Wisdom & Wit

Wisdom & Wit - Lech L'cha

An old woman once came to the home of R’ Chaim Falaji to ask a halachic question. The Rav was in the midst of his meal, and without telling him that a woman wanted to see him, the Rav’s servants sent her away and told her to come back later.
When the Rav heard what had happened, he immediately got up and walked to the old woman’s home, in order to hear what she had to ask.
Later, when he discussed this story, he would refer to the Mechilta, which discusses the ten great Sages who were killed by the Romans. The Mechilta notes that as R’ Yishma’el and R’ Shimon were being take to their execution, R’ Shimon asked R’ Yishma’el: “Rebbe, what sin did I commit that I have been sentenced to death?” R’ Yishma’el answered: “Did anyone ever come to you with a halachic question which you did not answer immediately, but waited until you had finished what you were drinking or putting on your shoe, or putting on your garment? The Torah demands that one must answer a person who comes to ask immediately, and if there is a delay in one’s answer, it is irrelevant whether it is for a short time or for an extended time. Both are forbidden.” The Mechilta concludes with R’ Shimon’s response: “Rebbe, you have consoled me.”
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R’ Yisrael Salanter noted: “As I walked outside, I saw birds flying, and I realized how similar we are to them. If we want, we have the power to rise up higher and higher. We learn from the birds, though, that to remain high, the bird must constantly flap its wings. The human, too, has to be constantly and actively engaged in maintaining the level he has reached in Yiras Shomayim. If he stops trying at any time, he will plunge downward to the earth.”
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“Many modern inventions,” remarked R’ Yitzchak Zelig of Sokolov, “enable us to exert greater control than ever before. The train enables us to control distance, the telegraph allows us to control time, while the plane enables us to control the air. With all of these, we often forget that the thing that most needs controlling is ourselves.”

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