In this week’s Parsha we learn about a very important mitzvah – the law of burial in the earth. The pasuk says that you should bury a person because an unburied corpse is a curse to Hashem. There is a question here. This pasuk that teaches us the very important precept of Judaism, the mitzvah of burial, is speaking about a criminal. The pasuk is talking about a sinner. Even so, the Gemara in Sanhedrin, says that this pasuk is precisely where we derive that there is a mitzvah of burial. The question is why. Why is that? Why do we learn out a mitzvah from a sinner?
I heard a beautiful answer based on the Meforshim from my father, Rav Yitzchok Fingerer: The reason why we learn out the special mitzvah of burial from a bad person is because it’s teaching us that no matter what a person has done in his or her life, that’s not what defines them. Every person has a divine soul, and every person is worthy of a proper burial. What an incredible thing! Now, we must ask ourselves, if a criminal, deviant, or sinner must have a proper Jewish burial and be treated with respect, then how much more so should we give dignity and honor to a good person, to a person who lives amongst us? How much more so should we show respect to a brother or sister? To a friend or a neighbor? Let’s try our best to honor everyone in our midst. Let’s try to see the potential and greatness in others!
In the 1940s as Nazi rule descended on Germany the Jews began searching for ways to flee the prosecution. A nice Jewish family was desperate to leave before it was too late. One day they heard that a government office in Berlin was issuing visas. Determined to save her family, the young mother traveled to Berlin and made her way to the office. As she got closer, she became despondent and stopped in her tracks. She saw a long line formed. Hundreds of people were waiting for the visas. The mother took her place in the back of the line and waited for hours and hours in the sweltering heat. A few hours later, an official announced that the workday had ended and that if anyone needed a visa, they should return the next day early in the morning.
The desperate mother didn’t give up and she found somewhere to sleep. She was determined to save her family. When she returned the next morning, the lines were already out the door. Once again, she waited and waited, but unfortunately, she didn’t get her turn. The office had distributed its quota of visas and could no longer help anyone. Cries came out from the desperate and famished crowd, but there was nothing to do. Slowly the crowd began to disperse but the young mother stayed in place shaken by the thought that her family may be stuck in Germany. As she stood there, an official emerged from the office. Without much thought, the young mother approached her and said, “I just want to thank you for your tireless and incredible efforts. You are so great!” The official smiled and continued on her way.
The young mother didn’t know what to do. She sat on a bench and started to cry. A few minutes later she felt a presence near her. She turned around and saw the official who worked in the office. With a small smile, the official turned to the mother and said, “You were right. It has been a hard and tedious day. It was even more painful to turn others away. However, only one person had the kindness and decency to thank and acknowledge me. That person was you. I think I may be able to get a few more visas for you and your family.” That’s exactly what happened. The official brought the shocked mother to the office and issued her the last of the few precious life-saving visas. The family escaped the Nazis. Why? Because of a few kind words. What a story! The incredible power of seeing a tiny spark of greatness in others. (Flashes of Greatness) To receive our weekly email, email us at [email protected] or visit our website parshaknowledge.com.
