'sinners of Israel'

Tu B’Shvat is Today, and I Have a Story About a Pomegranate Not about the pomegranate itself, but about a saying regarding the pomegranate. Here is the story, but first, an essential introduction: At the conclusion of Tractate Chagigah in the Babylonian Talmud, Rabbi Abahu said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: "The fire of Gehinnom does not rule over Torah scholars, for their very essence is fire." As it is written in Jeremiah: "Behold, My word is like fire, says the Lord," and Torah scholars are united with the Torah, which is the word of God. Therefore, they themselves are fire, and no other fire can rule over them. At that moment, Resh Lakish arose—a great defender in the Talmud of those who are neither Torah scholars nor necessarily righteous—and he sealed the tractate with a bold declaration: "The fire of Gehinnom does not rule over the sinners of Israel either!" Resh Lakish is perhaps the most famous penitent (Baal Teshuvah) in the Talmud. If not the most famous, he is certainly the one who made the most radical transformation. From being a leader of bandits—the “godfather” of Tzipori and its surroundings—he became, through a single encounter with Rabbi Yochanan, his brother-in-law, his study partner, and his lifelong debating companion across the Talmud. From one extreme to another, in a momentous decision. Perhaps this is why we find him again and again defending those who do not follow the conventional path—maybe because he understands them better than anyone. Perhaps this is why, in Tractate Sukkah, he describes the human struggle by saying: "A person’s evil inclination overpowers him every day and seeks to kill him." In Tractate Sotah, he defends all of us by asserting: "A person does not commit a sin unless a spirit of folly enters him." And above all, in Tractate Yoma, he leaves everyone with an immense beacon of hope, addressing all who have ever succumbed to their inclinations and been overtaken by that "spirit of folly," saying: "Do not despair, for repentance is so great that deliberate sins become merits." And when you see who is saying these words, you understand that he knows what he is talking about. And so, at the end of Tractate Chagigah, when his colleagues declare that the fire of Gehinnom does not rule over Torah scholars, Resh Lakish stands up to defend the broader community and says, "Wait, not just Torah scholars—even the sinners of Israel are not consumed by that fire!" Yes, the sinners of Israel—no less! He quotes a verse from the Song of Songs: "Your temples are like a slice of a pomegranate," and interprets it to mean: "Do not read 'temples' (רקתך) but 'empty ones' (ריקתך)—even the empty ones among you are full of mitzvot like a pomegranate!" And now, the story, as told by Rabbi Mordechai Menashe Laufer: One of the chassidim of the Satmar Rebbe, Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum (1887–1979), who was childless, went with his wife to a private audience with the Lubavitcher Rebbe to seek a blessing for children. He had come at the directive of his own Rebbe, Rabbi Yoelish, who sent him to receive a blessing from the Lubavitcher Rebbe. At four in the morning, they entered the Rebbe’s room. The Rebbe inquired about their situation, advised them to consult a specific doctor, and warmly blessed them that they should merit children. (Indeed, they were later blessed with a house full of children.) The couple thanked the Rebbe and left the room. Suddenly, in an uncharacteristic move, the Rebbe followed them outside and asked: "I believe there is a yahrzeit in Satmar these days, and the Rebbe of Satmar customarily delivers a Torah discourse and completes a tractate. Would you be able to share what he spoke about on that occasion?" "Indeed," the chassid replied, "the Rebbe completed Tractate Chagigah and focused on the Talmudic statement: 'The fire does not rule over the sinners of Israel, for they are full of mitzvot like a pomegranate.' Among his remarks, the Satmar Rebbe expressed his astonishment: If they are categorized as 'sinners of Israel,' how can it be said that they are 'full of mitzvot like a pomegranate'?" The Rebbe's face turned pale. A slight tremor was visible on his holy face, to the extent that the Satmar chassid regretted even mentioning it. Then the Rebbe spoke: "I, too, have studied this Gemara in Chagigah, but my difficulty was precisely the opposite: If they are 'full of mitzvot like a pomegranate,' how can they possibly be called 'sinners of Israel'?" It’s all a matter of perspective. May we learn to look at others this way. May we learn to see our children this way. May we learn to see our spouses this way. May we learn to see ourselves this way. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Zalman Wishedski