NEWS
What Was Innovative About HaRav Yisroel Salanter's Approach?
by Rabbi Shalom Meir (Wallach)
A picture of HaRav Yitzhak Salanter, zt'l, the son of HaRav Yisroel Salanter, zt'l. HaRav Dessler wrote on the back of his picture: I have a tradition from my father zt'l that his appearance was similar to his father, HaGaon Rav Yisroel Salanter, zt'l.
This was originally published in 1993.
For Part III of this series click here.
Part 4
What was new and unique about HaRav Yisroel Salanter's approach? Ethical works had been authored generations earlier. Men who had perfected themselves and feared Hashem existed in every era. What did R' Yisroel propound? Did he put more stress on mitzvos bein adam lechavero, or did he merely wish to place these mitzvos on an equal footing with mitzvos bein adam laMakom? What can we learn from his letters and from the stories of his conduct that abound?
Last week we ended with the following question: Most of the time, we walk in darkness, and all of our efforts are aimed at filling our stomachs and satisfying our base, despicable desires. Additionally, we are steeped in sin. Our few meritorious acts are broken like earthen vessels, (i.e. of little value,) as we neither see nor know the proper, straight path! Therefore, Hashem derives no satisfaction from our lives. Even should we wish to receive reward for our meritorious acts... who knows what our position is?
Perhaps our transgressions outweigh all of our good deeds... It is only miraculously and by the mercy of Heaven that we continue to exist. Perhaps one day the miracle of renewal won't occur. Consider: Every moment that a person isn't studying Torah, he is deserving of death. There isn't a moment when death isn't standing before us. What, then, is the remedy for our innate desire to live?"
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The Price Of A Cup Of Tea
R' Yisroel answers this piercing question. First, however, let's focus on how the phrase "He who does not study deserves death," enters into this question.
Here, credit is due the gaon, HaRav Uri Weissblum, shlita, for his commentary on sefer Ohr Yisroel, wherein he clarifies R' Yisroel's intent: If we lack the merit to continue existing, cholila, and our survival hinges on the mercy of Heaven and the miraculous; If we are steeped in sin, and not one of our few merits is flawless and untainted, then certainly, "one who doesn't learn deserves death."
In this scenario, death isn't a punishment meted out by the Torah, but a picture of reality. As long as a person learns, the Torah shields and saves him. It is a tree of life, from which the angel of death recoils. However, if one doesn't study, what will sustain his life and fuel his continued existence?
R' Yisroel delved deeply into the question of man's obligations vis-a-vis the good bestowed upon him by G-d. While in Paris, he noticed that cafes in the city charged an exorbitant price for a cup of tea. Unhesitatingly, he asked a cafe owner to explain the matter. Why did he charge a franc and a half, when the cost of the water, teaspoon of sugar, and pinch of tea amounted to no more than three sou?
The man answered that for three sou, a person could drink tea at home. Here, he sits at a table with a view of the boulevard and an orchestra plays in the background. Here, a uniformed waiter serves him the tea in an ornate china cup. The high cost of the beverage reflects all of these things.
R' Yisroel left, visibly shaken. Up until this point, he had thanked his Creator for the cup of water he drank and the piece of bread he ate. Now it dawned on him that the debt of gratitude was a hundredfold greater!
Thanks was due not only for the water, but for the sun that shone while he was drinking, for the fresh air that wafted through the window, for the chirping of the birds.
The blessing shehakol neheyeh bidvaro took on new significance: We acknowledge that everything exists through His word. In addition, we express gratitude for all that accompanies the object of the bracha. A person is obligated to say, "The world was created for me," and to acknowledge the good bestowed upon him.
Above and beyond this, he must be worthy of that good. The sun shines on him, as he walks firmly on solid ground. He is blessed with sight and the ability to speak, and none of his teeth ache. In what merit does he deserve all of this?
This is the only way to understand R' Yisroel's saying, cited in Chochmah U'Mussar: (81:9): "This world is like an expensive hotel. In eating one dessert, one can consume his entire world (to come.")
This expensive hotel is merely the hallway to the banquet hall, to Olam Haba. If a person consumes his world here, then what will be his lot in the eternal world? By nature, a person is inclined to repress this question. Or, more accurately, its answer. He reasons that while "he" derives pleasure in this world, it is the "neshamah" which will be punished there, after "he" ceases to exist.
Not so, declares R' Yisroel. The ego—that part of man which speaks, thinks, and experiences desires which it toils to attain—is concealed in the corporeal body. After the body's demise, the ego continues to live. It maintains the capacity for pain and pleasure, for terrible agony, or sublime enjoyment.
