Better to Be A Tzadik or A Chocham? The Life-Altering Insight of the Chofetz Chaim on the Haggadah

Okay, good morning, friends. Again, a very Yom Tov. A freilichen Pesach. Currently, now it's Pesach. Every Yom Tov is Pesach, at least from tzeis hakochavim now. Want to share with you the words of the Chofetz Chaim on chacham mahu omer. >> [snorts] >> In the velt, many are emphasize the importance of being frum. Frum. However, the Chofetz Chaim would say the ikkar is not being frum. The ikkar is being klug. So, first of all, in the sefer Imrei Daas, he brings pam amra Chofetz Chaim hu ikkar hu she'adam chacham. The main thing is to be smart. The raya, the proof is sheba hagada shel Pesach arba banim. The proof is in the hagada, it mentions four sons. Vehi puchei shel harasha hu hachacham. The opposite of the wicked son is the clever son. Veloi hatzadik. Mishum shekedai liyos tzadik in order to be a tzadik laredes lacheiker hadvarim to plumb the depths of the matter velachdar amukasam and to pierce the truth, yesh tzoirech bechachma amuka, you need profound wisdom. It's not it's not sufficient to be frum. In a way, it's very empty. How could you understand what happens in the world? How could you understand how to deal with other people, how to navigate circumstances? How can you evaluate what's the correct thing to do at in a particular situation? >> [snorts] >> The Chofetz Chaim would say further, and this is brought in the sefer on hilchos beis bris that in the velt they say a person needs to be frum unfrum unklug. Yiras shamayim yiras shamayim chacham. And the Chofetz Chaim said "Ani omer hahepech [snorts] sheyish liyos klug unklug unfrum." Like it says in the gemara "Olam adam orum biyirah." Yet be clever. Ki adam shelo chacham al lo yosli yesh liyos ro'eh. Someone who's not smart, his fear can harm him. Shekein eini yodei'a masai lachachmer, he doesn't know when to be machmer ve'al cheshbon ma ein lachachmer and when not to be machmer. Umachshilam [snorts] rabim al ulum lotzeis mitachas yadai. So, let's say somebody he learnt halachos, okay, but how does it How does it apply? He learnt middos, okay, when does it apply? How do you measure it out? >> [snorts] >> Then he brings the tzadik Reb Shalom Myishishok said that when the Chofetz Chaim would want to say about a person that he's an adam gadol, the Chofetz Chaim never said "Oh, is he a gadol? Is he a gadol?" You know, that's the big buzzword today. I know he's a talmid chacham, but is he a gadol? Okay, what what what's that? The Chofetz Chaim would say the opposite. Chofetz Chaim would say this person, he's a chacham. So, they said "Rebbe, there are many talmidei chachamim go'onim, there are many yiras shamayim tzadikim, there are rabbonim, dayanim, but there are very few that we could call them gedoilim. What makes a person a gadol? What is the expression of gadlus?" And the Chofetz Chaim would say if he's a chacham gadol. And they wondered what's the connection between chachma and gadlus? And the Chofetz Chaim explained if he's a chacham, he won't be seduced by the yetzer hara. So, this [snorts] tzadik, I don't know why they're naming him a tzadik in this context, Reb Shalom Myishishok would say that the Chofetz Chaim was an adam gadol. If you look at learn his sefarim, you'll be makir that he knew how to navigate and circumvent the wiles of the yetzer hara. Reb Yerucham Levovitz would say the Chofetz Chaim was margel befumei do they ask a person great things, gadlus? No, all they ask of a person is don't be a fool. The Chofetz Chaim would say the only thing God asks of you ma Hashem sho'el mimach ki im shelo liyos shoiteh. That's all God asks of you. Higid lecha ha'adam ma tov uma Hashem sho'el mimcha ki shelo liyos shoiteh. That's all God wants you. That's all God wants of you. Don't be a fool. And the Chofetz Chaim would say it is common parlance every fool thinks he's a chacham. However, I say there are many smart people that are actually fools. Okay. >> [snorts] >> A little bit more. Reb Mendel Zaks, the son-in-law of the Chofetz Chaim, wrote in his memoirs that my father-in-law would say a fool makes out of gold dust and the wise man turns dust and he turns it into gold. >> [snorts] >> What does that mean? A fool a fool he takes gold. You know what that means? He takes time. He takes time and he uses his time for nonsense. The wise man takes money dust and he turns it into time. >> [snorts] >> Okay, one more. They asked the Chofetz Chaim why do you call a certain chacham, why do you call a certain tzadik a chacham? So, the Chofetz Chaim would say because sometimes you'll see somebody, his actions may seem a bit odd or strange. You should know there's hidden wisdom in it. That's the the hallmark of a gadol is a chacham. It's rasha mahu omer, chacham mahu omer. That's the first offering. Recording stopped.