Nov. 28, 2025

Parshas Vayeitzei: Started From the Bottom, Now We're Here

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Season 1

Angels on a ladder, a promise of land, and a family saga filled with tension set the stage—but the heart of this episode is a piercing question: why do the sages single out Rivka as a “rose among thorns,” while Rachel and Leah, no less righteous, don’t receive the same praise? We follow the thread from Yaakov’s dream through Lavan’s deceit to the naming of the twelve tribes, and then zoom in on character, context, and the hidden mechanics of influence.

We explore Rivka’s acts of radical kindness at the well and the return of light to Sarah’s tent, reading classic sources that frame her as uniquely untouched by her corrupt milieu. Then we test the apparent asymmetry. Rachel protects Leah from shame, Leah rejects a life of moral compromise, and both confront their father’s idolatry—so what gives? Drawing on Rav Shmuel Birnbaum’s insight, we uncover a counterintuitive key: influence often begins with warmth. Rivka was admired and embraced by people who were still wrong; resisting approval takes uncommon strength. Rachel and Leah were treated as outsiders, which blunted the culture’s ability to imprint on them.

From there, we bring the idea down to earth. A story of Rav Aryeh Levin at the bustling Jerusalem market shows how respect opens doors that rebuke slams shut. We talk about the shift toward gentler chinuch: greeting students by name, asking questions, setting firm standards without contempt. If you want to change hearts, don’t exile people from your circle; meet them with dignity so your words can land.

Walk away with a practical takeaway for leadership, teaching, and daily life: to shape a soul, start by honoring it. If this lens moved you, tap follow, share with a friend who loves Parsha insights, and leave a review telling us where kindness changed your mind.

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Questions or Comments? Please email me @ michaelbrooke97@gmail.com

00:00 - Angels, Ladder, And The Promise

01:03 - Yaakov, Lavan, And The Twelve Tribes

02:12 - The Praise Of Rivka Explained

04:15 - Rose Among Thorns: Sources And Deeds

06:45 - The Asymmetry: What About Rachel And Leah

09:30 - Rav Shmuel Birnbaum’s Question And Context

12:06 - Outsiders Versus Embraced: The Core Answer

15:20 - How Influence Works: Respect Over Rebuke

18:45 - Rav Aryeh Levin At The Market

22:10 - A Softer Chinuch: Changing With Needs

24:55 - Takeaways And Call To Action

WEBVTT

00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:11.039
I had a dream, said Yaakova Venu, as he awoke from his slumber on Harhamriah.

00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:18.000
He dreamt a dream of angels ascending and descending the ladder.

00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:21.920
A promise from God, it was interpreted.

00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:31.600
That the land that you sleep upon, Eritrael, Erit Akadesh, it is to be yours.

00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:34.479
From all that you can see.

00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:38.000
It all will be yours someday.

00:00:38.479 --> 00:00:42.320
And your children's children will also enjoy it.

00:00:43.280 --> 00:00:45.439
Our parsha's action-packed.

00:00:47.759 --> 00:01:01.759
From the dream at the beginning, which has multiple layers to unpack, the swindling that Yaakov has to endure from Lovon.

00:01:03.840 --> 00:01:11.599
The marriage of Yaqov of Vinu to his two wives, and the birthing of the Shifde Ka, the twelve tribes.

00:01:11.760 --> 00:01:15.920
Every name has significance, each name a lesson.

00:01:16.879 --> 00:01:24.000
And it definitely shows us that a person's name is much more than just what people use to refer to the person.

00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:29.920
Yaakov's been in Charon for 14 years, towards the end of our parshaw.

00:01:30.159 --> 00:01:32.239
He wishes to return home.

00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:42.000
More financial disputes break out between Yaakov, who has done nothing wrong, and all of the swindlers that surround him.

00:01:44.239 --> 00:01:55.120
Yaakov is able to escape danger, wealthy, and with his family, before being pursued by Lovan.

00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:57.200
But they make a pact.

