On the third day of Shevat of this year, world Jewry lost a great person. Rabbi Chaim Shimon Gad Elituv passed away.
“Reb Shimon,” as we called him affectionately, was a wonderful individual, and there has been an endless amount of praise and accolades concerning his life and accomplishments.
What was the specialty of Reb Shimon?
He was a chassid, a lamdan, a rav, a community leader, a gifted orator, an educator and many other things. What perhaps encapsulates Reb Shimon’s personality is that he had a “Lev tov,” a good heart.
In the second chapter of Pirkei Avos, we learn that Rabban Yochonon ben Zakai asked his students, “What is the best way to which a man should cleave?” One said, “A good eye”; another said, “A good friend”; while the third, R. Elozor, said, “A good heart.” Rabban Yochonon ben Zakai told them, “I prefer R. Elozor’s words over yours for in his words, yours are included.”
Reb Shimon possessed many qualities. Nevertheless, his most outstanding quality was “a good heart,” and that brought along everything else. Reb Shimon was beloved by all. And that goes for the chief rabbis, members of the Israeli chief rabbinate, rabbanim, and roshei yeshiva community leaders, as well as talmidim and “amcha,” simple people – if anyone can even be called that.
Everyone has a good word to say about Reb Shimon, good words that come from the truthfulness of their heart. The reason for this is simple: Reb Shimon loved everybody. He looked at every Jew with a good eye, and received every Jew, be it a rosh yeshiva or a student – with a smile and with warmth, with love and with affection.
Reb Shimon cared for and projected friendship and affection to everyone. In reciprocation, Reb Shimon received affection, friendship and love.
There is a tremendous concept of “V’hachai yitein el libo,” – “the living should take it to his heart.” This is a strong message to the ones who are alive that they should take it to heart. When someone passes on, it is important for us to analyze what kind of person we lost so that we can learn from his ways.
We find this reciprocation of friendship and affection in the “small picture,” in microcosm, in a simple classroom: two students join the same classroom on the same day. One student finds friends immediately and the class loves him, including him in all of their activities. The other student is always by himself. The classmates don’t like to talk to him, they don’t like to play with him, they don’t like to associate with him.
Why is it that one child is so accepted by everyone and one child is not? After all, they both come on the same day and are both in the same classroom.
It all depends on the student himself. One is warm, friendly, outgoing, and has a good eye, a good word and a smile for everyone. And this is why everyone likes him. The other one is cold, reserved and skeptical. This is why the classmates choose not to associate with him.
We also find this in macrocosm. Reb Shimon showed us how it is in the “big picture” – in the reality of life in the big world. What it means to be kind, gentle and friendly. What it means to have a good eye, to say a good word with warmth and affection. Reb Shimon never spoke ill about anyone; he always saw the positive in everyone. Sometimes it was not that easy, but Reb Shimon looked for it and found it.
This is the specialty of Reb Shimon and the lesson he leaves for us.
Our family had the merit of hosting Reb Shimon for a few months when he visited the United States. We still remember with love the way he sat at our table with friendship and warmth, speaking to everyone with love and affection. We remember his stories, his nigunim. And we remember him.
Go in peace, my dear friend Reb Shimon. You should be “a gutter better,” a good advocate, for your wife, for your children, for your grandchildren, for your great grandchildren and for the extended family that you loved so much – all of Klal Yisrael. Ask Almighty G-d to help us all by sending us Moshiach Tzidkeinu imminently. Now.
