Rav Kook: Healthy Honor | Rabbi Aaron Goldscheider | February 4th 2026

to everyone. Good morning. Good morning. Great to see everyone this morning. Yes, for being here this morning and uh let me just share the sponsor the dedication of the shar this morning. Sponsored by Bachva Caner in memory of her husband Dr. Ruven Caner Benber Lee or Leeb Halevi Zo who passed away on February 5th the 27th of Shbat two years ago. a man with a pure heart, a Torah scholar. He is missed dearly by all of his family. And uh we also have our regular dedication, the academic year 2026. Eloish. All right. Great to uh great to see everyone here this morning. uh we continue the very special learning of uh of RV cook and the topic of uh the very important topic of midot of uh improving our midot and the topic that we're going to look at is the topic of cavode cavode honor and um we'll see in just a moment that generally we think about the um the negative aspects of cavo that we are to run from cavode as the mission actually the very first source that a person who chases after if you want to receive a lot of cavode. So it says that person he has it removes a person from this world. You don't really have a place in this world. You're never going to be satisfied with your life in this world if you're always chasing covet. If you always want to see your name in lights up on the up on the board and always looking for cavode, so you're going to live a very frustrated life. That seems to be the meaning of this Mishna. Um, but Ravuk is going to speak about cavode, the healthy aspects of kavo. And this is one of the things that Rkook speaks about the very opening of this safer midoaya. And in general we find this amongst the uh those that are teaching muser you know muser and midot there are negative qualities but within those negative qualities is always the the positive always the positive aspects that we need to keep in mind as well. So kabot is not something that's that's altogether bad that we need to have an appropriate amount of kavot as well and that's going to be the uh very very beautiful teachings of rkook in this area of the healthy kav the healthy sense of self and of pride and self-esteem that uh that we need as people and as Jews. Let me just begin with the following story, the following anecdote which is a humorous anecdote. It was a story of East European town and they were coming close to the reading of the to the to which speaks about all of the the terrible punishments and all the Yesur and all the suffering of the Jewish people and there's a whole question who should receive that aliyah in the Torah of the Tik. So sometimes they give it to the rabbi because nobody wants to receive that aliyah. You don't be called up to the Torah for the aliyah that talks about all the horrible things that's going to happen to the Jewish people. Sometimes the min of the the balor that he's there anyways will let him just you know have that aliyah the Torah. So in this town the rabbi didn't want it and the balor didn't want it. And they were trying to figure out well who are they going to give this aliyah to? Nobody wants this aliyah. It's like a bad omen to receive this aliyah. So they're thinking about who who can possibly do it. So there's one fellow, his name is Kim, he's sort of known as the the schmenric or the the the uh the misfit of the town. And they say to him, you know, we have a very big cavode that we would like to give you and we actually will pay you. we want to pay you for it as well that you'll receive that ali at the Torah when it comes to the to and is very pleased with that he's very honored to to receive that and they tell him you know the exact time and shabas and make sure that you're there again nobody wants to receive it make sure that you're there on time so it come Shabas morning the reading of the to and is nowhere to be found and they made it very clear and he knew when he was supposed to be there and they started dinging shakas they're getting up to grace the Torah they're taking the Torah out of the ark. They're beginning the reading and isn't there. They're talking to one another. Where is where is and suddenly the door bursts open and comes into shul and he's here and he says, I'm here and I'm ready to receive the to the ali of the toa. So they said, you know, we made these arrangements and I'm happy that you're here, but why are you late? And he said, do you think that this is the only shul that had the toa reading this morning? [laughter] So, so he was hired to be at other shuls as well to get his aliyah for the toa. So, when we speak about cavode and the cavode that we give to others and our own cavode. So, this is I think a story that that kind of sets the stage for us for our discussion this morning. So, we need to have healthy cavode. We have to have a uh a a a very healthy sense of self-esteem and pride. And here let's turn to RVuk to the writings of RVuk. This is Midotaya. This is in the section of we're up to we're in the section as we're making our way through the alphabet. And he writes the following. And this is mida. This is um right in the middle of page one. And it's piece number five. We're going to see hey and v piece five and six. and we'll see how they um these pieces actually relate to one another. One, it's a segue. One segus to the other teaching. When a person receives in this world, says, "And a person is a bit uncomfortable with the fact that they're receiving that cavode, right? You're you're the honore at