00:01:57.519 --> 00:02:08.400
Lovin and Yaakov Mount Galaid, attested by Amatseva, and Yaakov proceeds to the Holy Land, where he is greeted by angels.

00:02:08.719 --> 00:02:11.280
That's Parshus Vetse in a nutshell.

00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:17.199
And today, I want to discuss a matter that seems asymmetrical.

00:02:17.520 --> 00:02:21.360
Seems like things are out of balance, a bit wobbly.

00:02:23.039 --> 00:02:27.120
Because Chazal make a very large deal.

00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:52.319
They're all up in arms with new explanations as to why Rivka Imenu, GitHub's wife, is constantly being praised by Chazal for the unique attribute that she possesses, which is she is unaffected by her surroundings.

00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:55.120
She's a superstar.

00:02:56.159 --> 00:02:58.800
Last week we heard all about her lineage.

00:02:59.039 --> 00:03:14.400
She's Rivka, brothers with Loveon, daughter of Besuel, Chazal, Rashi cites it, tells us why do we hear about her lineage over and over again, even when we know her ancestry?

00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:46.479
It's because it's not just telling you who she is and where she came from, but it's praising her, mentioning her for praise that look at her stellar and exemplar character, even though she grew up in the hood, even though she grew up in the slums, in shantytowns, people around her, swindlers, thieves, alcoholics and drug addicts, but she's unaffected.

00:03:48.000 --> 00:04:04.719
She may live in section eight and have friends and gangs, even fathers and brothers in gangs, but it did not penetrate the Midos Tovos and the godliness that Rivka possessed.

00:04:04.960 --> 00:04:14.240
She's described by Hazal as the rose among thorns, a good person despite her ungodly surroundings.

00:04:14.719 --> 00:04:18.240
Look up the Medrish, Baratius Rabbah 634.

00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:20.560
Rashi brings it.

00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:28.560
All of her surroundings, they're depicted as treacherous and deceitful and idolatrous.

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But she is the rose, beautiful, pure, morally upright, and untouched by the depravity that surrounded her.

00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:43.199
How do you know this?

00:04:44.639 --> 00:04:50.560
Because of the other rashis in Midrashia that describe just how she acted when she met Eliezer.

00:04:52.399 --> 00:05:03.759
And how her merits granted her access that the water should come up towards her in this miraculous fashion, as if the water fountain should just turn on when you walk near it.

00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:08.240
You have to be a special person to merit such treatment from the world.

00:05:09.920 --> 00:05:12.959
The way that she went out of her way to water camels.

00:05:13.839 --> 00:05:19.839
Not just any animal, but it's camels that needed water that she offered water to.

00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:22.160
Camels drink a lot of water.

00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:25.920
Those humps in their back are filled with water.

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So it is not insignificant that the Torah tells us that her righteousness was that she offered water to the camels.

00:05:33.439 --> 00:05:42.560
Imagine schlepping cases of Poland Spring water bottles from Evergreen to your house or from Gourmet Glat to your house, or Kirkland water bottles for that matter.

00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:48.319
But they're massive two-gallon jugs, and you need enough for 10 camels.

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Plus people.

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And you're an only three-year-old girl.

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That's how selfless she was.

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That's how selfless she is.

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And Khazal praise her for it.

00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:10.000
We know that when Rivka came home to her new Khassan, her merits, Rivka, were so great.

00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:18.639
And her pushing back against all outer bad influences that she grew up around.

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She walked into the tent and she was serene because Sarah Imenu's tent lit up again.

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She had the Zhusim, that the Khala, that the Neros, everything, like a locomotive that had been out of commission, and all of a sudden has now been stirred and ready to rumble again.

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That's what happened when Rivka came back into her mother-in-law's tent, Sara Imenu.

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That was her heroic Zhusim.

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Her incredible virtues for the righteous woman that Rivka was in the way that she rejected and rose above her disgusting surroundings and upheld her purity.

00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:18.000
However, however, we don't find the same rays that Chazal shower upon Rivka when it comes to the other matriarchs.

