Stories Of Greatness

One person who was never intimidated by people of power and influence was the great Telsher Rosh HaYeshivah, R’ Mordechai Gifter zt”l. His passion for Torah was combined with his incredible common sense and practical view of the world. He learned this outlook and hashkafah in Telz, in Lithuania. He saw it in his father-in-law, R’ Zalman Bloch zt”l Hy”d, and the Roshei HaYeshivah, R’ Avraham Yitzchok Bloch zt”l Hy”d, and R’ Elya Meir Bloch zt”l.

Klal Yisroel sang a special Shirah upon learning of the hidden miracle Hashem performed for them as they passed through the mountains of Arnon. The Emorim lay in ambush, hoping to destroy the nation as they crossed the canyon, but Hashem caused the mountains on both sides to come together, crushing the would-be attackers and saving the Jewish people.

The episode of the five daughters of Tzelafchad is mentioned two different times in the Torah: in Parshas Pinchos and Parshas Maasei. (Tzelafchad himself is also referenced in Parshas Shelach as the mekosheish eitzim.) A basic principle in the Torah is: “Biglal nashim tzidkaniyos nigalu avoseinu miMitzrayim – Because of the righteous women, our forefathers were redeemed from Egypt.”

A religious Jew by the name of David Gellis was on a business trip to Chicago. He spent an entire week immersed in work, and upon its conclusion, he grabbed a Friday afternoon flight back to New York. Shabbos was late, and he figured he had enough time to make it home after landing, before the z’man.

We find a seemingly similar occurrence with Avraham Avinu and with Bilaam, the wicked prophet. The Torah reports that each of them “arose early in the morning and saddled his donkey.” In Hebrew, the word yachavosh (יחבוש – saddled) is closely related to kibush (כיבוש – to conquer). Likewise, the word chamor (חמור – donkey) resembles chomer (חומר – physicality).

Someone once asked R’ Chaim Pinchos Scheinberg zt”l why he had such extraordinary self-sacrifice for the mitzvah of tzitzis. He answered very simply, “Chacham lev yikach mitzvos” – the wise of heart will seize good deeds (Mishlei 10:8). He would often cite the Gemara, “Grab and eat, grab and drink, for the world which we are leaving is like a wedding” (Eruvin 54a). He wanted to chap as many mitzvos as he could. When he was asked how he could wear so many pairs when they were so heavy, he would respond, “Would you have such a question if you were carrying gold?” To him, his layers of tzitzis were layers of pure gold.