Tzadikim
Rabbi Aryeh Citron
Parsha Halacha
Parshat Chukat
Sponsored by Navi Slomianski in honor of his Bar Mitzvah and in honor of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s sixteenth Yahrtzeit this Tuesday, the third of Tammuz
Tzadikim
We read in this week’s Torah Portion about the passing of two great righteous people, Miriam the Prophetess[1] and Aharon the High Priest.[2] Despite Miriam’s greatness, the Jewish people failed to eulogize her properly. This indicated that they didn’t fully appreciate her righteousness. In order for them to realize her significance, G-d caused the Well of Miriam to cease working in order for them to understand that their water supply over the previous 39 years had been in her merit.[3]
This article will focus on the importance of the Tzaddikim (righteous men and women) of every generation.
Yiftach in his Generation
Our sages interpreted the verse “And you should come to the …judge who will be at that time”[4] to mean that one must respect and accept the rulings of the leading scholar of the generation even though he may not be as wise as the scholars of previous generations. In the words of the Talmud: [5]
· Yiftach in his generation was like the prophet Shmuel in his generation. Despite the fact that Shmuel was much more learned and righteous than Yiftach[8], Yiftach’s generation was obligated to honor and respect him as he was “their tzadik.” Each generation merits the tzadik that is “right” for their generation.[9]
The Sun Rises and the Sun Sets[10]
In order to ensure that every generation has righteous men from whom to learn and emulate, G-d “planted” (souls) of tzadikim in every generation.[11]
Thus we find that many tzadikim were born in close proximity to the passing of the tzadik of the previous generation. The Talmud[12] interprets the verse “The sun rises and the sun sets”[13] to mean that G-d ensures that a Tzadik does not pass away until a Tzadik of a similar level is born. Several examples:
· Before the “sun” of Sarah “set”, the “sun” of Rivkah began to shine, i.e., Rivkah was already a (young) tzadeket when Sarah passed away.[14]
· Before the “sun” of Moshe “set”, the “sun” of Joshua began to shine, i.e., Joshua began to teach the people while Moshe Rabeinu was still alive.[15]
· Before the “sun” of Joshua “set”, the “sun” of Atniel ben Kenaz began to shine, i.e., Atniel was already showing leadership qualities in the time of Joshua.[16]
· Before the “sun” of Eily “set”, the “sun” of Shmuel (Samuel) the Prophet began to shine.[17] This means that Shmuel already received prophecies while his teacher Eily, the High Priest, was alive.
· On the day Rabbi Akiva passed away, Rebbi (author of the Mishna) was born.
· When Rebbi passed away, Rabbi Yehuda (student of Rav and Shmuel and head of the Yeshiva in Pumbedita) was born.[18]
· When Rav Yehuda passed away, Rava (one of the oft-quoted Amora’im in the Talmud and the head of the Yeshivah in Mechuzah) was born.
· On the day Rav Ada bar Ahava passed away, his son Rav Hamnunah was born.
· On the day Rav Hamnunah passed away, his son Rav Avin was born.
The Merit of a Tzaddik
The Talmud says that the entire world was nourished in the merit of Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa.[19]
Elsewhere the Talmud says, that it is worth G-d’s creating the entire world just for the sake of one tzadik.[20] As the verse says: “A Tzadik is the foundation of the world.”[21]
Seeing a Tzaddik
Although one can learn from holy books, the Torah that one learns directly from a great Torah teacher is of much higher quality. This can be derived from Rebbi Yehuda HaNasi’s statement: “The fact that I am better than my colleagues is because I saw Rabbi Meir’s back (while hearing his lessons).[22] Had I seen him from the front I would have been even sharper. As the verse says: ‘You eyes should see your teacher.’[23]”[24]
· Seeing the face of a Tzadik can even impact a wicked man. This can be learned from the Purim story. Achashverosh had agreed to Haman’s plan to annihilate all of the Jewish people. The righteous Queen Esther, however, was able to convince him to reverse his decree. Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchov explains that seeing his righteous queen and conversing with her is what brought about a positive change in his attitude.[25]
· Reb Uri of Strelisk taught: “One should travel as much as thousands of miles to see a true tzadik, even if the trip will cause him to diminish his Torah learning and the concentration on his prayers−all for the sake of hearing one true (inspirational) word from a true tzadik.”[26]
Seeing One’s Torah Teacher on Yom Tov
It was customary for students to travel to their Torah teachers in order to see them on Yom Tov. In the words of the Talmud:[27] “A man is obligated to see their Rebbi on Yom Tov.” This is derived from the verse (said by the husband of the Shuanamit woman to his wife when she saddled her donkey to go see Elisha): “Why are you going to see him today when it is neither Rosh Chodesh nor Shabbat?”[28] According to Rabbi Eliezer one should only do this if he can go and return on the same day so that he can also spend the Yom Tov with his wife.
The Davening of a Tzadik
It has been a Jewish custom from ancient times for people who are having troubles, to ask a Tzadik to daven (pray) for them. Several examples of this practice:
· Rabbi Chaninah ben Dosa used to pray for sick people at the behest of their relatives.[32]
Regarding visiting a gravesite and asking a deceased tzadik to pray for them, see: http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/562222/jewish/Is-it-okay-to-ask-a-deceased-tzaddik-to-pray-on-my-behalf.htm
How Prayer Works
I heard the following explanation from Rabbi Dr. Avraham Twerski:
There is a famous question regarding prayer: Why do we daven when we are sick or in other trouble? If, after all, G-d decreed that we be ill, there must be a good reason for it. So why should our prayers change that decree?
