Recollections of RAEK

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These are the
recollections of HaRav Yechiel Michel Shlesinger,

founder of the yeshiva Kol Torah in Yerushalayim, of HaRav Avrohom

Elya Kaplan zt'l, head of the Berlin Rabbinerseminar and a talmid of

Slobodke yeshiva, under whom he had learned. This essay was originally

published in Haderech, on the 11th Iyar 5704, for HaRav Kaplan's

twentieth yahrtzeit.From among the many talks he gave us and his many typical
sayings,

there are two that remain engraved in my memory and which I recall

every day; which have taught me and guided me.

In the course of a rancorous argument among talmidim of the

Rabbinerseminar in Berlin over certain internal issues concerning

Jewry, one student voiced his opinion that even the good which Zionism

had done -- by drawing nearer some of those who had strayed away from

Judaism -- could not justify the movement's existence if at the same

time it was preventing the multitudes from following the path to

complete teshuvah.

As a case in point, the student mentioned Christianity which,

according to the Rambam at the end of his writings, also represents

one of the steps towards Moshiach, through its promulgation of

monotheism. Yet the Rambam makes it clear that for us, the religion's

founder epitomizes the Jewish renegade.

Nonetheless even the sins of the wicked are instruments in the

workings of Divine providence. Just as that sinner provided merit for

many people by spreading the belief in Hashem's unity, Zionism has

also merited us with the return of lost souls.

HaRav Kaplan zt'l, heard this discussion and called the student to

heed his rebuke. The rav first declared his enthusiastic recognition

of Agudism and its path that has been charted for us by our gedolim.

Then, he absolutely contradicted the idea that it was the crime of

Christianity that was the cause of the merit of monotheism spreading,

as mentioned by the Rambam.

It is inconceivable that a sin can bring any good to the world, just

as it is inconceivable that anything but good can result from a

mitzvah. If Christianity brought blessing to heathens it was not

because its founder was a sinner but because of the Jewish spark

within him.

Had this talmid of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Perachyoh not scorned the task

which Divine providence had prepared for him, who knows whether, at a

time when there was such a strong trend towards converting to Judaism

among the ruling classes of the world, faith in Judaism might not have

swept people's hearts and truly brought Moshiach close even then?

That individual's movement away from Judaism precipitated the most

terrible curse in the world: two thousand years of golus Edom. And

nevertheless, because he was a Jew, a ray of light went out to the

world from the Jewish soul that was within him, as the Rambam alludes.

We, small human beings who view the world in its present state where,

in our many sins, each day's curse is greater than that of the day

before, are liable to be misled by this. And for the sake of the

eternal truthfulness of the Perpetrator of great deeds, it should be

stated that a slightly sinful outlook that has penetrated the world

has stolen from us the infinite light that lies deep within Yisroel.

Then, with his enthusiastic and persuasive words, our great rebbe

taught us the basis of Judaism's outlook according to the Torah,

namely, that even the slightest aveiro, the smallest divergence from

the will of Hashem, must cause damage and bring a curse to the world,

just as every single mitzvo act brings blessing.

These words, accompanied by his cheerful expression and his luminous

and pure eyes, engraved themselves deeply in our hearts and are with

us every single day, whenever we express an opinion or take any

decision in life. They were a beacon of light for me, preventing me

from being drawn after a false outlook -- as though the building of

our errant brothers is the construction of Eretz Yisroel.

No! It is not happening because of the sinners but in spite of the

sinners. Even in the circles that are closest to us there is a need

for us to transmit our rebbe's teaching and to review it morning and

evening. Everything that is being built today in Eretz Yisroel is

being built because the workers are Jews, and not through their

aveiros but in spite of their aveiros. The building would be better

and greater without their sins.

From now on, when we look at what is happening, will we know and

remember the lesson of this simple outlook on life, which comes from

our holy Torah? Every slight transgression of the Torah's law, even if

in our eyes it seems to bring great blessing to Klal Yisroel for the

fulfillment of Torah, will only bring a curse to our lives and lessen

the strengthening of Torah's light in the world.

And any distance we put between ourselves and aveiro, even the

slightest one, and any small mitzvah, even if it seems at the moment

to damage Torah and its fulfillment, influences the world for the

good, increases happiness and strengthens the Torah's light.

At this opportunity our rebbe said to us, "The Torah says, `Do not

favor them,' (Devorim) and it is forbidden to say, `How beautiful this

gentile is.' We must not even praise the outward beauty of a sinner,

so as not to be attracted to them. How much greater is the obligation

to refrain from giving praise to a wicked man's good deeds lest we be

drawn after his mistaken and misleading outlook from which his deeds

drew their inspiration."

And what delicacy of recognition our rebbe had. Despite his meticulous

observance of this halocho and his deep and correct understanding of

it, he never broke off his frequent practice of maintaining mutual

relations with a number of errant souls and others whose faith was

weak. He was inspired to this by a boundless love of Jews, which will

ultimately bring these people back to the path of good.