“Speak to the kohanim, the sons of Aharon, and say to them: Let none of you defile himself for a dead person among his people” (21:1)
Chazal say that amira refers to soft speech as opposed to dibbur, which refers to harsh speech. Here it says emor el hakohanim because a person should not be burdened in a harsh way and expected to elevate himself and become holy instantaneously. Instead, he should be addressed softly, in the hope that he will become elevated gradually.
In a similar vein, the gemoro says (Chulin 105a) that Mar Ukva called himself “vinegar the son of wine”, meaning to say that he considered himself wicked compared to his father, because his father would wait twenty-four hours between meat and cheese, whereas he would only wait between two meals. Why did he in fact not conduct himself the same way as his father so that he could attain his level? Rav Elya Lopian answered in the name of the Alter of Kelm that Mar Ukva knew that he was not on such a high level that he could wait 24 hours between meat and milk, and there was therefore no point in trying to leapfrog to a level of kedusha that was realistically beyond his reach at that point in time.
In avodas Hashem, it is impossible to leapfrog. The only option is to make step-by-step progress based on one’s current situation and level.
Based on droshos by Maran HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita, raavad of Yerushalayim. To receive these weekly divrei Torah email benipray@netvision.net.il.
RAV STERNBUCH’S DIVREI CHIZUK THIS WEEK
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