the dinner and they talk about all of your accomplishments and you feel, you know, just it's a little bit a little bit too much, a little bit over the top the way that you're speaking about me. you have my my picture up and everybody's talking about me. So it says that when you are honored and you feel a little bit uncomfortable about that honorbo that the world is really to they're really making a mistake you know they're saying all this but if they only knew you know who I who I really was know says put aside that feeling that little embarrassment that you have put it aside for a moment put in your back pocket You should use that sense of to use it for joy at a time that you might be insulted or a time that you might be feeling a little bit bad about yourself. Pull out of your back pocket, right, that coat that you were given. Even though it was a little bit over the top, even though it was overstated, hold on to it. you're gonna you're going to need that covet at some point in life. You know, it's interesting. Every so often, like once a year or so, I I go to America and uh do a little bit of teaching and uh you know, when they introduce you Shabus Morning and they're reading that bio, Rabbi Aaron Goldshadow, chief editor of U Tidbits, you know, the writer and uh he publishes this book and that and you just feel like this is, you know, just to totally out of place that they only knew, you know. So, um, but Rav Cook says it's okay, you know, just kind of take it in, hold on to it, and you're going to need it. You're going to need it at some point. Um, and then he writes the following. Those people that are insulted, that don't insult others, when you receive an insult and you don't um, you don't give an insult back. By the way, here he's quoting from the Garra. When a person hears where somebody says something negative to you and you don't respond and you're just quiet when a person does this in a loving way and a person is joyful even in affliction says the such a person and those that love him meaning referring to God it's like the sun that is beaming that comes out big vurato in all of its strength. So Rook adds this idea. In other words, there's going to be times that you're going to receive insult. There are times that you're going to be or feel ashamed. And so that extra cavode, those moments that you are receiving that cavode, that's a healthy thing. Hold on to that. So here we see Rift pointing out the positive aspect of cavode and when to when to appreciate that and take advantage of those moments of cavode. Cavode is not always bad, right? It's not always negative. So that's one. Now let's look at the next piece in a similar vein. Cook says, "There are times that you one needs to receive honor and have the have the the benefit and the joy of receiving the why and this is a very important point, very beautiful idea. in order to uplift or to strengthen your spiritual avod your service to God to a very high place meaning a person said says to you you're such a sadic you're such a sadist you're such a righteous person it's a moment of receiving cover so what do you do with that so saysuk that's a good thing take it in and appreciate that okay if he sees me as a sadic as a sad so let me live up to that right let me live up to that honorific Let me live up to the way that others perceive me. Right? That you strengthen it. If you're honored at that dinner, so take that and run with it. Right? If everybody sees me in this light as as such a giving person, as a person of as a as a righteous person. Okay. Now, now there's an expectation that I act that way as well. So use that as a benefit. Use that. You're going to grow spiritually from that. use an interesting um parable here in the way that one drinks wine that a person to strengthen a person to renew joy. Then you take a sip of wine. It should be uplifting and maybe this is like at a tish that you're sitting around with vodka and some wine and it should be uplifting and to take that uplift and use it in a positive use it in a positive way that you're feeling a little bit closer to God that you're feeling spiritually elevated and to use that positively. I think that's that's ideally what a what a tish with with drinking is supposed to be. I'm not sure if that's what it always is, but that's I think that's the idea. Sophia one should always be looking towards look at the positive value of the worth at the very the what's at the essence of what is that it represents the you the way to excel in your character in this way a person can raise themsel elevate themselves spiritually and in that elevated state taking in that the positive part of you can now become closer to Hashem. Okay. So those are two teachings from the positive aspects the healthy aspects of cavode and how we use cavode in a in a way that we benefit from that cavode. If you turn out to the top of page two, we have a very a very beautiful and I think this plays off very well with what we just learned a um from the writings of Shai Agnon. Now, by the way, this is really I don't know if anybody here has read Agnon or is familiar with Agnon and there are people that really love the writings of Agnon. There's a whole story, a backstory which maybe we'll get to in the next couple of weeks is the relationship between Rkuk and Chiagnon that they meet one another early on in Yafo and Agnon is not really religious at that point. He has kind of stepped away from some of his loyalty and devotion to Judaism and he meets Rav Cook