The Biggest Change Is Done By The Lowest

Print      Acharei        Kedoshim 
Chapter 3 Mishnah 1. Akavia the son of Mahalalel would say: Reflect upon three things and you will not come to the hands of transgression. Know from where you came, where you are going, and before whom you are destined to give a judgement and accounting. From where you came—from a putrid drop; where you are going—to a place of dust, maggots and worms; and before whom you are destined to give a judgement and accounting—before the supreme King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He. 

Why does the Tanna of the Mishnah split it into three statements, it seems to be so much extra? He could have simply said: 

Reflect upon that you are from a putrid drop; you are going to a place of dust, maggots and worms; and you are destined to give a judgement and accounting before the supreme King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, and you will not come to the hands of a transgression. 

There must be something more going on here, because a Tanna doesn't say anything extra. 

The Tanna is trying to stop us from transgressing, so what does "the hands of transgression" mean? 

Another question. Usually it is more effective to be positive and to give positive reinforcement, but this Mishnah sounds negative. Wouldn't it be more effective to be positive? For example, to say that you have a neshama that comes from under Hashem's throne of glory and if you do what is right, you will be going to a place that is much higher, to be closer to Him. Why so negative? 

In Pirkei Avos it is common for a Tanna to say three things and here too Akavia the son of Mahalalel says three things. He is talking to three different people, the tzadik (righteous), the beinuni (one who struggles but has no sin) and the rasha (one who has sin). 

To the tzadik, who is totally righteous, he says, ”Reflect upon three things and you will not come to the hands of transgression." Referring to the famous three things that Rabbi Shimon the Righteous would say, "The world stands on three things: Torah, the service of G‑d, and deeds of kindness." He just has to be reminded. 

And now we will understand why it says, "from the hands of transgression," because a tzadik is not capable of doing a transgression, only possibly something that is akin to a transgression, that is what "the hands of transgression," means. 

To the beinoni, who has a struggle with his body and evil inclination but he overcomes them and has no sin. To him he says something positive, "Know from where you came, where you are going, and before whom you are destined to give a judgement and accounting." Meaning from under Hashem's throne of glory and to even higher than that. Because he doesn't need harsh words. 

To the rasha, who succumbs to his body and evil inclination, and from time to time sins. To him he speaks harshly, ”From where you came—from a putrid drop; where you are going—to a place of dust, maggots and worms; and before whom you are destined to give a judgement and accounting—before the supreme King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He." But it is also positive because it comes after the positive words to the beinoni, as if to say, if you are motivated by the positive, you have the positive, and if not, you have the harsh. 

To take it to a deeper level. The tzadik and the beinoni don't have anything to do with the physical world, the tzadik because of his nature, he is higher than the physical and the beinoni because he overcomes the physical world. The only one who has anything to do with the physical world is the one who sins, therefore he can have the biggest effect on the world. Every time he has a victory over his body and evil inclination, and every time he does teshuva he is truly changing the world, and making it into a home for Hashem. And that is hinted in the lowly physical nature of the words to the one who sins, they are the lowest, signifying that only he or she can take the lowest and make it into a home for Hashem. 

Most of us are not tzadikim or even beinonim, so we are in the unique position to make the biggest difference. We can  fulfill the deepest wish of Hashem, to bring Moshiach, through making a home for Hashem in the lowest possible place. May it happen soon.

In memory of my niece Sarah Rivka Chanowitz OBM, daughter of rabbi Yisrael and my sister Chanie, may her memory be a blessing to them, and to all of Israel. 

This is what I wrote for her first yortziet. 

My Niece Sarah Rivka 

Truth is told, I didn't get to spend enough time with my niece Sarah Rivka, because I was away but I will tell you what I remember. 

I remember that she had a smile that would light up the room, and that she had a tender soul. I wish I was around more, because I gained from every interaction with her. 

She suffered so much, and yet she had so much love in her heart and you were able to see it in her eyes. 

She had the name of our first two Imahos, Sarah and Rivka. About both the Torah says that they were beautiful, and about both it says that they brought blessing to their homes. 

Sarah means regal, as a princess, and Rivka is powerful, as it means a bunch of strong animals harnessed together, which is very powerful. And these are the traits of Jewish girls and women, inner strength which is so powerful, and beauty that comes from the inside out, regal, because they are daughters of Hashem, and they bring blessing to their homes. 


And this is what I want every Jewish girl and woman to do for Sarah Rivka, to be true to yourself, and let your essence shine forth, strength, beauty and regality, and that will bring blessing to your homes, it will effect everyone in your home and they will begin to shine. From there your blessing will shine on to the whole world, and that will bring Moshiach, which we are waiting for. May he come soon.