This past week was a particularly difficult one for me since the beloved individual who greatly impacted my life's trajectory passed away.
Rav Avrohom Gurewitz, zt'l, the renowned founder of Yeshivas Ner Moshe, and author of the twenty-three remarkable volumes entitled Ohr Avrohom, had entered my life when I was yet in High School, inspiring me by his warmth, wisdom, and wit. I had maintained a lifetime connection that has left an eternal imprint on my soul.
At a shiva visit with one of his daughters this past week I was asked how I would describe a man I had known and admired for nearly sixty years, I said that he was the Marlboro Man, Clint Eastwood, and Moshe Rabbeinu all wrapped into one. This may sound strange, but for those who were fortunate to know him they understand where I'm coming from.
As a merit to this tzaddik, from whom I have absorbed so much inspiration and Torah, I will share a thought that appears in his sefarim, but I remember hearing it from him directly.
Rambam in his Laws of Teshuva, when discussing our status as fully free-willed individuals, writes that we are thus all capable of becoming a צדיק כמשה רבינו — righteous as Moshe our teacher. (הלכות תשובה ה א-ב)
The source for this selection of Moshe as the paradigm of righteousness and our ability to emulate him, is not found anywhere. The Rambam seems to have chosen it on his own.
What about the Avos? Was their righteousness any less than that of Moshe?
Rav Gurewitz directs us to a famous passage in Brachos (33).
And Rabbi Chanina said: Everything is in the hands of Heaven, except for fear of Heaven, as it is stated: “And now Israel, what does the Lord your G-d ask of you other than to fear the Lord your G-d…" (Devorim 10:12).
Is fear of Heaven a minor matter [that it can be presented as if God is not asking anything significant?] Didn’t Rabbi Chanina say in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yocḥai: The Holy One, Blessed be He, has nothing in his treasury other than a treasure of fear of Heaven, as it is stated: “Fear of the Lord is his treasure” (Yeshayahu 33:6).
[The Gemara responds:] Indeed, for Moshe fear of Heaven is a minor matter.
All the commentaries ask that although for Moshe it was a minor matter — to 'just' fear G-d — but how could he expect it from the entire Jewish nation that he was demanding it from?
In his brilliant and characteristic clarity, Rav Gurewitz taught that this is precisely the point. Since Moshe knew that every Jew could attain the highest level of fear of Heaven — no differently than he — Moshe was able to challenge each one of us. It is within 'everyone's' ability!
What greater source for the Rambam than the very verse itself! Gevaldig!
May I — a humble talmid — add to his teaching.
The Rambam continues that just like we can choose to be great like Moshe, so too we could elect poorly and become a villain akin to Yeravam ben Nevat.
He was the first king of the Kingdom of Israel after the Ten Tribes seceded from the Kingdom of Yehudah after King Solomon's death. Yeravam closed the roads to the Temple and set up golden calves to prevent his subjects from serving G-d.
Even when G-d offered him a chance to return, promising him that he would walk together with King David in Gan Eden, all he wanted to know was who would walk in front. When G-d responded, "the son of Yishai", he rejected the offer.
Why of all the infamous cast of evildoers, was Yeravam selected as the contrasting villain against the righteous Moshe?
One who causes the community to be meritorious, no sin will come by his hand. One who causes the community to sin, is not given the opportunity to repent. Moshe was meritorious and caused the community to be meritorious, so the community's merit is attributed to him… Yeravam the son of Nevat sinned and caused the community to sin, so the community's sin is attributed to him… (אבות ה יח)
This Mishna in Avos provides the key to appreciating this dichotomy.
We must emulate Moshe if we are to attain secret access to who we truly are and avoid the pitfalls of sin.
The famed Mashgiach, Rav Shlomo Wolbe writes that the key to successful personal development is firstly, to know we are each unique and not 'stam' a person, and secondly, that we are only as special as we devote ourselves to the 'klall' — the community.
Moshe invests in us each, remarkable worth, but we must in turn utilize our greatness in tending and promoting others in their journeys, validating, and appreciating their challenges and accomplishments.
Yeravam who sought personal success not grounded on greatness of character, was incapable of truly valuing others and manipulated them away from their destined greatness for his own quest for power. He chose to quell the inspiration of his 'Moshe' soul and was left to the consequence of his choices.
Exactly forty-four years ago, as a twenty-nine year old yungerman learning in Kollel, I received a letter from Rav Gurewitz who lived in Yerushalayim. International phone fees were prohibitive, email wasn't invented, and the mode of communication in those 'ancient' times was still by snail-mail. I had been in Kollel six years by then and it is in that context I quote the following excerpt from that cherished letter.
Dear Heshy,
…How's it going at the Kollel, and what about tachlis? Sorry for sounding like your mother, but isn't it time to give your learning to others? I know the field is crowded, but maybe out of town, there are all these new yeshivos that are opening…
שנה טובה וכתיבה וחתימה טובה
אברהם
Two years later I left 'town' to teach in Los Angeles and the rest is history.
How fortunate I have been to have been warmed by this giant 'Moshe' soul, who instilled us with 'worth', and aspirations for greatness, in his inimitable manner, prodding us to emulate a 'tzaddik' who devoted his life for his talmidim and the wider community with his Torah and persona, in the image of Moshe!
יהי זכרו ברוך
באהבה,
צבי יהודה טייכמאן
