08 Feb CONCEALING GOOD DEEDS

This week’s parashah discusses the clothes of the kohen gadol, and among them the me’il, robe. The me’il had decorative pomegranates and bells sawn along its hem. According to Rashi, they were successive: a pomegranate, a bell, a pomegranate, a bell, etc.10 The Ramban, however, says that only the pomegranates hung off the hem. The bells were inserted inside the pomegranates. As the Ramban writes, “the pomegranates were hollow…. and the bells were hidden inside them… “ The Chasam Sofer (Pekudei) writes that both explanations are correct ולא†( bells The. ולאו†םייח†םיקלא†ירבד) and pomegranates hung successively on the me’il (as Rashi taught), but it was also as the Ramban taught because each pomegranate had a bell inserted inside it. So, according to the Chasam Sofer, there were two types of bells. Some bells hung directly off the me’il’s hemline, and additionally, there were bells inserted in the pomegranates. What do these two bells signify? The Chasam Sofer writes, “The gemara says that the me’il atones for the sin of lashon hara. I think that it isn’t only lashon hara [which the me’il atoned], but also for when one is proud and brags about the good things he does. [He boasts] ‘I did these good deeds,’ [because] this is just like lashon hara… The bells atone for lashon hara, and the bells within the pomegranates atone for those who are filled with mitzvos like a pomegranate and announce their good deeds in public. It isn’t proper to publicize one’s good deeds. They should remain concealed and private, between you and Hashem. The Chasam Sofer considers publicizing one’s good deeds as a form of lashon hara. (Perhaps this is because people speak lashon hara to feel superior to others. Publicizing one’s good deeds essentially accomplishes the same objective. It makes people feel good about themselves and better than others.) The bells on the me’il atone for lashon hara, and the bells inserted in the pomegranates represent the people who are rattling and announcing their good deeds. Tzeddakah is an exception to the rule. Sometimes it is permissible and even advisable to publicize the tzeddakah one gives. The Rashba writes, “Someone who donated an item to tzeddakah, and wants his name to be on it, so his name will be eternally remembered, we stop him. On the contrary, it is proper to do so. This is the way of chachamim and the custom of the righteous, to reward those who do mitzvos” (Teshuvas HaRashba, quoted in Darkei Moshe, Yorah Dei’ah, 247:1). The Rema, in Shulchan Aruch also states, “One shouldn’t brag about tzeddakah that he gave. If he brags, not only does he lose his reward, he is also punished from Above. Nevertheless, when one dedicates something for tzeddakah, he may write his name on it, so his name will be remembered, and it is proper to do so” (Yorah Dei’ah 249:13). The Chasam Sofer explains that this is alluded to in the passuk, רזפ†ןתנ†םינויבאל†, “he distributes [money] to the poor” (Tehilim 112:9). רזפ†is roshei teivos for בהז†ןומירו†ןומעפ” ,a gold bell and a pomegranate.” The bell rings from within the pomegranate, representing someone who is publicizing the tzeddakah that he gave, תדמוע†ותקדצו†,nevertheless but דעל” ,his tzeddakah remains forever.” The publicity doesn’t harm it.

Hashem Gives Parnassah

Rashi, at the beginning of the parashah, writes, תיתכ†Pressed, “אלו†רואמל†תוחנמל†תיתכ†olive oil is used for lighting the menorah but not for the menachos.”13 תיתכ) pressed) represents hard work. The Chasam Sofer zt”l one, רואמל†תיתכ†,explains should toil hard to acquire the light of Torah, תוחנמל†אלו†תיתכ†,one need not work very hard to earn his parnassah. A wealthy man came to Reb Chaim Brisker zt”l, bragging about how wise he is. He said, “Once, there was a fire on my street, and all the houses were burning down. Someone came over to me and said, “Soon, your house and store will probably burn down. Don’t you see how the fire is raging, and no one can control it? You will lose everything. I am offering you the offer of a lifetime. Sell me your home and store for half the value.” “Do you think I listened to this crook?” the wealthy man said to Reb Chaim Brisker. “I immediately told him that my property isn’t for sale, and I went to pour another bucket of water on the fire. I’m not a fool. I didn’t sell it for half price. “The fire continued to rage. The businessman approached me again and said, ‘The fire is almost by your house. Listen to my offer. I’ll buy your property for ten percent its value.’ I didn’t sell it to him. “Ten minutes later, the businessman came back and said, “The fire has reached one of your walls. It is now or ever. Do you want to remain poor your entire life? I’ll buy your property for five percent of its value. That way, you will remain with at least something. Just sign this document…’ “I took his pen and drew a large X over the document. ‘It is not for sale,’ I told him. “Just about then, the fire came under control. Aside from some minor damages, everything was saved. If I had listened to him, I would have lost everything. But I am not foolish. I kept my wealth for myself.” Reb Chaim said, “You are trying to convince me how wise you are, but I think you acted foolishly. In my opinion, you should have agreed to the businessman’s first offer. You could have lost everything in the fire, and he was offering you at least half its value. As the fire neared your home, I would have advised you to agree to his second and third offers. Ten percent and five percent are still better than nothing. So, I don’t think you acted wisely at all.” Then, Reb Chaim turned towards his beis din and said, “But if Hashem wants someone to stay with his wealth, regardless of whether he is wise or not, that is what will happen.” This story reminds us that parnassah is from Hashem, and His plan always prevails, regardless of what the person does. This is why the Chasam Sofer taught that one doesn’t have to work very hard to earn parnassah. It is anyway up to Hashem, and Hashem can support us with less hishtadlus as well. Parnassah, the Chasam Sofer taught, doesn’t require toil, but Torah study does. Even those who don’t have much free time for Torah study should designate whatever time they csn for this essential toil. In Bnei Brak, there was an ehrlicher yungerman who was a taxi driver. Once, he was driving the Steipler Gaon zt”l. As he drove the taxi, he complained to the Steipler that he works all day and doesn’t have time for Torah. Even at night, when he isn’t working, he doesn’t go to a Torah shiur because he knows that as soon as he sits down, he will just fall asleep over the gemara. The Steipler told him, “If you go to the shiur, and you fall asleep, you will be rewarded as if you heard the entire shiur because you did the best that you could.” There is, however, one form of hishtadlus that one should never attempt because it is useless. Rebbe Yechezkel of Kuzmir zy”a taught that for attaining chein (favor in the eyes of others), one shouldn’t make hishtadlus. Sometimes, people think, “If this wealthy person likes me, I will earn a lot of money from him,” and he tries to find favor in that person’s eyes. But it ןתי†דובכו†ןח†,Tehillim in states ,׳ה” charm and honor, Hashem gives” (Tehillim 84:12). Why does Tehillim single out chein and kavod? Isn’t everything from Hashem? The answer is that Hashem gives charm and honor, and hishtadlus doesn’t apply to these matters at all.