Rav Pincus zt”l on Shmini

by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the S’fas Tamim Foundation

In this week’s parsha, Shmini, shortly after the passing of Aharon’s two sons, Nadav and Avihu, Moshe questioned the remaining sons: “Why did you not eat from sin-offering?”  The sin-offering was supposed to have be eaten by the Kohanim.  Instead, the entire offering was burned.

Aharon answered Moshe that he himself had brought the offering, after Nadav and Avihu’s death.  According to Torah law, there are different periods of mourning death.  The first period is called aninus or being an onain.  An onain is not permitted to do positive Mitzvos until the deceased is buried.  Aharon, however, as the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest,  was permitted to offer it even while still an ‘Onen’, but as an ‘Onen’ he was not permitted to consume it.  The pasuk then tells us, “Moshe listened and it was good in his eyes.”

Rashi explains that Moshe did not respond that he had not heard the halacha.  Rather, Moshe admitted and was not ashamed to say that he had heard this particular halacha but had forgotten.

Rabbi Shimshon Dovid Pincus zatzal (1944-2001) was a remarkable tzaddik and baal mussar who inspired tens of thousands of Yeshivaleit, seminary girls, and Bnei Torah.  He lived in Ofaqim.  Rav Pincus explains in his Tiferes Shimshon (Vol. III p. 99) that no one is above making mistakes.

Indeed, he writes that this imperfection was placed into every human being without exception.  He also writes that the greater the person the more difficult it is to admit his or her own error.  The greatness of a person is not determined by that which he does not err.  Rather, writes Rav Pincus, greatness is determined by his ability to recognize his errors and admit them.

Certainly this is the case when a person had an argument with a person, became angry at that person in public, and ultimately, it became clear that, in fact, the other person was correct.  What a blow this would be to one’s own sense of self and one’s own ego.  How difficult it is to forgo his own reputation and say, “It was I that made the mistake.  You are correct.”

Imagine, someone wishes to drive the latest Tesla Model Y with the Performance option. The first thing that he must determine is whether the brakes are functioning properly. The fancier and stronger the car, the greater destruction and calamity it will leave behind if there are no functioning brakes.  (Rav Pincus zatzal, of course, spoke of a fancy car, the Tesla was not in existence in 2001).

The same is true with a human being.  The greater the person is in Torah and fear of heaven, if he cannot recognize his own errors and mistakes and admit to them – the greater the destruction and calamity.  Only if he has the ability to admit the truth and to admit to error without regard to his own standing and reputation can he truly employ his abilities and talents to help the world.

This ability is not just reserved for admitting things to others.  It is also extremely necessary to be able to admit error to himself in order for him to be able to fully function.  Often people cannot admit to themselves that they have erred.  This inability is a rather destructive force in contemporary society.

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