HaRav Ben Tsion Haneman, zt'l, who was Rav Yisroel Salanter's host in Memel for twenty years. R' Dovid Haneman, the grandson, says that his father—seventeen at the time of R' Yisroel's death—knew the founder of the mussar movement, and the Haneman household lived with the memory of their illustrious guest.
This was originally published in 1993.
For Part II of this series click here.
For Part IV of this series click here.
Part 3
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?
We wrote about the story of R' Yisroel invited to the Shabbos seuda of an affluent talmid. R' Yisroel agreed to come to the meal, on the condition that it be shortened by two hours. Having no choice, the talmid accepted this unusual condition. The offended talmid asked his rebbe what fault he had found with the way the meal was normally conducted. Instead of giving a direct answer, R' Yisroel asked him to call the cook, who was a widow.
The cook said: "May the rebbe be blessed. If only you ate here every Friday night! I am exhausted from all of the Shabbos preparations, and normally have to remain awake late into the night, until the Shabbos meal ends. Tonight, thanks to you, the meal is already over, and I can go rest."
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There is a second principle, which is manifest in the story about the Shabbos table. Here, the obligation was not only to consider the cook and her well-being. One also had to determine the order of priorities.
Certainly, a Shabbos table graced with zemiros and divrei Torah creates a lofty atmosphere, and this is a sublime spiritual acquisition.
On the other hand, one must weigh the cook's toil. The thought invariably comes to mind: "She's just doing her job! This is what she's being paid for! She has no cause for complaint or resentment."
What takes precedence? Without question, the splendor of the Shabbos table, which sparkles and entices. Or so it seems to us. But R' Yisroel, who used the scales of truth, tells us otherwise. The splendor and lofty atmosphere of the Shabbos table come second to the exhaustion, toil, and affliction of the widow.
Certainty Versus Doubt
The following story can be attributed to these considerations: Once, R' Yisroel went with another great Rav to visit someone staying at an inn. The Rav opened the door and waited for R' Yisroel to enter first. Courtesy required that R' Yisroel refuse. He should have expressed the desire for the Rav to precede him, and after debating for a minute, the two would enter together. That, however, is not what happened.
Instead, R' Yisroel entered hastily, and quickly closed the door after the other Rav, asking: "Does a questionable positive commandment defer a definite prohibition?"
The Rav didn't understand the question, and R' Yisroel explained: Here, there is a doubt as to who is required to honor whom. This is a doubt regarding the positive commandment of "You shall honor one who is mature in wisdom." (vehadarta pnei zaken) However, by leaving the door open, heat unquestionably escapes from the house, and the freezing cold enters. This is certainly gezel, and the prohibition against stealing isn't abrogated even in the face of an unquestionable positive commandment!
The Eve Of Kol Nidrei
The necessity of determining the order of priorities is at the root of the following incident as well: R' Yisroel rebuked a man who, while hurrying to enter the shul in time for kedusha, accidentally stepped on and dirtied the shoe of a congregant.
Another story illustrates this principle: A new shul was built. After its completion, a number of bricks remained. The gabbai asked R' Yisroel what should be done with the them. He responded, "If you would listen to me, you would brick up the opening to the women's section. The reward they receive for davening with the congregation is outweighed by the loss incurred by even one conversation in which gossip is spoken."
The same consideration was operant one Yom Kippur eve, when the congregation waited for R' Yisroel's arrival to start Kol Nidrei. After a lengthy period of time, they davened without him. When he appeared much later, his coat was wrinkled and his hair full of downy feathers.
On the way to shul, he heard the cries of an infant emanating from one of the houses. The mother had gone to shul for Kol Nidrei, and left the baby in the care of an older sister, who fell asleep. The baby awoke and began to wail, and R' Yisroel stopped to feed him, afterwards rocking him in his cradle until he fell asleep.
It is true that this story has been related about many gedolei Yisroel, and it's possible that it happened to all of them. In any case, Rav Y. Mark heard the story from his mother, a native of Salant who was present when the incident occurred. Even here, emotion and intellect were at odds. Kol Nidrei, with its elevated atmosphere, versus gemilas chesed, a mitzvah deOraisa.