00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:19.680
Rachel and Leia.

00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:22.800
They were fantastic people.

00:07:23.519 --> 00:07:25.680
They were otherworldly people.

00:07:26.079 --> 00:07:33.920
Their Zechim, as we will soon see, would go from here until the moon.

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They were selfless.

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They were righteous.

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They were pure.

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We find Rochel giving over the signs to spare her sister's embarrassment.

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We find Leia crying because she doesn't want to have connections with a Russia that she's going to marry.

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Clearly, she despises and has animosity towards anti-Torah values.

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We find more that Rochil is stealing her dad's smartphones and idolatrous items, the teruffim, trying to wean her dad out of the casino and get him back on the proper and good path.

00:08:23.199 --> 00:08:25.600
They're clearly righteous.

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They have angels that they can see, and they have schusim that protect them throughout their entire biblical narratives.

00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:42.799
But we don't find the specific shivach and praise that Chazal gave to Rifka that she was a rose among thorns.

00:08:42.960 --> 00:08:45.919
We don't find that praise given to Rachel and Leah.

00:08:47.519 --> 00:08:49.919
But it seems strange, asymmetrical.

00:08:50.159 --> 00:09:03.759
Rachel and Leah, did they not also grow up with a possessed and conniving father named Laban Lovan?

00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:12.480
Did they not also grow up in shanty towns and slums and in the hood?

00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:18.240
Did they not have a father who was a gang member, maybe a gang leader?

00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:22.480
Did they not grow up around sinners?

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It would seem that they did, but they did not receive the same praise from Chazal that they were unaffected by it.

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I mean, you can't argue that they grew up in maybe a better environment.

00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:41.200
They were in a middle class home.

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Things were better for them, so it's not that big of a deal that they made it out of the projects.

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Because Love on is described Love on Ha'ar Rami.

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He is the Love on the deceiver.

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He is called Love on his white.

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That he's trying to present himself as white, as pure, as clean, but in fact, he is dark and angry and anything but pure in the inside.

00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:18.159
So why is it that Rachel and Leia don't receive the same praise that Rivka is warranted and showered by Chazal?

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In short, Rachel and Leah are remarkable women.

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Just like Rifka.

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They possessed innate, powerful senses of goodness and piety and were tested by challenges, but ultimately won and proved triumphant over deceit idolatry in their hometown.

00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:50.000
But they don't seem to receive the rose and the thorn kind of praise that Rivkud is showered with.

00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:53.679
And Reb Schmuel Birnbaum wants to know why.

00:10:54.399 --> 00:10:56.159
His question is why?

00:10:57.440 --> 00:11:06.480
And before we get into his life-changing answer, you have to know who Rabshmuel Birnbaum was.

00:11:06.960 --> 00:11:12.000
We care about context, so we care about perspective, and we care about the source.

00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:15.679
Rashmul Birnbaum, born in 1920, died in 2008.

00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:19.519
A prominent Orthodox rabbi, the Roshiva of the Mir in Brooklyn.

00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:24.879
He was born in Poland and was able to escape via the what's that thing called?

00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:29.600
The Trans-Siberian Railway to Shanghai.

00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:46.480
Visa secured from Sugihara, settled in the United States, and married the Mir's Rusheshiva Rabav Ruham Kelamanowitz, and he succeeded his father-in-law as the Rosh Hai Yeshiva, and he is renowned for extraordinary diligence in his Torah study and unwavering commitment to the Torah and Yeshiva way of life.

00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:56.320
He died in 2008 in Brooklyn, and his funeral was attended by tens of thousands of fans, lovers, and supporters.

00:11:57.440 --> 00:12:04.879
So now that you know who Ripshwal Birnbaum is, he was the famous Masmid, wouldn't stop learning for anything.

00:12:06.480 --> 00:12:08.320
He says something remarkable.

00:12:08.559 --> 00:12:15.200
He says, you know why Rachel and Leia don't receive the same praise as the rose in the thorns like Rivka?

