Rav Nosson Zvi Finkel, zt”l, the Alter of Slabodka, was an educational pioneer and the primary figure responsible for implementing the mussar revolution in the yeshiva world. He added to the yeshivah curriculum a formal seder, or study session, dedicated to the avodah of mussar — character development and refinement of midos, with an emphasis on gadlus ha-adam, the latent potential of every person. This addition reoriented the focus of yeshivos toward personal growth.

Rav Finkel’s contributions and legacy were so far reaching that Rav Elazar Shach went as far to say, “Most of the Torah study in the post-war world should be credited to the Alter.” Indeed, his top students established and led the yeshivos of Mir, Lakewood, Telz, Torah Vodaath, Chaim Berlin and Ner Yisrael, among others.

The following anecdotes are found in the biographical work, “HaSaba MiSlobodka.”

In many yeshivos, the prevailing custom is for students to pass before their teachers after Friday night davening to wish them a “good Shabbos.” It was the Alter’s preferred way, however, to pass by the talmidim. Row by row and bench by bench, he would bless each and every individual with a hearty “good Shabbos.”

On Shabbos morning, a group of eager disciples would accompany him home from davening. As they passed by each home of the community, the Alter would call out, “May Hashem bless the Stein Family!” “May the Cohens be gebentched (blessed)!” While passing by the rosh yeshiva’s home, he would joyfully say, “Good Shabbos, dear Rosh Yeshiva!”

One week, the rosh yeshiva was away on a fundraising trip. Everyone knew this, yet as they passed by the home of the rosh yeshiva, the Alter called out with a booming voice, “Good Shabbos, heilige (holy) Rosh Yeshiva!” The confusion of the talmidim grew when they passed by the home of a local gentile constable. Though the windows were shuttered and no horse was tied to the fence, the Alter called, “Good morning, sir! Have a wonderful day!”

“Rebbi,” the talmidim pleaded, “there’s definitely no one home there …?” Reb Nosson Tzvi smiled. “I’ve never understood why people feel they should only greet and bless others whom they see! Why not bless someone, even when you don’t see him?”

The talmidim related that the holy Alter would sit by the window in his home and shower blessings and prayers on every passerby. More than once, he was seen accompanying a gypsy wagon as it left Slabodka — in respect for the travelers passing through town.

~

’,And God said: ‘Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness …“

And God created man in His own image, in the image of God, He created him.” (1:26-7)

“Beloved is man for he was created in the image (of God). Especially beloved is he, for it was made known to him that he had been created in the image (of God), as it is said: “for in the image of God, He made man.” (Avos 3:14)

When Chochmah u’Mussar — a collection of more than a thousand discourses and letters of his mentor and colleague, Reb Simcha Zissel Ziv — was about to be published the Alter sighed deeply. “Oy … and what have I accomplished with my life? I have but one shmuess, a single discourse on the topic of Adam and the nature of man. Everything else I have ever said or done revolves around that one shmuess …”

This is the teaching — short and sweet — from Sefer Ohr Hatzafun, by the Alter of Slabodka:

Adam haRishon — the primordial man — was formed by Hashem in His tzelem, image, and endowed with great spiritual potential. Following his sin and fall from grace, the lofty attributes of man began to degenerate — a process that has continued throughout the generations. Nevertheless, the tzelem elokim remains intact in people, and they always have the ability to express this potential and regain their stature.

If we are aware of the tzelem and likeness of the Infinite God in others, there is no limit to how well we can treat them. Honoring a person is akin to honoring the Infinite One —no matter how much we honor them, it will never be enough!

~

The Sefas Emes tells us that the entire goal of the Torah’s laws and instructions for living is to uphold and honor the tzelem elokim in human beings. And the remez or sacred hint for this is the fact that the word “tzelem (צל”ם)” is an acronym for: “צוה לנו  משה — (That which) Moshe commanded us.”

As we begin the Torah reading cycle once again, may our commitment to this “single discourse” drive every aspect of our lives and practice: “חביב אדם שנברא בצלם — Beloved is man.”

Rav Judah Mischel is executive director of Camp HASC, the Hebrew Academy for Special Children. He is the mashpiah of OU-NCSY, founder of Tzama Nafshi and the author of “Baderech: Along the Path of Teshuva.” Rav Judah lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh with his wife Ora and their family.