A Great Error
Although stories of this nature abound, the above narratives suffice for our purposes. Let's pause and contemplate what we can learn from these stories about R' Yisroel and his outlook.
It is well known that there were those who wished to see here a shift in emphasis from mitzvos bein adam laMakom to obligations bein adam lechavero. A shift from the Kol Nidrei prayer to caring for a baby; from the haste to say kedusha to the cleanliness of another's shoe; from the Shabbos zemiros to the servant's toil.
This erroneous idea was held not only by those blinded by Haskalah and those who cast off the yoke of Heaven. There were many G-d-fearing individuals who ascribed to this view as well. They were, however, laboring under a grave misconception: All of R' Yisroel's considerations were halachic. Indeed, halacha was the sole criterion for his every action. However, instead of expatiating on this theme, let us cite R' Yisroel's own words, as they are self-explanatory:
"The following phenomenon is commonly found: There are many sins from which a person refrains due to habit. He refuses to transgress these even when pressed by circumstances. Yet this selfsame man will commit transgressions of a much more serious nature with ease.
"For instance, the vast majority of Jews wouldn't think of eating without netilas yodayim, cholila, even if they were famished and suffering greatly. But they transgress the serious prohibition of loshon hora with ease, even when the temptation is minimal...
Boruch Hashem, the prohibition against neveilos, treifos, and the like are embedded in Jewish souls, to the extent that no one need overcome his nature nor curb his desire to refrain from them: Such things are repulsive to Jews. It would never even occur to one who sells kosher meat to be lax in asking a sheila, should he find anything even slightly suspicious... although he will at times incur a great loss should the meat prove treif. His fear of Heaven is second nature in this matter. Cholila that he should do evil, and cause others to stumble.
The opposite, however, is true in business matters: Most people don't, of their own accord, ask a Rav concerning actions that might fall into the category of stealing. There are even those who, upon receiving a summons, devise stratagems or brazenly refuse (to appear before a beis din.) Yet, in the Torah, everything is of equal weight. Both the former and latter are negative prohibitions! - "You shall not eat any flesh torn by beasts (treifah) in the field," and "You shall not eat any carcass," (neveilah) - or "You shall not oppress your neighbor," and "Don't steal!"
HaRav Yitzchok Hutner
In Torah, All Is Equal
"In the Torah, everything is equal. Both the former and latter are negative prohibitions." Returning to R' Chaim's moshol, we are compelled to insert a correction: Not just the lunchroom, but the beis medrash as well.
When questioned about the teachings of R' Yisroel, HaRav Yitzchok Hutner explained that his objective was to place mitzvos bein adam lechavero on an equal footing with mitzvos bein adam laMakom. It might seem that we have no need of this teaching, for the words of R' Yisroel cited above speak for themselves. The stories about him impart this message as well, and we are used to understanding them in this way.
I thought thus, until I saw the words of his talmid, HaRav Simcha Zissel of Kelm, zt'l. He asked the following question in the name of his Rebbe:
Avrohom Avinu was a paragon of chesed. His hospitality was renowned, and he hosted masses of people, drawing them under the wings of the Shechina. Why, then, did the Torah choose to emphasize and detail the incident in which he hosted the angels? Especially since this chesed was of an illusory nature, as the angels had no need of water, bread, and tongue with mustard?
R' Yisroel answered, that the Torah wishes to teach us that bein adam laMakom takes precedence over bein adam lechavero.
What is the meaning of this enigmatic answer? What bein adam laMakom is there, if the angels didn't need Avrohom's beneficence? Equally puzzling, if the Torah wished to extol Avrohom Avinu's actions bein adam laMakom, why didn't it employ one of his numerous nisyonos, of which the Akeidah was the apex?
There Is Only One Category Of Mitzvah
R' Yisroel's answer sheds light not only on Avrohom's hospitality to the angels, but on the meaning of all his hospitality and lifestyle.