00:12:16.080 --> 00:12:20.879
It's because of the way that they were treated and the way that they were viewed.

00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:34.799
We find in Parsha's Vayetse, Vishmuel Birnbaum points out, that when the disputes for the money arose towards the end of the Parsha, Rachel and Leia voice a complaint.

00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:52.960
When they're fighting over the inheritance and what Lovean took from them?

00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:58.399
Rachel and Leia say, Do we have a share in our dad's wealth?

00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:00.559
He regards us as outsiders.

00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:03.039
Hello Nochrios Nech Shavnu.

00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:05.440
Rashi explains.

00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:12.799
He was a dad who instead of giving over money to support the new Chassan and Kala.

00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:19.360
Afil Bisha Shadarch Bene Adam Lossis Nedunya Lubinoisov to get them a home.

00:13:19.600 --> 00:13:20.799
Reach out to me if you need a home.

00:13:21.200 --> 00:13:21.840
I'm a realtor.

00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:26.879
Even when they needed support to start their life.

00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:35.679
Nohag Imanu Kenakrios, he acted with them like total outsiders.

00:13:38.320 --> 00:13:40.879
He charged for them and said, You want my daughters?

00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:42.000
Work for me.

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Be my slave and you shall marry my daughters.

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He charged as opposed to giving to help his daughters be supported.

00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:54.559
As opposed to Rivka?

00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:55.919
How was she treated?

00:13:57.600 --> 00:14:02.639
Well, she was treated with admiration by her surroundings.

00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:08.000
In the projects, they looked at her as different and special.

00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:11.279
Her parents, proud of her.

00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:26.879
She went off to base Yaakov, and the family wants to know all about their superstar daughter, and they tell everyone that they meet in the streets about just how fantastic and pristine and pure and happy their daughter Rifka is.

00:14:27.279 --> 00:14:34.000
We find this from the way that Bisuel treats his daughter and speaks to her daughter Rivka.

00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:45.519
He says when finally they want to ask if Rivka's gonna go for her shidduch, let us call the girl.

00:14:45.759 --> 00:14:47.679
They asked Rivka and said to her.

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They talk to her like a mensch, like a superstar.

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They ask her permission.

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Do you want to go?

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Is this a shidduch that you're interested in?

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They want her opinion?

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Finally, when she decides to go for it, oh my daughter.

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And therefore, here's the Yasod.

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Rivka is praised for not being influenced.

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Because people that are kind to you, people that are amicable, pleasant, professional, and understand you, even though you're different, you can be made an impression on by them.

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You can be connected to them.

00:15:52.399 --> 00:15:56.799
We naturally gravitate towards nice people when they respect us.

00:15:57.600 --> 00:16:11.679
So it was a great and large deal that even though the people around her respected her and showered her with praises, but they were different, and she could have wanted been like the different kids, the cool kids.

00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:15.120
But she said no, that is praiseworthy.

00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:24.159
She said no to those that treated her nicely, and she could have had an impression made on her by them, but instead she didn't and she stayed pure.

00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:25.200
That's praiseworthy.

00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:41.519
But Rockel and Leia, they were treated as the weird kids, as the ultra-orthodox kids, as the kids that nobody wants to hang out with, nobody wants to go to their house to play with on Shabbos, strangers, nucleos, their own dad charges for their daughter's services when they're to get married.

00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:48.639
It's not hard to understand why they weren't affected by their surroundings.

00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:53.279
Their surroundings were jerks, their surroundings were lowlives, their surroundings were.

00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:04.160
So it isn't exactly praiseworthy that they didn't assimilate into the culture around them.

00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:15.519
Because the way that they were treated by the culture around them was like nachryos, like outsiders and strangers, and outsiders and strangers have no effect on people.

00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:19.519
They cannot be influencers.

00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:21.759
You hear this, Yuside?

00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:23.680
You hear this, Yuside?

00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:26.240
How powerful is that?

00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:35.359
If you want to be an influencer, not one of those Gen Z Instagram influencers, but a real Torah influencer.

