28 Jul STRUTTING IS NOT OKAY

The great Rav Shlomo
Efraim ben Aharon
Luntschitz, zt”l, zy”a,
was the author of the
famous commentary
called Kli Yakar which
graces almost every
edition of the Mikra’os
Gedolos Chumash. In 1602, he became the
Chief Rabbi of Prague and remained in this
position until his passing in 1619. To me, it is
fascinating that his concern about the Jewish
condition of his era mirrors what’s going on in
our contemporary times over 400 years later.
On the verse, “Rav lachem sheves bahar hazeh.
P’nu lachem tzfonah – (Hashem instructs):
You’ve spent enough time circling this
mountain (Mount Seir). Turn to the north.”
The Kli Yakar has a powerful homiletic
interpretation of this verse. When you are
in proximity to Seir, which is Esav or other
goyim, and you are experiencing wealth and
prosperity, “Yatzpinu v’yatminu atzm’chem
bifnei Esav – Conceal (expounding the word
tzfonah) and hide your wealth and success in
the face of your gentile neighbors.”
The Kli Yakar advances that Yakov Avinu was
also worried about the envious eyes of the
gentiles that surrounded them. Therefore, he
instructed the shvatim, his sons, to make the
arduous journey down to Egypt to buy food
even though they themselves still had ample

provisions. In explanation, he told his sons,
“Lamah tis’ra’u – Why should they be gazing
enviously at us.” Let’s go and search for food
just like everyone else.
It is then that the Kli Yakar makes a statement
which so eerily resembles today’s culture. He
decries the fact that in his time Jews behaved
in opposite fashion (that was previously
instructed by Yakov) by showing off fancy
clothing, expensive jewelry, and magnificent
houses. Indeed, the Kli Yakar’s famous
disciple, the Tosefos Yomtov, lived through
the Chmielinski massacres, which were
prompted by the raging Polish peasantry who
were overwhelmed with jealousy of the Jewish
bankers and tavern owners.
Rabbi Berel Wein, zt”l, zy”a, used to say that
if it wouldn’t have been for the Holocaust, we
would look back to the Polish atrocities as one
of the most horrifying periods for the Jewish
people. In their insane hate for the Jews, the
Poles would cut off the head of the shul’s
president, sew the head of a dog onto his body,
and then parade him through the streets. This
is what jealousy and envy can cause.
The Klausenburger Rebbe, zt”l, zy”a, also
cautioned us to keep a low profile in front of
the goyim. He cites the Gemara in Chagigah
[9b] that says, “Ya’ah aniyusa liYehuda’ei
ki barza sumka l’susya chivara – Poverty is
beautiful for the Jews, like the fine appearance

of a red strap on a white horse.” The Rebbe
observes that the statement, “Poverty is
beautiful for the Jews,” is mystifying. After
all, we are taught, “Oni chashev k’meis – A
poor man is likened to a corpse.” How can
that be nice for a Jew? Is a Jew supposed to be
in tatters and downtrodden. Furthermore, why
this unusual comparison to a white horse with
a red strap?
The Rebbe explains that they only put the red
strap on the horse when they took it outside.
So too, when we are in the face of the goyim,
we shouldn’t be ostentatious. A low profile is
the best thing.
The Abarbanel writes, as cited by the Pele
Yoetz, that before the ejection of the Jewish
community from Spain, the Jewish women
had so much wealth that they would ride upon
stately steeds, while bedecked in jewelry more
lavish than was worn by the Spanish nobility.
This behavior, he said, “Poked out the eyes of
the Spaniards,” and led to the expulsion.
Just a generation ago, Rav Pam, zt”l, zy”a, used
to advise that on Chanukah, when we open our
curtains to reveal our menorah for persumei
nisa, to broadcast the miracle, we should not
open them too much. This was so the poor
goy on the street shouldn’t see our elaborate
chandelier and our fancy China cabinet.
Rabbi Wein used to say that the benefit of
history is that we should learn how not to

make the same mistakes over and over again.
We don’t need to put our sprawling homes and
cabana style swimming pools on Instagram for
everyone to see. Let’s stop strutting. Do we
need to be publicly flying in private jets? Let’s
make sure that our late-model Escalade is not
taking up two spots in front of the post office
or library. Is it necessary to wear all kinds of
fancy jewelry when shopping in Walgreens
or Walmart? When we make elaborate vorts,
does the music need to blare? Do the drivers
of cars coming and going need to block up the
local traffic?
Let’s remember the sage advice of Yakov,
“Lamah tis’ra’u? – Why should our neighbors
look at us with envy and jealousy?” These
are the emotions that segue so easily into
venomous hatred. Besides this, we know that
anytime we are too flashy, we make ourselves
vulnerable to the dangers of the poisonous
ayin hara, the evil eye.
In the merit of trying to live up to the directive
of hatzneia leches, walking more modestly,
may Hashem bless us with long life, good
health, and everything wonderful.