In fact, after death, the neshamah's capacity for emotional experience is far greater than when the individual was alive, and the neshamah was shackled to the physical body. The pain and pleasure experienced in Olam Haba depend on one's actions in this world: When one obeys Hashem's commandments he attains great pleasure, pleasure which the intrinsic "I"—the ego, will experience in the next world. Conversely, as a result of violating the commandments, man ultimately experiences great pain.
HaRav Shlomo Eliashiv, zt'l, author of the Leshem Shevo VeAchlamah.
This is the only way to understand R' Yisroel's response to the gaon and mekubal who authored Leshem Shevo VeAchlamah. The latter asked R' Yisroel why he didn't learn Kabalah. (Incidentally, R' Yisroel did learn Kabalah His disciple relates how he sometimes searched for rare works on Kabalah which he needed for his studies.)
R' Yisroel replied, "What difference does it make in which firmament Hashem dwells? One thing is clear: He will smite fools, and the blows will be very painful! They will burn! Of this, I am well aware. What more do I need to know?!"
Elul—A Bear?
The purpose of mussar study is to attain this awareness; To know that it's possible to forfeit one's Olam Haba with a few bites; To recognize that we will have to stand in judgment, that there is no escape from it. "Don't say that the grave will be a refuge for you." We, such as we are, aren't afraid.
But R' Yisroel feared, and trembled before that eventuality. At the age of fifteen, he continuously confessed because he had once forgotten to check his pockets on erev Shabbos, and subsequently found a piece of paper in them. Such were his sins.
He "heard" the shamash's knocks awakening him for selichos immediately after the final shofar blast of motzei Yom Kippur.
On the seder night, he repeated with trepidation the Mishna which states, "All men pass before you like sheep," a verse that would be recited on the following Rosh Hashanah, on the day of judgment that was drawing near.
During the month of Elul, he was so distraught that an acquaintance asked jokingly, "What's all the commotion about? Is Elul a bear?"
Without missing a beat, R' Yisroel responded, "Dovid Hamelech wasn't afraid of bears. 'He smote both the lion and the bear.' On the other hand, he confides, 'My hair stands on end in fear of you. I am afraid of your judgments.' (Tehillim 119:120) Consequently, we see that Elul is more (intimidating) than a bear."
There Is Only One Way
R' Yisroel could find no justification for the wondrous gift he had been given—the gift of life. He saw no way to emerge meritorious in judgment, save one: He would not live for himself. His entire life would be devoted to serving his Creator.
For guests, this world is an expensive hotel. This, however, isn't the case for the hotel's employees: Their meals are on the house, on condition that they do their work faithfully.
Thus, in order to merit life, R' Yisroel circulated through cities, calling on people to make a spiritual accounting. He made them aware of their Torah obligations, and established houses of mussar, educating a generation of devoted talmidim.
For this reason, upon hearing about the deterioration of Jewish life in Germany, he left his country of birth with its many Torah institutions. He departed from his talmidim, and became a wanderer in a strange land. In Berlin, he taught Jewish students Tanach, and in Memel he spoke out for the purpose of limiting chillul Shabbos.
Perhaps he would chance to meet a young Jew who had gone astray, and maybe the youth would find his way back. He related that while in Paris, he stumbled and fell down a staircase. "I felt no fear upon falling: I knew unequivocally that my intentions were solely for the sake of heaven. I am a soldier in the service of the Creator, and am therefore under His protection..."
Recently built ohel over the grave of HaRav Yisroel of Salant
Back To The Lunchroom
This was his approach to life. He believed that only by being mezakeh es horabim and working for others' benefit could he justify his existence and thereby merit life. He didn't think of himself. "Remember us for life—for your sake..." He chose to toil in the service of the hotel's owner, and to derive pleasure from that service.
When told about the illustrious tzaddik, R' Leib of Kelm, he asked if R' Leib had ever entered a store and offered to stand behind the counter for an hour while the Jewish proprietor went up to the beis medrash to recite a bit of Tehillim.
HaRav Yeruchom Meir, his student's student, found a source for this offer in a medrash. The medrash relates that Adam Horishon donated seventy years of his life to Dovid Hamelech.
He sacrificed his very life, an act which entailed the uprooting of egoism, the nullification of self. Adam was a soldier serving his Creator, a vessel for spreading chesed, for doing good and disseminating light. He served the guests of that expensive hotel.
Here, we return to HaRav Chaim Shmuelevitz's lunchroom: To uproot one's inherent selfishness and think of another, to walk in the ways of the Creator, who bestows good on his creations, to proffer the bowl of French fries to one's friend...
