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Are You Asking A Question Or Are You Asking An Answer?

By BJLife/Rabbi Moshe Pruzansky

Posted on 01/07/22

Parshas HaShavua Divrei Torah sponsored by
Dr. Shapsy Tajerstein, DPM - Podiatry Care.
(410) 788-6633

Towards the end of this week’s parshah, we find the pasukim that are the referenced each year on Pesach at the Seder: Regarding the Chacham (Wise Son), whose question is respected, the Torah states, “and it will be when your son will ask you tomorrow, ‘What is this?’, you shall say to him...(Shemos 13:14)”. Regarding the the other son, whose question makes him regarded as the Rasha, the Torah states ”And it shall be when your children say to you, ‘what is this service to you?’. You shall say to him…” (Shemos 12:26).


These two questions seem nearly identical. If so, why is the Chacham’s question respected while the Rasha’s is not?


In the era of R' Chaim Solovetchik, there was a big Haskala movement and many people unfortunately went off the Derech. One such person was unfortunately a close student of R' Chaim.


Many years after this young man went off the Derech, R' Chaim was visiting a town and the news of the Gadol HaDor’s planned visit circulated to all of the neighboring towns. The student, who had now been off the Derech for quite some time, decided to go to the town where R’ Chaim would be visiting. In preparation, he spent the next few days diligently writing down any questions that he had on Yiddishket.


On the day that R’ Chaim came to the town, his former student managed to get close to R’ Chaim and asked for a meeting. R’ Chaim obliged. At the meeting, after some small talk, the young man challenged R’ Chaim and said, "Rebee, I have so many questions on Yiddishket. Can you answer them for me?".


R' Chaim replied, "my dear talmud, I am willing to stay up all night with you to discuss any questions that you may have. But first, please tell me one thing. Did these questions bother you before you went off the Derech or only afterwards? If they bothered you beforehand, then they are real questions and for that I will give you all of the time that you need, to answer them”.


“However, if they only bothered you afterwards, after you had already decided that you wanted to leave Yiddishket, or after you had already left for years, then I am sorry, but unfortunately these are not questions. Rather, they are simply excuses & answers to yourself as to why you left or why you shouldn't have to come back.


I only have answers to questions, but unfortunately, nobody has answers to answers".


(R’ Frand has quoted this powerful, true story).


R’ Frand quotes The Shemen HaTov who points out that by the question of the Chacham, the pasuk says, “and it shall be when your son will ask you TOMORROW 'What is this?'”. However, with the Rasha, the pasuk leaves out the key word “tomorrow”.


The Chacham, the Shemen HaTov explains, does his avodas Hashem and has the Seder, even though he has questions. He feels that his questions can wait and that his doing the mitzvos is not dependent whatsoever on whether or not he gets answers today or tomorrow; it can wait. After all, his questions are in order to get a deeper understanding & appreciation of Torah & avodas Hashem.


The Rasha, on the other hand, won't keep the mitzvos or have the Seder unless he first gets his answers RIGHT NOW.


This difference, makes all the difference in the world, for it clarifies whether one is simply asking a question, or, whether his question is simply to get himself out of performing Avodas Hashem.


We greatly encourage questions in order to better understand the truths of Yiddishkeit. However, if someone has no interest in doing the right thing and has already made up his mind, then his questions aren't looking for answers and he will never accept those answers either way; He is not asking questions, rather, he is giving answers & excuses.




Living Inspired


With so much bias in the media, and with today’s general culture of even those who have zero-credentials whatsoever being given a proverbial microphone on social media to voice their opinions, we are all being exposed to “questions” on our pure and concrete Torah values (and basic morality in general) – at one point or another.


It is vital to bear in mind the lesson from our Parshah and decipher whether these are true “questions” – or are they simply answers & excuses.


How? Are they being asked by moral people, who would be willing to follow morale behavior even without getting immediate answers to their questions – or – are these people already acting the way that they want to and not asking questions, but rather, giving “sophisticated” rhetoric answers & excuses to their already adopted current behavior and vile desires*?


After all, one can always answer a question, but no one can answer an answer.


Gut Shabbos


_______________________


*- Nowadays, we have a strange phenomenon of people regularly attacking our basic morality norms and Torah principles - whether it be regarding the sanctity of the life of a fetus, the insanity of gender fluidity (having to call one person “they”), saying men can be women and vice versa, etc. These crazy opinions are being spread by people who are otherwise regarded as “intellectual” individuals. How can that be?


The answer is found in our Parsha. As R’ Chaim Solovetchik pointed out so long ago regarding victims of Haskala, who after going off the Derech or after wanting to leave Yiddishkeit, voiced questions and opinions against Yiddishkeit – these are not questions, they are merely providing excuses & answers for their behavior and vile desires, either directly - or indirectly (by trying to wash away any requirement to follow basic morality). They want to be right, no matter what, which makes it difficult to answer them adequately – for one may be able to answer a question, but nobody can answer an answer.




My father often points out that this is really a blessing in disguise. The fact that today “sophisticated intellectuals”, as well as textbook-brilliant scientists, strongly advocate the nonsense that they are defending today – is helpful. And the fact that these scientists, influencers, “respected” celebrities, and some people who were regarded as “intellectuals” - viciously defend these bizarre opinions listed above as indisputable “facts”, is insightful to us. Why? Because by them doing so, we are now reminded that ALL of their many OTHER opinions throughout history that went against Torah and basic morality over the years, were just as equally skewed. It finally reveals to us their true intentions all along, beyond a shadow of a doubt, and that they’re conclusions and opinions have nothing to do with their impressive credentials (if any) or high IQ. All this time, they were not giving us brilliant scientific facts or deep moral arguments. Rather, they were offering answers & excuses to the vile desires of their body or confusion of their hearts. At the very least, it shows us that somebody who is “intelligent” could still have hashkafos that are as objectively wrong as saying “night is day” and that they could still make mistakes regarding things that even children know.