In truth, there are no mitzvos bein adam lechavero. Everything falls under the category of bein adam laMakom. This is the meaning of R' Yisroel's statement, "In the Torah, everything is equal. Both the former and the latter are negative prohibitions." Everything is contained in the Torah, and there is nothing but Torah! Had the Torah related an incident in which Avrohom hosted humans, Arabs suffering from heat stroke and hunger, we would have extolled the attribute of benefiting another (bein adam lechavero,) in and of itself.
This, however, isn't the Torah's message, points out R' Yisroel. The Torah wishes to emphasize the motive behind the mitzvah: "Just as He is, so shall you be."("Ma Hu, af atta") We are enjoined to emulate and imitate the ways of Hashem. This is the basis of all mitzvos bein adam lechavero.
Incidentally, the Alter of Slobodke, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, zt'l, would recall the medrash that Hashem created stomachs for the angels, so that they would be able to eat. Even this must be ascribed to Hashem's desire that we follow His path: He created a world in order to bestow good upon it; similarly, He created the wherewithal which enabled Avrohom to emulate Him. There is thus nothing besides the Torah and its obligations. R' Yisroel's words shed a new and important light on this principle.
The Yichudim Of Chanoch
"Chanoch was a cobbler. With every stitch he sewed, he uttered boruch Shem kvod malchuso le'olam vo'ed, a phrase which contains the unity (yichud) and connection (kishur) of all worlds."
R' Yisroel explained this simply: The cobbler checked each thread to make sure it wasn't defective, and examined each stitch to ascertain that it was sewn properly, doing his job faithfully. His reliability when it came to other people's money constituted the holiest yichudim and kishurim, and was among the most elevated madreigos.
We have all heard this story before. Now, however, it takes on a new dimension. Exercising care in one's business dealings, presumably the realm of bein adam lechavero, results in the unification and connection of the upper worlds. This being the case, mitzvos which ostensibly fall under the category of bein adam lechavero are in reality the embodiment of bein adam laMakom! They are the fulfillment of the Creator's will, nothing more. Chanoch's end attests to this: He ascended to the heights!
There is incontrovertible proof of the above: R' Yitzchok Blazer collected all of R' Yisroel's letters in the sefer Ohr Yisroel. He wrote of his Rebbe's holy ways in the pamphlet Nesivos Ohr. Contained therein is a notable section on R' Yisroel's conduct and zealousness in matters bein adam lechavero.
R' Blazer prefaced the work Ohr Yisroel with a long piece entitled "Sha'arei Ohr—On the Study of Yirah and Mussar." This preface consists of numerous chapters, and an extensive explanation of his Rebbe's philosophy, goals, and the means towards their attainment. None of the above mentioned works give any indication that R' Yisroel placed special emphasis on mitzvos bein adam lechavero. The "lunchroom" isn't mentioned at all!
For This Is Man's Sole Purpose
This can be attributed to the fact that the essence of Toras Hamussar is to clarify and verify a man's obligations in this world: Man is duty bound to perform the will of his Creator. He is obligated to uphold the Torah with its numerous and penetrating requirements.
Once, R' Yehuda of Slonim stayed in the same inn as R' Yisroel. After discussing divrei Torah until very late, R' Yisroel suggested that his colleague retire. When he was convinced that R' Yehuda was sleeping, he began to pace to and fro, repeating with intense emotion the verse, "Fear the L-rd, and keep his commandments, for this is man's sole purpose."
The Chofetz Chaim related that on that same night, he slept in a room adjacent to R' Yisroel's. He remained awake the entire night, for he longed to know how R' Yisroel slept. Pressing his ear to the wall, he heard R' Yisroel continuously repeat in a trembling voice, "He who does not study (Torah) deserves death." (Avos 1:13)
"Miraculously And By Mercy Of Heaven"
Incidentally, R' Yisroel interpreted Chazal's dictum, "He who does not study deserves death," in a novel and frightening manner. This interpretation is mentioned as an aside in one of his letters. (Ohr Yisroel, letter 3:) "We are very far from the center of life. (i.e. From the purpose for which we were created.) Our striving is not for Hashem! 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 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?"
End of Part 3
