Under the Influence

“If a man steals a bull or a lamb …” (Shemos 21:37)

We learn in Parshas Bereishis (1:27) that man was created in the image of Hashem. The intent is to inspire the person with the knowledge that no matter how far he has strayed from the path of Torah, he is imbued with a G-dliness that empowers his potential to rise above his challenges and be righteous. We reiterate this in our daily morning prayers, “Hashem, the soul that You placed within me is pure … You breathed it into me, You safeguard it within me …”

The Torah teaches us that one should not disgrace or shame a person who has sinned. For, in truth, we know that it is not the individual himself who sinned; rather, under the influence of the evil inclination, he was tempted to ignore the gravity of his transgression.

The Torah instructs us to allow the person to keep his honor and dignity. A thief who stole livestock must make monetary restitution; if he doesn’t have any money he is sold as a servant. Yet, even as a servant, he has many privileges and opportunities. For example, if the master only owns one pillow, he is obliged to give it to the servant, so that the servant’s self-respect is maintained.

Contrary to our thinking that such kind consideration may actually encourage the sinner to continue his unacceptable ways, the Torah informs us of an important principle. When a person is belittled and disparaged, his spirit is broken. He loses any hope of being able to atone for his wrongdoings. But if we allow him to preserve a semblance of self-worth and dignity, we are offering him the opportunity to become rehabilitated and wholeheartedly return to Hashem.

A similar concept is presented in Vayikra (21:4). The pasuk tells us, “A husband [i.e. a kohen] shall not become impure for a wife who causes his desecration …” The Talmud (Yevamos 22b) states, “There is a husband who does become impure for his wife, and there is a husband who does not become impure.” As we know, a kohen is prohibited from becoming ritually impure through contact with a meis (dead person), except in the case of seven close relatives, among them his wife. This is so when a kohen married someone who is permissible to him, e.g., not a divorcee. Onkelos expounds, “An honored one among his people may not defile himself … for a wife through whom he becomes profaned.” The Ramban states that this refers to a kohen.

The Bais Yisroel of Ger says that even if the Kohen married inappropriately according to the Torah, he is nevertheless “an honored one,” and he may not defile his kehunah.

One day a chassid came in to the revered Bobover Rebbe, R’ Shlomo, to invite the Rebbe to the sheva berachos of his daughter.

R’ Shlomo did not recognize him and wondered to himself why he was being invited. After all, he had many outstanding obligations to attend numerous simchas. He didn’t know the person and could not fathom why he should agree to attend.

The chassid persisted, and said, “If the Rebbe would come and bentsch us it would be a special simcha for me.”

There was something about the invitation that piqued the Rebbe’s interest and, being a real gentleman, he acquiesced.

When R’ Shlomo walked through the door, the host was overjoyed to see him. He then turned to his guests and said:

“I have something very important to tell you. The Rebbe doesn’t remember me, but before the War, I was the chazzan in Bobov. After the years of pain and suffering, though, I began to smoke on Shabbos.

“When the Rebbe came to America after the War, he established a small shul of chassidim. One day he happened to meet me on the street. He greeted me warmly and said kindly, ‘You used to be our baal tefillah on Shabbos. Come this Shabbos so that we can hear you sing your tefillos again.’

“I tried to refuse his invitation, but the Rebbe insisted. I came to shul the next Shabbos and davened, and the Rebbe thanked me numerous times for my beautiful davening.

“The next Shabbos I took a stroll, smoking my cigarette, when I ran into the Rebbe as he was walking on the street with his son. ‘We greatly enjoyed your davening last Shabbos,’ he said. ‘I want you to come again the next Shabbos.’

“The Rebbe’s son spoke up: ‘He is desecrating the Shabbos. Do we bring a mechalel Shabbos to Bobov?’

“R’ Shlomo told his son: ‘It is not he who is desecrating the Shabbos; it is the Nazi in him that caused him to be mechalel Shabbos!’

“The next Shabbos I came to shul again, and the Rebbe asked me to stay for Kiddush after davening. From that moment, I was inspired and fortified, and I returned to the Torah ways.

“Today I am a typical chassid, a devoted member of our community, with one hundred grandchildren who are shomrei Torah u’mitzvos. It is only because the Rebbe saw in me a person who had lost hope – not a mechalel Shabbos. The Rebbe infused me with the power and courage to return to our Father in Heaven.”