Rosh Yeshivah HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein made a rare request during a sicha he delivered in his home on Thursday evening.

“Those who speak words of chizzuk to the public, even in chadarim [boys’ schools] and yeshivos ketanos and gedolos, it’s kadai to speak about Ahavas HaBriyos and V’Ahavata L’Reiyacha Kamocha – it’s a Klal Gadol B’Torah,” HaRav Edelstein began.

“There’s a Gemara – ‘Amar Rebbe Akiva – Zeh Klal Gadol B’Torah.’ What is a ‘Klal Gadol B’Torah?’ I’ve already said this – there’s a little sefer from Rebbe Chaim Vital called Shaarei Kedushah – that midos tovos are the yesod.”

“It’s not written in the Torah about midos tovos – it writes about gaava regarding a melech – but it doesn’t write about anger and all other types of midos. There are many good midos that aren’t written about in the Torah.”

“That’s because this [midos tovos] is the yesod of nefesh ha’adam – that’s what Rebbe Chaim Vital writes in Shaarei Kedushah. That without middos tovos, a person is not a ben-adam [person]. The shleimus of a person is being a ba’al midos tovos.”

“Therefore it makes sense that if one is speaking words of chizzuk that it should be about midos tovos. Whoever speaks words of chizzuk to the public, it’s clear that it is kadai, what is best, where the greatest zechuyos are – is regarding midos tovos. And when one speaks about it – it has an influence.”

“Each one should speak about middos tovos, divrei chizzuk, v’ahavata l’reiyacha kamocha, v’halachta b’drachav [one should follow in Hashem’s ways],” the Rosh Yeshivah concluded.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)