26 Mar PARASHAT TSAV: ACCEPTING CRITICISM

The prophecy read
as the Haftara
for Parashat
Sav comes from
Sefer Yirmiyahu (7), and in this
prophecy, Yirmiyahu criticizes
the people for offering sacrifices
without undergoing a process of
repentance and change. Parashat Sav
speaks about the sacrifices, and this
prophecy reminds us that sacrifices
alone do not suffice. In order to
achieve G-d’s atonement and favor,
the sacrifices must be accompanied
by a genuine commitment to improve
one’s conduct.
Yirmiyahu here bemoans the fact that
Beneh Yisrael had acted “according
to the will of their evil heart” (7:25),
and that when G-d sent prophets to
criticize the people and urge them
to repent, “they did not listen to
Me, they did not turn their ear; they
made their necks stiff, and were
worse than their fathers” (7:26). The

people refused to accept the prophets’
rebuke, stubbornly persisting in their
wayward conduct.
Rav Avraham Pam (1913-2001), in
discussing this Haftara, elaborates on
the importance of humbly accepting
criticizing. Our instinct upon hearing
criticism is to reject it, to insist that we
are correct and that we have no need
to change anything. But if we never
accept criticism, we will never grow.
There are many improper things that
we do of which we are unaware until
somebody draws our attention to the
fact that we act wrongly. Thus, we
cannot possibly hope to change and
become better if we refuse to accept
criticism, to listen with an open mind
and ear when people point out to us
our mistakes and wrongdoing.
Rav Pam related a humorous story
about his father, Rav Meir Pam
(1879-1969), who served as a Rabbi
in Brownsville. Once, Rav Meir
found it necessary to harshly rebuke

the congregation, and
delivered a sermon
critical of their
conduct. Afterward,
one of the members
approached him and
said, “Wow, Rabbi,
you really gave it to
them!”
“I had to bite my lip
not to laugh or say
anything,” Rav Meir
later told his son. “He
was exactly the person
I was talking to!”
This exemplifies the natural tendency
that we all have when it comes to
criticism. It’s uncomfortable to admit
that we act wrongly, so we prefer to
deflect it, to insist that our behavior
is perfect and beyond reproach, and
it is everyone else who needs to hear
criticism.
We did not come into this world

perfect, nor will we ever achieve
perfection. Our goal, however, must
be to constantly grow and improve.
And in order for this to happen, we
must keep our minds open, humbly
acknowledging that we are far from
perfect, and being prepared to accept
the uncomfortable criticism given to
us by others. If we live this way, then
we will continually grow and become
better, thereby fulfilling our purpose
here in this world.