of our people up till the
preceding generation and unto our very times, for the deeds
of every generation touch the ones preceding it and following
it.
The yahrtzeit of HaRav Mordechai Gifter zt'l, rosh
yeshivas Telz, is 23 Teves.
