For A Piece of Bread

In this week's Torah portion, Korach, we read about a man who was dissatisfied with Moses and Aaron as the leaders of the Jewish people. Unlike other religious writings, the Torah is unique in its criticism of its "heroes." Moses and the Jewish people constantly mess up, and this is highlighted. There isn't much "sugar coating" going on. But as in life, it is important that one recognize the special qualities of those around us. Yes, Korach rebelled, but his sons repented.

Yes, the Jewish people constantly complained and rebelled, but they also displayed immense faith and trust in G-d by following his commands, like wandering into the dessert toward a distant Israel with barely food or drink. They displayed immense loyalty while enslaved in Egypt, keeping their language, Hebrew names & clothing in a foreign, threatening environment. Indeed, nations claim that G-d has turned his back on the Jewish people because we are "stiff-necked", yet it is precisely because of our "stiff necks" - our stubbornness and unwavering loyalty to the truth, that has ensured our remaining a distinct nation, the trusted nation of G-d and his Torah.



Simon Wiesenthal, the famous Nazi-hunter, once spoke at a conference of European rabbis in Bratislava, Slovakia. The rabbis presented the 91-year-old Wiesenthal with an award, and he, visibly moved, told them the following story.

It was in Mauthausen, shortly after liberation. The camp was visited by Rabbi Eliezer Silver, head of Agudat Harabbanim (Union of Orthodox Rabbis of North America), on a mission to offer aid and comfort to the survivors. Rabbi Silver also organized a special service, and he invited Wiesenthal to join the other survivors in prayer. Wiesenthal declined, and explained why.

“In the camp,” Wiesenthal said to Rabbi Silver, “there was one religious man who somehow managed to smuggle in a siddur (prayer book). At first, I greatly admired the man for his courage—that he’d risked his life in order to bring the siddur in. But the next day I realized, to my horror, that this man was ‘renting out’ this siddur to people in exchange for food. People were giving him their last piece of bread for a few minutes with the prayerbook. This man, who was very thin and emaciated when the whole thing started, was soon eating so much that he died before everyone else—his system couldn’t handle it.”

He continued: “If this is how religious Jews behave, I’m not going to have anything to do with a prayer book.” As Wiesenthal turned to walk away, Rabbi Silver touched him on the shoulder and gently said in Yiddish, “Du dummer (you silly man). Why do you look at the Jew who used his siddur to take food out of starving people’s mouths? Why don’t you look at the many Jews who gave up their last piece of bread in order to be able to use a siddur? That’s faith. That’s the true power of the siddur.” Rabbi Silver then embraced him. “I went to the services the next day,” said Wiesenthal.

This beautiful true story illustrates the importance of seeing the good in each other, focusing on the positive. May we always succeed in seeing the good in our fellow Jew, which as our Sages say, is the ultimate source for bringing Moshiach.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel