A “Simple” Jew 

And this is the law of the guilt offering. It is a Holy of Holies. (Vayikra 7:1) 
 

R’ Yehonasan Eibshutz, zt”l, was going to be away from his community for the Yamim Noraim, the High Holidays. Immediately, he began to worry about whether he would be able to daven (pray) next to someone who was humble and would daven sincerely from the depths of his heart. 
 

When he went to the shul (synagogue), he observed a yid davening who seemed to be what he was looking for. He approached the gabbai and asked to be placed next to this man. The gabbai complied with his wish. 
 

When Minchah on Erev Yom Kippur began, R’ Eibshutz heard the man standing beside him shouting and crying heartrendingly as he said, “I am but dust in my life…”. The Rav enjoyed listening to the man beside him as he uttered each word with a true fear, trepidation, and humility. 
 

However, the next day, the gabbai called this man up for the fourth Aliyah, which was not as coveted and respectable as the third. He went up to the bimah (podium), and with all his might, screamed at the gabbaim, “Why are you embarrassing me by not offering me a more honorable Aliyah?!” 
 

When he returned to his seat, the Rav asked, “How is this possible? I requested to stand beside you because I saw you praying with a broken heart from the depth of your being. You cried out, ‘I am but dirt in my life’ with such sincerity and humility. Yet, over such a minor slight to your honor, you yelled like that?” 
 

The man answered, “When I davened and I said that I am like the dust of the earth, I was speaking to Hashem. And, compared to Hashem I am indeed like dirt and ashes. However, that person is just an empty man; a lowly, despicable gabbai!” ” 
 

R’ Yitzchak from Vurka, zt”l, went to Lublin to attend the wedding of the great-grandson of the chief rabbi, R’ Shameful Zalman Ashkenazi zt”l. During the wedding, the Chassidim leaned on one another to get closer to hear and to see the ceremony. The Rebbe replied, “Every Jew is a Torah scroll, and it is forbidden to lean on a Torah scroll.” 
 

R’ Gatzil of Lublin zt”l, the grandson of the Gaon Baal Chacham Tzvi zt”l, commented, “If every Jew is a Torah scroll, the halachah explicitly permits that one Torah scroll can lean on another (Shulchan Oruch, Yoreh Deah, 282:19). The Rebbe replied, “Yes, that is true. But it means that every Jew needs to have the perspective that other Jews are as precious as a Torah scroll. However, he should not use this at the expense of other people’s dignity.” 
 

When he heard this, the rabbi of Lublin responded, “It was worth coming to this wedding just to hear that.” 
 

It is human nature to boast and glorify one’s strengths while intentionally overlooking one’s flaws and shortcomings. And, when it comes to others, they do the opposite and focus on their flaws and not their virtues. However, this is not how someone who fears Hashem behaves. A Jew who is focused on his spiritual growth works on himself and tries to break his natural tendencies. They focus on their flaws and identify their shortcomings while praising the positive qualities of others. Even when it comes to a Jew who is not behaving properly, they always seek the goodness that is within them, which is their precious and powerful neshamah (soul). 
 

As Chazal taught (Shabbat 108b) that when a person is standing next to a corpse when their soul leaves, they need to tear their clothing. This is like witnessing a Torah scroll being burned, which also requires you to tear your clothing. 
 

The Beis Halevi, zt”l, has proof of this in halachah. He explained that the holiness of a Torah scroll stems from the fact that the scribe wrote that Torah with the intention of writing a holy Torah. Therefore, it is impossible for a Torah to be holy if the scribe is unholy. From here we see that every Jew is as holy as a Torah scroll and, therefore, he can transfer that holiness to that parchment. And this holiness is the root of all the holiness a person can acquire in their lifetime. 
 

The Kotzker Rebbe, zt”l, said that people call a simple Jew “just (stam in Hebrew) a Jew.” People think that “stam” means that they are insignificant. But the word “stam” is an acronym (in Hebrew) for: Sefer Torah, Tefillin, Mezuzah. Even when you see a “simple” Jew they have the holiness of the Torah, Tefillin, and Mezuzah!
 

Sometimes the ordinary, simple Jew is even more important in heaven than the prestigious Jew. He has more trials and tribulations, and yet he overcomes those challenges and tries with all his might to grow closer to Hashem to the best of his abilities. As Chazal taught (Pirkei Avot 2:4) that you should not judge someone unless you are in their place. 
 

R’ Simcha Bunim of Pschiska, zt”l, explained that there is a famous halachah that states that if a there is a decree that requires one Jew to kill another, he must refuse to do so even if it means his own life because no one can determine whose life is more valuable. What makes you think that your blood is redder (Sanhedrin 74a)? The Rebbe explained that his law applies even if the greatest, most prestigious Jew of the generation is asked to kill a simple Jew. The law does not change. We see from this, explained the Rebbe, we can never know who is really more important to Heaven. 
 

We can learn this lesson from our pasuk. And this is the law of the guilt offering…If you start to judge someone unfavorably and think that they are guilty, that they are less than you, you need to remember, He is a Holy of Holies. You need to think of him (הוא ) as the “Holy of Holies”. By doing so, you won’t try and make yourself greater at their expense. 

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The Kalever Rebbe is the seventh Rebbe of the Kaalov Chasidic dynasty, begun by his ancestor who was born to his previously childless parents after receiving a blessing from the Baal Shem Tov zy”a, and later learned under the Maggid of Mezeritch zt”l. The Rebbe has been involved in outreach for more than 30 years and writes weekly emails on understanding current issues through the Torah. You can sign up at www.kaalov.org.