It was magical this past Shabbos in Passaic to encounter two drashas, one from Rav Eisenman, shlita, of Congregation Ahavas Israel and one from my mora d’asra, Rav Hirsch, shlita, of Kehillas Bais Yosef, that followed similar structures to my late relative Rav Avrohom Genechovsky zt”l’s drashas. Both shiurim had lamdus and mussar except that one shiur stressed the mussar in the beginning whereas Rav Avrohom zt”l always used the pilpul in the beginning to apply the mussar in the end.

The shiur by Rav Eisenman, shlita, that touched on mussar in the beginning quoted a Chazon Ish to say one can transgress the prohibition of Onaas Devarim by making his friend feel ever so uncomfortable even for just a moment, implying that staying away from this transgression would require one to have the utmost sensitivity to his neighbor at all times. (Rav Avrohom zt”l would often respond to questions by saying “He had to think about it.” Though he knew kol ha’Torah kula on his fingertips, he was considering the dignity of every questioner so as not to possibly dishearten them.)

I approached the Rov after the drasha and asked him: Considering every person is formed by three partners, the father, mother and God Himself (Gemara Kiddushin), would such insensitivity be counted towards God as well? He said probably so.

In essence then, every bein adam lechavero is also a bein adam laMakom.

Further, I thought, in reading shidduchim, one can present a candidate as being the son or daughter of “x, y and God.” Resumes would be “all-powerful.”

As Sukkos approaches, it’s interesting that Rashi on the first Mishna in Sukkah points out that a sukkah is called so because it’s named after the schach and Tosefos on the Gemara notes that the schach must be made in a temporary nature so that the rain can penetrate. The lesson can be that the Shechinah won’t dwell on the top of the sukkah unless we are porous and flexible with our neighbor like the porous roof of the sukkah.