Honor

5 Kislev 5782

“And it came to pass in the morning, and behold she was Leah!” (Bereishis 29:25)

Jacob, aware of Laban’s trickery, gave over identifying signals to Rachel before the wedding. But when Leah was being led into the bridal chamber, Rachel thought, “My sister will now be disgraced,” and she entrusted her with the signals. (Rashi)

From here we see how precious the honor of our fellow must be to us. Like Rachel, we must sometimes even go as far as to do something we think might destroy our own lives rather than to embarass another person. In the end this will turn out as nothing more than a test, and we will be loved even more for it. As it says about Rachel, “‘vaye’ehav gam et Rachel mi-Leah’, ‘and he loved Rachel more from Leah’ — i.e., he loved her even more because of her noble deed in giving over the identifying signals to Leah, lest her sister be shamed” (Kedushat Levi).

“Who is the man who desires life, who loves long life wherein to see goodness? Guard your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.” (Tehillim 34:13-15)

The obligation to guard another’s honor derives from the general mitzvah of Shmiras Haloshon and loving conduct with our fellow Jew, best expressed in these famous verses of Tehillim, which are explained in detail in works of Mussar (Chofetz Chaim) and Chassidus.

“Even more so, he who studies the esoteric dimension of the mitzvah of the etrog according to the teachings of the Kabbalah and Chasidut.” (Kuntres Acharon, middle of Essay 4)

Just like the Esrog, the loving treatment of others is a practical mitzvah rooted in the essence of Hashem. Through it we connect not to the “hinderpart” of Hashem but to the divine life-force enclothed in each and every Jew. All the more so when we conduct ourselves in this way with an appreciation of its kabbalistic dimensions, brought down to us in the works of Chassidus.