00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:38.400
An influencer for good.

00:17:39.599 --> 00:17:42.960
You cannot treat people like outsiders.

00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:47.440
You cannot hope to have an impression upon them.

00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:51.839
If you look at them as I should try to help that guy out.

00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:53.599
He's a low life.

00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:55.200
He steals.

00:17:55.920 --> 00:17:59.680
He's always scrolling through his Facebook during Kedusha.

00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:01.839
Wrong.

00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:02.960
Yes.

00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:08.079
But you cannot just excommunicate them.

00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:09.599
Write them off.

00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:16.240
At least you can't do that if you want to make a positive impression and have some sort of an influence upon them.

00:18:17.039 --> 00:18:20.640
You need to try to understand them.

00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:24.799
If you hope to have an impression on them, you have to not treat them like outsiders.

00:18:24.960 --> 00:18:27.279
You should not learn from them.

00:18:27.839 --> 00:18:35.200
But if you want to affect them positively, you gotta treat Rivka, you gotta treat the person like Basuel treated Rivka.

00:18:35.839 --> 00:18:36.960
Pleasantly.

00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:38.640
How are you?

00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:40.240
Good to see you.

00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:47.359
And slowly with setting an example.

00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:50.720
Joking with them.

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Getting them.

00:18:53.519 --> 00:18:56.079
Then influencing can happen.

00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:58.559
Ravire Levine.

00:18:59.200 --> 00:19:02.160
An incredible story.

00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:05.359
Ravire Levine, you need to know who he is.

00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:19.039
He is also the man who's the Orthodox rabbi, widely known as for his kindness and compassion, often referred to as the father of prisoners, for his frequent and unpaid visits to Jewish underground members of an imprisoned society in central Jerusalem during the British Mandate.

00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:22.000
He prayed with them, encouraged them, and all of these convicts.

00:19:22.079 --> 00:19:25.200
He conveyed messages to their family of good wishes and positivity.

00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:36.000
He was known as the Tzadik of Yerushalayam of the saint of Jerusalem for his extensive work on behalf of the poor and the sick and the needy, and with regular visits to hospitals, even the leper colony.

00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:45.200
He was a spiritual director to Mashkiach Ruchani and the Aitzhayim Yeshiva for many years and was known with love and respect for every person that he met.

00:19:47.200 --> 00:20:00.640
He was a famous person who said, when his wife had the broken foot in the hospital, he was the one who said to the doctor, Doctor, our foot hurts because we are one person.

00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:02.319
Perhaps you've heard that story before.

00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:02.880
That's him.

00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:05.519
That's who we're talking about when we say Rib Aryeh Levine.

00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:14.480
And one time, Rib Aryeh Levine made an interesting trip to the Machine Yehuda Shuk.

00:20:15.119 --> 00:20:32.640
The Machine Yehuda Shuk, the vibrant part of modern Jerusalem with cultural and culinary destinations, fresh produce, specialty foods, local culture, street food dining, a whole lot of cigarettes, nightlife, nightclubs, bars, restaurants.

00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:36.079
It's not a good place to be for a nice Jewish boy.

00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:40.400
They aren't just sitting and learning and dovening, let's say it like that.

00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:50.160
So it was interesting that Rebari Levine had sat down one of the outermost restaurants on Friday afternoon.

00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:54.240
He was sitting there.

00:20:55.759 --> 00:21:01.359
And the bartender was pouring drinks for people, the music rowdy.

00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:14.160
And Rebria Levine just kind of sat there before Shabbos, three, four o'clock, until finally the owner walks over to Rebari Levine and says, Can I help you?

00:21:14.400 --> 00:21:17.759
Are you here to rebuke me that I keep my store open on Shabbos?

00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:19.759
Are you here to yell at me?

00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:21.599
What are you here to do?

00:21:21.839 --> 00:21:23.279
You here to report me?

00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:26.160
Rebari Levine said, No.

00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:32.240
I'm actually here quite mesmerized about how much money you make.