Would you Drink Poison?
HaRav Yisroel of Salant said, "If someone was told that his cup contained poison, he surely wouldn't partake of its content. He would refrain, even should the caveat come from an eccentric or insane individual. This, despite his awareness that the person's words are worthless. For perhaps, maybe...and when the Torah exhorts, and the day of judgment draws near—how is it possible that a man's heart doesn't quake?"
His talmid, Rav Naftali Amsterdam, boldly remarked to his Rebbe one Purim, "Rebbe, if only I had your middos, the heart of the Yesod Veshoresh Ha'avodah, and the mind of the Shaagas Arye, then I would be..."
HaRav Yisroel responded: "Naftali, with your mind, with your heart, and with your middos!"
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Inside the recently built ohel over the grave of HaRav Yisroel of Salant
"A judge should always view himself as if Gehennom is open beneath him, and a sword rests between his thighs."
Remarks R' Yisroel, "We think, 'How fortunate that we aren't judges, burdened with such weighty responsibility.' We overlook the fact that every individual is a judge when it comes to his ways (i.e. actions). He is obligated to weigh every step in light of the Torah's standards, in light of all the laws encompassed in the Shulchan Oruch, with all its sections. - Gehennom is open beneath us, the sword rests on our paths, and we...stride..."
A Talmid's Letter
Written by HaRav Simcha Zissel of Kelm, zt'l, upon his learning of HaGaon HaRav Yisroel Salanter's Petiroh, zt'l
Yesterday, on motzei Shabbos Terumah, I heard the terrible news: The holy ark, our crown, shield, and father, Admor, the chariot of Israel, has been taken from us. The fountains of wisdom have been plugged up, and we are as orphans without a father. To whom can we turn? To whom can we direct out inquiries? ...Arise, you who are drawn to his holy wisdom. Let us strengthen ourselves in his path. Let us collect his refined dictums, and inscribe them on our hearts with an iron pen.
Who can relate to us or show us a smattering of his pure ways, which are an amalgam of Torah, Yirah, and middos? His lofty philosophy has been cut off, there is no one to revive it. Let us take counsel. Perhaps our Father and King will aid us, and we will succeed in gathering an outline of R' Yisroel's principles on the subject of yirah. In this way, his system won't be lost to us and our descendants. Perhaps He who grants aid will help us to walk in His path.
Due to my many concerns and little worth, I have no time to look into the matter and gather, bit by bit, the gleanings of his holy light. If only his talmidim, who merited to experience it, would be stirred to consider well, and compile an outline of his system along with the general principles that they gleaned from him...the likes of which have never been heard from anyone else.
Chazal state (Brochos, 43) that "Rav Ada Bar Ahavoh tore keriah, put the fabric back in place, and then ripped keriah again, saying, 'Rav has died, and we don't know how to recite Bircas Hamozone.'" What,then, shall we say? The Rav has died, and we don't know anything!
I wish to make a request of my esteemed friend and relative. Perhaps you know certain things that he didn't want revealed during his lifetime: Matters that were kept secret, which might now be divulged.
For instance, his general transactions, many of which were well known to you, and which you might now reveal to me, in order that I may benefit from them. Indeed, everything that I heard from him, even second hand, is of great value to us, as it says, "silk is precious to its wearers." All the more so regarding his holy deeds...Thirstily, we drink his words, and are refreshed by his exalted deeds. If you revealed all his wondrous actions, it would be of inestimable value to us.
Believe me, if I were in good health, I would travel to you. Perhaps you would then disclose that which is concealed from me. This would be a great mitzvah, for one can derive the greatest benefit from learning about the Rav's deeds.
If only someone were wise enough to write the biography of this great man...it would be a great merit for him. Perhaps you will see fit to inform me, and not to hide anything from me.
It may also be worthwhile for each of his followers to undertake a set amount of gemara, learning a daf each day for the sake of his pure neshamah. Everyone should learn the same masechta and daf, in a manner similar to that which he desired, dividing up Shas. These are the words of your friend, who writes with anguish over the tragedy that has befallen our nation.
You may show this letter to whomever you wish... and to strengthen them in the study of mussar and its many paths. For this study literally falls under the category of a meis mitzvah, neglected by all. It is liable to be forgotten, R"l. Few are those who received it directly from the gaon...
Perhaps, if many delighted in its study, there would be among them some great men, soul searchers, who would elevate and spread it,(i.e. mussar study.) They would find supports for it from the Torah, rejuvenating and upholding it, so that it not be lost from among us, bnei Yisroel, remnants of a nation.
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