DVAR TORAH: Vayakel/Pekuday - 5764
Before the kohain brought the atonement
offering on behalf of the nation, he had to bring a personal
atonement offering. Rashi gives the reason as, “K’shote atzmacha,
v’achar k’shote achairim.” Adorn yourself, then adorn others. He
needed to do his own repentance and attain his own atonement before
atoning for others.
Two men came to Rav Yochanon ben Zachai with the
request that he help them settle a dipute. The men agreed that after telling
their story, they would abide by whatever the Rav would decide. Rav Yochanon
listened patiently as each told his side of the story:
The two men owned adjacent fields. The branches from
one of the men’s trees protruded into his neighbor’s property. The neighbor
wanted the branches to be removed. The first man felt that such a request
was unreasonable. After all, the base of the tree was on his side of the
line; you have to expect the branches to grow out. What was the harm? The
neighbor felt that it did harm him because it took away his sunlight and
airspace and in the future could prevent him from planting or building in
that spot.
Rav Yochanon told them that he would give them his
decision tomorrow.
The two returned the next day and stood before the
Rav. Rav Yochanon, very briefly, said, “This is a very simple clear cut
case. The branches need to be cut down by the owner of the tree.”
After the men left, one of the Rav’s disciples asked
him, “If it was so simple and clear cut, why was it necessary to make the
men wait a day before giving them the answer. Why couldn’t you have rendered
this decision for them yesterday, when they first came.”
Rav Yochanon explained, “When the men related their
dispute, it made me realize that I own trees with branches that protrude
into my neighbors airspace. I went out early this morning and had all those
braches cut down, because I didn’t want to tell others to do something that
I wasn’t doing myself. Only after my own branches were removed could I tell
another to do the same.”
D'Var Torah - Parshas Pekuday - 5763
By Rabbi Baruch Lederman
The Torah gives a full and detailed list of all the contributions to the Temple showing how everything was used. Even though the holy Moshe (Moses) Rabainu and the righteous Betzalel were in charge; and there was no way that any one could suspect them of dishonesty or impropriety, the Torah gives an exact accounting so that there can be absolutely no doubt. The Talmud (Baba Basra) states that one who collects, disburses or in any way handles community funds may not have pockets on his garments. Thus no one can suspect that he is pocketing any money. Even though he would not be appointed to the position if he were not known to be scrupulously honest, there can be no room left for doubt. Rabbi Yisroel Salanter never even allowed himself to be alone in a room with someone else's money. In this way, he could not be tempted and no one could suspect him of theft. It once happened that the Chofetz Chaim needed to leave early one morning to go do a certain mitzvah. Consequently he was unable to attend the morning minyan (prayer service) that he normally attended at the Yeshiva. He went instead to a small early minyan elsewhere. As he was leaving to tend to the matter at hand, he saw people walking toward the regular minyan. He made it a point to go over to every person he passed and tell them that he had davened at an early minyan in order to take care of the important matter he was involved in. He didn't want them to think that he had simply skipped services. The Chofetz Chaim was known, literally throughout the world, for his devoted piety. Who would suspect him of cavalierly skipping out on services? It would never even dawn on anyone to think that. Nonetheless, we learn from here that we cannot take a chance that our actions would be misinterpreted. We should never allow the impression to be given that we are acting with any impropriety
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