Rav Tzadok HaKohein MiLublin, in his sefer Pri Tzadik, notes that there are two types of approaches to religious life which are both dangerous. He refers to them as two klipos, two sources of negativity: One is eish/fire, which represents zealousness. The other is sheleg/snow, which represents apathy.
Eish and sheleg first show up in the story of Amalek. When Amalek attacked the Jews, the Torah says “Asher karcha baderech,” when they happened upon you as you journeyed. The word קרך has the same shoresh as קר, cold. Chazal explain that Am Yisrael was on fire as we left the Yam Suf, totally committed to our connection to and service of Hashem. And then Amalek showed up to cool us down. To make us feel that our place in the world wasn’t all that special, that our commitment wasn’t all that meaningful.
Rav Tzadok explains that these two ideas of eish and sheleg play out in two more stories that take place in the desert: Eish/fire is represented by Nadav and Avihu, the two sons of Aharon who bring an eish zara, a foreign fire, into the Kodesh HaKodashim. They bring a fire that Hashem did not command, and they are killed by Hashem on the spot. Eish is a reminder that vigilantism, making up our own approach to Judaism, is dangerous.
Apathy/sheleg is represented by the meraglim (spies): The spies’ whole job was to create a sense of optimism and excitement for the people to feel they were ready to enter Eretz Yisrael. Instead, they fomented a sense of disillusionment and cynicism. A feeling that there would be no way we could successfully enter the land, so why even try.
Both approaches are wrong. That is clear from Hashem’s response in both stories. However, there is also an interesting difference. After Nadav and Avihu are killed, Moshe tells Aharon that Hashem had said B’Krovai Ekadeish, “I have become sanctified by those closest to Me!” Hashem had punished them severely, yet He refers to them as Krovai, My close ones!?
Yet, what was Hashem’s response to the Meraglim? “They will never see the Land of Israel that I promised to their forefathers (Bamidbar 14:23)!” It’s a remarkable contrast!
All of this, says Rav Tzadok, because while both zealotry and apathy are dangerous, zealotry can be channeled. While Hashem had to reject the actions of Nadav and Avihu because they were absolutely over the line, He appreciated their desire to come close and their passion to create a relationship. But when it comes to apathy, when we simply give up on any meaningful relationship at all, there isn’t even anything to work with.
But if Sheleg/apathy is so damaging, how do we counter it? Answers Rav Tzadok, that to counter apathy, we need a certain healthy sense of what he calls ga’ava, not arrogance, but pride. You have to feel that what you do matters. You have to know that your actions make a difference When you believe in what you’re doing, you’re on fire for it!
And this explains a pasuk we recite every Friday night in Eishes Chayil (Mishlei 31):
(כא) לֹא תִירָא לְבֵיתָהּ מִשָּׁלֶג כִּי כָל בֵּיתָהּ לָבֻשׁ שָׁנִים:
“She is not afraid of snow in her home because her entire household is clothed in scarlet.”
The simple meaning is that she’s not afraid of the snow because her children all have warm clothing. But based on what we’ve said until now, there is a whole new meaning.An eishes chayil isn’t worried about sheleg, apathy and indifference in her home. Why? Because her entire family is dressed in scarlet, the clothing of royalty! They understand their value, they know they are the children of Hashem, and that their actions matter to Him and have an impact on the world around them.
This past week, our shul had the privilege to host Talia Weitzen from Kerem Shalom as part of the larger Teaneck-wide Shabbat Chayal. Talia’s husband, Amichai, HY”D lost his life on Oct. 7 bravely protecting his kibbutz. Talia described the tense moment when Amichai decided to leave the safety of his home to defend the kibbutz. “I have trained for this day my whole life. It is my mission,” he said with determination and clarity of purpose. And Talia explained that it is Amichai’s fire, his determination to live life on a mission, that continues to inspire her to move forward each day on her new mission, to raise her family and to spread the light of Amichai’s life to others.
The past few weeks have been challenging for Am Yisrael in Medinat Yisrael. And yet, the moments we have shared, remembering those who have sacrificed to give us a state and awestruck at the resilience of our people, continues to give us the pride we all need to move forward. May the pride and passion of Amichai, HY”D and so many others who gave their lives for Am Yisrael and Medinat Yisrael continue to inspire all of us to live our lives with that same fire and determination, ready to fulfill our mission.
Rabbi Beni Krohn is the rabbi of the Young Israel of Teaneck and Mashgiach Ruchani at Yeshiva University. Rabbi Krohn and his wife, Chani, are the future rabbi and rebbetzin of the Eden community in Beit Shemesh.
