Thursday, January 3, 2013

How To Treat Your Sworn Enemies

Rav Yaakov Moshe Charlap was once walking down the street with his grandson when he was accosted by a קנאי [zealot] who starting saying horribly insulting things to him. His "sin" was that his Rebbi was Rav Kook whom the zealots could NOT STAND [the feeling was NOT mutual...]. Rav Charlap's grandson was appalled and wanted to answer the man but the Rav gently grabbed his arm to calm him down and to signal him to remain silent.

When they passed him Rav Charlap explained: A wealthy man once wanted to buy Rav Kook an apartment. Rav Kook said that he didn't need one but that he should give it to me. The man agreed and offered it to me. I ALSO didn't want a beautiful new apartment because I was satisfied with what I had. So I found this poor man and gave it to him in such a way that he wouldn't know it came from me. So he doesn't even know that the people he holds in such contempt gave him a free apartment.

זכות הצדיקים יעזור ויגן ויושיע

[From the book שירת הי"ם]