14 May PARASHAT EMOR: KETER SHEM TOB ‘THE CROWN OF GOOD REPUTATION’

Rabbi Shimon and the
“Keter Shem Tob”
Rabbi Shimon Bar
Yohai teaches us in
Pirkeh Abot (4:13), “There are three crowns:
the crown of Torah, the crown of Kehuna,
and the crown of kingship. But the crown of
a good reputation exceeds them.”
What exactly is meant by the expression
“Keter Shem Tob” (“the crown of a good
reputation”), and in what way does it
“exceed” the other three crowns?
One simple explanation is that Rabbi
Shimon here does not speak of the “Keter
Shem Tob” as the fourth crown, but rather
as a necessary prerequisite for the three
crowns. Torah scholarship, the work of
the Kohanim, and the rule of the king
have no value if the scholar, Kohen or
king does not conduct himself properly.
If he acts dishonestly, inappropriately, or
discourteously, in a manner which people
find distasteful, such that he is unlikeable,
then he cannot effectively serve the role
that he is supposed to serve. According to
this reading of the Mishna, Rabbi Shimon
is teaching us that a scholar, or a person
holding an important leadership position,

must conduct himself with proper Middot in
order for his scholarship or his position to be
meaningful.
There might, however, be an additional
understanding.
The three “crowns” of Torah scholarship,
the Kehuna and the kingship are alluded
to in the Bet Ha’mikdash, which included
three furnishings that featured a “Zer,” a
decoration resembling a crown: the Aron,
the Mizbe’ah, and the Shulhan. The Aron
contained the original Sefer Torah, and thus
symbolizes Torah; the Mizbe’ah, where the
Kohanim offered the sacrifices, represents
the Kehuna; and the gold-plated Shulhan,
which contained bread, signifies the wealth
and prestige of royalty. The “crowns” that
adorned these furnishings represent the
three “crowns” of scholarship, Kehuna and
kingship.
The question, then, arises, where is the
“Keter Shem Tob” alluded to in the Bet
Ha’mikdash? If the other three “crowns”
have allusions in the Bet Ha’mikdash, then
we would naturally expect that the greatest
of all the crowns, the “Keter Shem Tov,”
would also have an allusion.
The answer might be that the “Keter Shem

Tob” is symbolized by the
Menorah, which the Torah
discusses in this week’s
Parasha, Parashat Emor.
Although the Menorah
did not feature a “Zer,” it
had a series of lamps that
stood at its top, which
were kindled and thus
provided light. The lamps
were the “crown” of the
Menorah. The Torah
describes the kindling of
the Menorah with the term
“Le’ha’alot” (Vayikra
24:2), and Rabbi Shimon similarly
says about a good reputation, “Oleh Al
Gabehem” (literally, “rises above them”).
Rabbi Shimon is teaching us that the “Keter
Shem Tob,” a good reputation, shines
like the Menorah. It is “Oleh” – just like
the lamps of the Menorah are kindled
(“Le’ha’alot”). Even in English, we use the
expression “shining example,” referring
to the way a person who conducts himself
properly sets an example that “shines,” that
illuminates the world around him. A person
who earns a “Shem Tob,” a good reputation,
through his upstanding conduct illuminates
his surroundings, having an impact upon

the people around him who look up to him,
admire him, and learn from his example.
King Shlomo teaches in Kohelet (7:1), “Tob
Shem Mi’shemen Tob” – a good reputation
is better than “good oil.” A good reputation
shines even brighter than the lights of the
Menorah that are kindled with oil. When
we conduct ourselves properly, earning a
favorable reputation among our peers, then
we are able to illuminate our surroundings
and uplift the people we come in contact
with. This is the unique power of the
“Keter Shem Tob” – the ability to positively
influence our surroundings and have an
impact on other people.