Kedoshim: Cause and Effect

My apologies for last week; it was a bit rough.

 

This week marks the tenth year since the passing of Rav Chaim Moshe Flom, one of the Roshei Yeshiva of Yeshivas Ohr Dovid, former neighbor/chavrusa of mine, and the person after whom I named my first son.  I heard rumors that Mishpacha Magazine did an article on him this week.  If so, it’s probably worth buying just for that.  He was very well known for the chesed he did wherever he went.  After his passing, thousands of people who were "victims" of his chesed, came to his small apartment to pay respects to his family.  The stories were unbelievable, yet believable at the same time.

 

Each week he put out a very small dvar Torah on the parsha, with grammar worse than mine (since it was done in a rush, without the help of a great editor as I now have).  So, I thought, in his honor, I will use one of his.

 

“’Rated X-under 18 not permitted’

“’You shall not curse the deaf’ (Vayikira 19:14).  Rabbeinu Bachya explains, that even though the one who was cursed didn’t hear it, the act of cursing is inherently bad for the mouth of the one who said it.'

 

“Too many people think that public violence, profanity, or pornography is bad because it may offend some people or be seen by minors.  Judaism tells us that most things forbidden in public, should be forbidden in private also.  WHO LET IN THOSE PEOPLE OVER 18?!” –Rav Flom

 

Now, my addition.

 

From this Rabbeinu Bachya we see that everybody is affected by things, even "adults" who are, in theory, "mature."

 

I remember, back in the day, somebody put a game on my computer.  Basically, you got to drive around London or San Francisco, hitting other cars, attempting to hit people (but they always jumped out of the way), and trying to lose the police in the process.  It wasn’t a violent game, no blood, no real violence, but it certainly was a game that got your blood going.  I would play it every once in a while to cool off.

 

One day while I was driving, I came to a red light.  I was the first car in front of the light, and from the other direction, I saw a police car coming.  My pulse immediately picked up, and I just caught my foot in time from hitting the accelerator in order to “make a run for it." It was a real shock to me, how close I came from doing something very, very stupid.  Needless to say, I went home and took off the game.

 

Everything we say and do DOES have an effect on us, no matter what age we are or how mature we might be.  Therefore, one should always think twice about what they are doing or about to do, to see if it will leave a positive or negative impression on our hearts.

 

Have a great Shabbos!

 

Michael Winner