בס”ד
Be’halot’cha (Numbers 8-12 )
Bamidbar, 12:6: “Please listen to My words…”
Rashi, 12:6: Dh: Shimu na: “The language of please, is always in a language of request.
Siftei Chachamim, 12:6, Os 80: “This means to say that even though G-d was angry with them…nonetheless the language of please is always in a language of request and he spoke with them gently, because had his words been in anger, they would not have been heard, and this is to teach a kal v’chomer argument (all the more so) to humans that they should speak gently.”
The Torah portion ends with the episode of Miriam and Aaron questioning Moshe’s actions with regard to his wife. After their discussion, G-d appears and rebukes them. He begins with an unusual wording: “Please listen to my words”. Rashi, as explained by the Siftei Chachamim, notes the language of ‘na’ – please – to show that even though G-d was very angry with Miriam and Aaron, nonetheless He spoke to them in a soft manner to teach how a person should rebuke his fellow.
The Bartenura in Pirkei Avot derives a different lesson from G-d’s words: He writes that they are the source of a teaching in Pirkei Avot: The Mishna relates that there are seven characteristics of a wise person. One of them is, “v’eino nichnas letoch divrei chaveiro.” This literally means that he does not enter into the words of his fellow. It means that when someone is speaking to the wise person, he does not interrupt the person in the middle, rather he waits for him to finish speaking. The Bartenura writes that we learn this from G-d saying to Miriam and Aaron, “Please listen to My word’s”, indicating that they should let G-d complete what He was saying and they should not interrupt Him in between. We learn from here that a person should likewise not interrupt his fellow until he has finished speaking.
The question is why is this so important? The Bartenura offers one explanation. If a person is speaking and gets interrupted, it will confuse and distract him and he will lose track of what he is saying. According to this interpretation, it is a kal v’chomer argument(all the more so) from G-d. G-d obviously never gets confused, and yet He asked Miriam and Aaron to let Him finish. This is to teach a lesson for the generations to not interrupt someone speaking so as not to confuse him.
The commentaries bring other explanations of the Mishna which can also be derived from G-d’s words to Miriam and Aaron. Rabbeinu Yonah focuses on the fact that it is a good trait to refrain from interrupting one’s fellow. According to this, G-d was conveying this point when he instructed Miriam and Aaron to listen to all His words before replying because that is derech eretz (correct behavior).
Another interpretation of the Mishna is that by not interrupting a person who is speaking, one will be able to properly understand what his fellow is saying. However, if one interrupts his fellow before he has finished, then he will not be able to comprehend his fellow’s point. This interpretation focuses on the fact that one can only become wise if he properly listens to what other people say and a significant aspect of that is letting his fellow finish. Furthermore, sometimes a person may let his fellow finish his point, but will be thinking about his own response rather than giving full attention to what his fellow means. According to this explanation, G-d was teaching that Miriam and Aaron should give their full attention to what He was saying and not think about their response.
These various explanations all point to the fact that it is both a good trait and a key to wisdom to let one’s fellow finish. There is often a particular tendency to want to argue with whatever one’s fellow says. In consequence the ‘listener’ can never really understand and absorb what his fellow is telling him. This can even be the case when listening to one’s teacher. In contrast, the ability to wholeheartedly listen and comprehend what others are saying is one of the keys to greatness. The Alter of Novardok expressed this point when extolling the greatness of Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzensky. “His wisdom and genius are so great and of so much depth and breadth, because when he was young, he was always to be found in the presence of the Gedolei Hador (Torah leaders). He never said to them, ‘accept my opinion’, rather he made himself into a ‘vessel’ which would listen and absorb all the opinions and explanations of all the Gedolim there. He absorbed into his very being all the wisdom that he heard and his daat (mind) became purified and elevated by the greatness of many generations that became embedded in his mind.1” When people discuss the greatness of Rabbi Grodzensky, they often focus on his incredible natural genius and ability to think of many things at the same time. We see from the words of the Alter that the key to his greatness was his willingness to take in everything that he heard.
May we merit to heed G-d’s lesson and emulate Rabbi Grodnezsky and thereby attain wisdom.
By Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen
Notes
‘1. Hameoros Hagedolim’, quoted in Mishel Avos, ibid.
WEEKLY TORAH PORTION,
The Guiding Light
by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen
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