The explanation is that perhaps the decree was made in order to deepen our relationship with G-d. When we turn to G-d in sincere prayer we are doing just that. Thus the decree can be averted. Alternatively, the decree was made about a certain person, but when a person prays sincerely they actually change and become a different (sort of) person. As such, the decree no longer applies to them.
But how does this explain the fact that one person can pray for another. After all, the one against whom the decree was made, did not change through that prayer? The answer is that if the person who is praying feels the pain of the other individual, then, in a certain sense, the decree is against him as well. He is therefore able to pray and have the decree averted.
A true Tzadik feels the pain of every Jew in the entire world and can therefore pray effectively for all of them.
Giving Contributions to the Tzaddik
· When (the future) King Saul went to the Prophet Shmuel to ask as to the whereabouts of his father’s donkeys, he made sure he had a gift for the prophet before he went there. The conversation he had with his servant went as follows: [33]
o And Saul said to his servant, ‘And, behold, if we go, what shall we bring to the man, for the bread is used up from our vessels, and there is no present to bring to the man of God: what have we?’
The lad answered Saul again and said, ‘Behold, I have in my possession a fourth of a shekel of silver, and I shall give it to the man of God that he may tell us our way.’
§ Several of the commentaries[34] say that they were mistaken in thinking that Shmuel would take their gift, when in fact Shmuel did not take any benefit from the Jewish People.[35] The Radak, however, explains that the purpose of the gift was to enable the prophet to focus on the needs of the recipient. Sometimes prophets were on such a high spiritual plane that they did not relate to the physical needs of their brethren. The present would help him “descend” and focus his attention on the physical world and the needs of the person in question. This is also why Isaac asked Esau to prepare a meal for him before he blessed him.[36]
o Another reason that one should give tzedakah when asking for advice or a blessing from a tzadik is that the merit of the mitzvah of Tzedakah will aid the fulfillment of the blessing.
· When the son of Yeravam king of Israel became ill, he sent his wife to inquire from the prophet Achiyah as to whether his son would recover. He instructed her to take ten loaves of bread and one jug of honey as a gift to the prophet.[37]
Those who Believe and Those who Don’t…
The Ba’al Shem Tov taught that the difference between those who believe in tzaddikim and those who do not stems from their previous reincarnation. We therefore find that some people are scrupulous in the observance of Mitzvot and are true Torah scholars yet they do not believe in (certain) Tzadikim. This is not due to any fault of their own. In fact, some of the latter group may be more G-dly than those in the former group due to the amount of Torah and Mitzvot that they perform. For this reason, the followers of the tzadik should not separate themselves from those who do not do so. [38]
[1] Numbers 20, 1
[2] Ibid, 22 - 29
[3] Kli Yakar on ibid, 2
[4] Deut. 17, 9
[5] Rosh HaShanah 25b
[6] This despite the fact that according to the Zohar (2, 254b), Gideon was not considered a (very) righteous man.
[7] Shimshon is compared to Ahron because he was a Nazirite (Ben Yohoyada). According to the Arizal, Shimshon was a reincarnation of Ahron’s son Nadav which is why his nickname was Bedan (same Hebrew letters as Nadav).
[8] See Psalm 99, 6 and Ta’anit 5b that Shmuel was comparable to Moses and Ahron. See Tanchumah, Bechukotai 5, that Yiftach was considered poor in Torah knowledge.
[9] See Rashi on Rosh HaShanah, ibid, D”H Al Tomar
[10] Ecclesiastes 1, 5
[11] Yoma 38b
[12] Kiddushin 72b and Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1, 5
[13] Ecclesiastes 1, 5
[14] See Gen. 22, 23 and 23, 1
[15] See Numbers, 27, 16 - 23
[16] See Joshua 15, 17 and Judges 3, 9
[17] See Samuel 1, 3, 3 and Radak on the verse
[19] Ta’anit 24b
[20] Yoma 38b
[21] Proverbs 10, 25
[22] Rabbi Yehudah’s seat was behind Rabbi Meir during the lessons (Rashi). It seems that the lessons took place in some sort of amphitheater.
[23] Isaiah 30, 20 http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/15961
[24] Eiruvin 30b
[25] Kedushat Levi, Drush of Purim, D.H. Vayomer Hamelech
[26] Imrei Kodesh 42
[27] Sukkah 27b
[28] Kings 2, 4, 23 See Ben Yoyadah on the verse that Shabbat here is referring to Yom Tov. In addition, he explains, that this verse mentions Rosh Chodesh since it is referring to the Shunamite woman visiting Elisha, and Rosh Chodesh is a Yom Tov for women.
[29] Deut. 12, 11 and 12 http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/9940/jewish/Chapter-12.htm
[30] Numbers 21, 7
[31] Samuel, 1, 12, 20 http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/15841/jewish/Chapter-12.htm
[32] Berachot 34b
[33] Samuel 1, 9, 3 – 20 http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/15838/jewish/Chapter-9.htm
[34] See Rashi and Metzudot on the verse
[35] See Berachot 10b
[36] Gen. 27, 4
[37] Kings 1, 14, 3
[38] Hosafot to Keter Shem Tov, number 154