Guest Rabbi

“Do not cause the tribe of the families of Kohath to be cut off.” (Bamidbar 4:18)  
 

Scholars in Residence

There are times when a rabbi visits a community, where he can have a positive influence, inspiring the people to become more committed to Torah, mitzvot and Yirat Shemyaim, Fear of Heaven. However, some leaders of the community prevent this rabbi for speaking in the shuls (synagogues) and Jewish institutions. They think that it would be disrespectful to the local rabbinic leadership, by giving the impression that their rabbis are unable to rouse the community to greater spiritual commitments. 
 

However, this idea of hosting a guest rabbi, has a long history, as we find in Chazal (Eruvin 36b; Beitzah 38a) that when a rabbi visited a town he was invited to speak to the community. The Chatam Sofer addresses goes further (Beitzah 4a) and writes that this is a “Minhag Yisroel” that is considered an aspect of the Torah. 
 

I heard that one time a rabbi was visiting Matersdorf and the local rabbi did not offer him an opportunity to speak in the shul. The Chatam Sofer was extremely disappointed that this Jewish custom was discarded and not adhered to. The local rabbi, clearly ashamed, was forced to write a letter to the Chatam Sofer explaining that he did not realize that the visitor was a rabbi.   
 

Thirsting for Renewal

When a guest rabbi speaks to a local community, it is not an insult to the abilities and talents of the local rabbi. 
 

A guest rabbi always has something new to offer that the local rabbi does not, even if the community is blessed with a rabbi who is a tremendous Torah scholar. 
 

Everyone becomes accustomed to their local rabbi and his sermons. People are naturally interested in something new and refreshing. When a rabbi visits a town who has a different style of speaking, who has a unique perspective or, at the very least, is simply someone different, the community is eager to hear what he has to say. 
 

Reb Hillel from Kalamaya, zt”l, would travel from town to town speaking in each community he visited. One time, he was visiting Grosswardein, and he noticed that the entire town was filled with Torah scholars. Fittingly for such a community, the rabbi was a righteous sage and scholar. R’ Hillel was worried that such a town would be insulted if an outsider tried to inspire them to grow in their Yiddishkeit. Therefore, he began his sermon with the following introduction: 
 

“The Torah tells us (Bereishit 48:16), and may they multiply abundantly like fish, in the midst of the land. The Midrash (Bereishit Rabba 97) teaches that fish, even though they are surrounded by water, rush to the surface when it rains, to catch even one drop of rain falls, because the rainwater has a new different taste than the sea water they are used to. The Jews are compared to fish, because even when they are surrounded by Torah, when there is an opportunity to learn even one new idea from a new source, they thirst for it.”   
 

No Excuses

The Satmar Rav, zt”l, explained that there are some people who refuse to listen to their local rabbi, especially when he is offering stiff guidance and providing a pathway for correcting one’s behavior and growing in Yiddishkeit. They make all kinds of excuses: the rabbi is only seeking his own honor to have a community with a good name, he is being self-righteous, or he is only speaking to target particular people etc. Therefore, explained the Satmar Rav, there is a custom to offer the opportunity for a guest rabbi to deliver the sermon. All these excuses are no longer applicable, and they readily accept his words. 
 

Get Over Your Ego

By adhering to this custom, local rabbis demonstrate that they are sincerely concerned only for their community’s growth in Torah and mitzvot. 
 

When a rabbi cares about the spiritual well-being of his community, he is not threatened when a guest rabbi comes. He isn’t worried that the rabbi will be more talented or have a more effective oratory style. In fact, the opposite is true. He is happy that another rabbi can inspire his people to do more and to be more committed to Hashem, His Torah and mitzvot. Such a rabbi is concerned only about Hashem’s glory in this world and does not care about his own ego. 
 

We say each morning during davening that the angels “lovingly give leave to one another”. The Klausenberger Rebbe, zt”l, explained that every angel sings Hashem’s praises sincerely and solely for Hashem. They do not do it for themselves. They are only focused on their singing more of Hashem’s praises. Therefore, they lovingly give space for others to sing as well. According to this, the Klausenberger Rebbe explained what Chazal taught (Chagigah 15b) “If your rabbi is like Hashem’s angels, seek words of Torah from his mouth” – if your rabbi behaves like an angel and allows guest rabbis to address his community, then this is a rabbi you can learn Torah from, because he is clearly only motivated by helping Jews become closer to Hashem. 
 

Even great people fall victim to Yetzer Harah’s deceitful trickery, and they allow themselves to become envious and jealous. 
 

Some Jewish leaders were very opposed to Chassidut even after it became clear that this was not a deviation from Torah, chas v’shalom. Tzaddikim explained that some individuals in this opposition movement were motivated by jealousy. 
 

The Baal Shem Tov, zt”l, and many of his students, like the Moreh Einayim from Chernobyl, would travel the countryside trying to strengthen Yiddishkeit by engaging with Jews from all backgrounds. Some local rabbis were concerned that these tzaddikim would succeed where they had struggled; that these tzaddikim would help these yidden find a new path towards becoming closer to Hashem through the Torah and mitzvot. Therefore, they would forbid these Chassidic Rebbes from speaking to the communities. They would demonize them. 
 

This is what our pasuk is alluding to: “The families of Kohath” refers to those who make every effort to inspire their fellow Jews to do more, to become more committed to Torah and mitzvot, and to develop a deeper, more meaningful relationship with Hashem. Kohath can mean “gathering” in Hebrew as it says (Bereishit 49:10), and to him will be a gathering (yikhas) of peoples. The word shevet, tribe, can also mean a walking stick that is used to help you travel on your journey. 
 

Hashem is warning the future generations not to destroy the opportunity for guest rabbis to gather and inspire the communities. Do not take away their ability to influence the masses. On the contrary! Invite them. Encourage them. Help them and empower them to expand the boundaries of holiness in this world. 

 
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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.