Stories Of Greatness

In Parshas D’varim, Moshe Rabbeinu tells the Jewish people, “Hashem was angry with me, as well, because of you, saying you shall not come there” (D’varim 1:37). The context of Moshe’s words is clearly the sin of the M’raglim (the Spies). A number of commentators offer an explanation that Moshe was denied entry to the Land of Israel because of the M’raglim incident, despite the fact that he was personally blameless, based on his general responsibility for the fate of that generation as their leader. Once they were denied entry, it was inconceivable that he would enter without them.

In Michtav MeiEliyahu, Rav Eliyahu Dessler zt”l writes: “The basis of true ahavas Hashem is hakaras ha’tov.” Rav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz zt”l would tell couples, “A husband should show hakaras ha’tov to his wife, and a wife should show hakaras ha’tov to her husband. As the Midrash states, “Proper behavior comes before the Torah.”

In Parshas BaMidbar, Hashem instructs Moshe Rabbeinu to make a special count of Sheivet Levi from ages 30 to 50, as they were chosen to do the work in the Mishkan. Later, though, in Parshas B’Haaloscha, Moshe is told by Hashem to inform the L’viim to serve in the Mishkan from the age of 25. These two instructions appear to contradict each other.

A few weeks after the Six-Day War, the Maggid of Jerusalem, HaGaon Rav Shabsi Yudelevitz zt”l was approached by a young, resourceful man who served as a liaison to the officers and soldiers of the Israeli Army. “Rabbi Yudelevitz, I want you to say a few words to the soldiers. Come and strengthen them in their Fear of Heaven.”

A woman entered a bank in Bnei Brak and waited on line to withdraw some money. When her turn came, she asked the teller for 300 shekels from her account. The teller punched in her account number and politely explained that he couldn’t give her the money because she was already over her limit. The woman insisted that she needed the money, and the teller remained calm but firm, explaining that he was not authorized to withdraw any more funds until she deposited money into her account.

The following story is told by Rabbi Pinchas Woolstone of Sydney, Australia.