00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:44.400
I can't believe that people pay 50 shekels for one cup of beer, and thousands of people are ordering beers, and many of them, you're making bank.

00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:46.960
You're financially very successful.

00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:48.640
And I can get it.

00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:51.200
Why you don't close your store on Chavez?

00:21:51.759 --> 00:21:52.559
I see it.

00:21:52.799 --> 00:22:03.839
How could you close the store when you have bills to pay, people to send to school, utility bills to pay, you need money to run your life, and look how much money you're making.

00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:04.960
I get you.

00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:11.039
May not be right, but I totally understand why you don't close your store on Chavez.

00:22:12.319 --> 00:22:14.799
And to make a long story short, yes.

00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:21.359
Eventually these two became friends, and eventually it became known that this person closed the store.

00:22:21.680 --> 00:22:24.160
The story has an happy ending.

00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:31.039
Because the person said that he was the first rabbi that didn't just yell at me, that it's wrong.

00:22:31.599 --> 00:22:35.440
Rabari Levine came in and understood me and got me.

00:22:37.119 --> 00:22:40.480
And after that, positive influence was had.

00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:46.880
Now one needs to tiptoe this line carefully, because we do love all Jews.

00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:50.000
And there are things, though, that are untolerated.

00:22:52.880 --> 00:23:12.480
But the way to coax, cajole, and positively influence needs to be, we see here, in a respectful way, not an intensely harshly rebuking way, in a way that seeks to understand the other side.

00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:31.200
Because when you are understood, and when you feel not like a stranger or an outsider, but you feel understood by the rabbi, or even understood like we found by Rivka, it's possible for you to be influenced.

00:23:31.440 --> 00:23:37.039
And the fact that Rivka wasn't influenced, that's why she is praised so lavishly by Chazal.

00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:54.960
I even thought it was never possible that my holy Rosh Sheshiva Ribnussin Stein, who's the greatest Torah scholar and God-fearing Jew that I know, I never thought that he would kind of take a lighter, more positive approach in the Khenuk.

00:23:55.200 --> 00:23:57.119
He was always very rigid and stern with me.

00:23:57.200 --> 00:23:58.720
He expected a lot.

00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:04.000
And he never really was the come in, I'll give you a hug type.

00:24:04.079 --> 00:24:05.839
You got this, don't worry.

00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:12.000
But recently, he's adopted a much more positive and loving approach.

00:24:12.160 --> 00:24:23.759
I see him walking over to the young Torah scholars, those thirsty to become God-fearing Jews, sits down next to them, shakes their hand, talks to them about the Gemara, asks them questions.

00:24:23.920 --> 00:24:24.960
How's it going?

00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:40.319
I think it's unbelievable to see somebody who's almost 80 years old and can just change on the spot his entire philosophy and Ashkafa and Khinoch because he thinks that one thing is now more needed and more helpful in this generation.

00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:43.920
But so it is, and so it is done.

00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:49.440
So he loves more, cares more, seeks to understand more from what I see.

00:24:50.079 --> 00:24:54.559
And if he's doing that, then it's the right thing to do.

00:24:55.440 --> 00:25:03.680
Our call to action is to positively influence, not by judging, but by trying to understand.

00:25:04.480 --> 00:25:20.960
Not by sweeping under the rug or denying, but by influencing, by understanding, getting, encouraging, and actually having a positive impact on the lives of those around us.

00:25:22.079 --> 00:25:37.599
It is for this reason, says Rashmul Birnbaum, that Rivka received the praise, and Rachel and Leia did not, because they were viewed as outsiders and strangers, so it is not impressive that they were not influenced by their surroundings.

00:25:39.119 --> 00:25:42.160
Ladies and gentlemen, let us go out there.

00:25:43.359 --> 00:25:49.920
I'm an influence positively with understanding and grace and pleasantness and professionalism.

00:25:50.799 --> 00:25:58.000
And like this, maybe we too can spread the love of Akadish Baruch and his holy Torah.

00:25:58.240 --> 00:25:58.720
Good job.