and Ravk Cook encourages him and he speaks to him about the beauty of his writing and he asked to read all of his writings and they develop a very close relationship with one another and then later in life they are living in Ushalim together. Agnon leaves Israel for a period of time. He comes back and has anybody here visited the Agnon house? Yeah, that's in uh in Talpiot in the in the Arona area and there is a safer that was given to Agnon from Rav Cook. They developed a very close relationship with one another and Rav Cook saw in Agnon and in his writing something very special of a a person kind of bringing religious life to to to the masses and and to be writing modern modern Hebrew literature and he saw that as something very very significant. So here's a piece from Agnon, a piece from Agdon, where he talks about this this very topic. It's from a book called Meatsmi Elsmi. That's the uh where Agndon writes this. And he talks about two great rabbis and the way that they received kabot when they had honor. Look at the following. And I'll I'll read it to you. We'll read it together in the writing of Agnon. It's not not difficult language. The top of page two. There are two ways of receiving honor in life. A person hears. A person hears that they're being praised and he doesn't listen to it at all. He just ignores what's being said. Other words, I'm not interested in and I ignore it in a in a positive sense. I I I don't want to hear that. It's I'm a humble person. I don't need to hear any uh any words of but there are those that they hear they listen to their praise and they learn from that what's missing what I need to work on when they receive those words of how I can grow from that and he writes two famous rabbis that they each one had their own shittita Rabaka a if that's a name that you're familiar with considered to be one of the greatest of the rabbis Eastern Europe going back to the early 1800s. One of the Torah of that period when he would receive a letter, what would he do? Right away, he would fold over the top of the letter. Why would he fold it over? >> Good. It's going to say, right? All these things that it's going to say. They're going to address the rabbi with all of these with all of these compliments with all the honorifics. At the very top is where you're going to have all of these descriptions of the shal and he didn't want to receive that he shouldn't become arrogant when he's reading every day the letters that are being sent to him and each one says what a you know what a genius you are and what a sadic you are and so he didn't want to read that. So as soon as he received letters, the first thing he did just fold the top. I don't want I don't want to see it. But he says kgdo, but there was another shittita and this is another great rabbi. Not sure if you've heard that name known as of Amsterdam, also one of the great going back to the early 1700s. He actually would would lay out the the letter and he would read each of them slowly and carefully as as he would read the opening of the letter to learn what he needs to strive towards what I can become. would say must mean that I have to become more righteous. So that it's fitting that I can be called a I really need to live up to that when they would write that you are a genius. Well, it must mean I got to really learn now. They're calling me a gun. I better start taking this seriously. So this is two ways. And this is what Rafuk just what he recommended that when you hear words of honor when you're honored. So take that honor and now say okay let me run with it. You know this is something that that that I need to learn from. There's something that I that I need to live up to. Okay beautiful. Now we come back to RV cook. three teachings from Ravkuk in this area and um beautiful teachings. One of them one of the classic teachings of RVuk you may have heard it in the past but I will appreciate and I want to just read the the language of Rkook here. So this is from a gamarra two comments that he's going to make on a garra that's found in gumra dy yud and this is 17 in braos and it talks about something that we are familiar with and you're probably going to be familiar with the both of the or the actual language that we'll see the garra lists a number of rabbis where the gumar says this is what they would say when when they would come to the end of the amida that they had a private prayer that they would say as they concluded the amida. So by the way the conclusion of amida with the 18 or really 19 braot it ends with a braha of shalom right that's the that's the 19 so if that's the end like what what's that paragraph after the elkits what what is that so that's that's an add-on that's not really part of the amida per se the amida 19ot 18 one is added it ends with the of shalom shalom that's the end of the amida. But the gamarra says that there were rabbis that would add their own at the end a personal and one of those was adopted that we adopted one of them. And that's what the garamar says here maruna sal when he would finish his ding when he would finish his amida. This is what he said personally what he added. He wrote his own prayer and what was his own prayer which we're all familiar with. We have adopted his prayer. That's shows his you know his his language. And he says that those and this is will highlight this idea and those that curse me let my soul be quiet. Let my soul be silent. Who says it? This this is maruna. That's the very first line. If you look at the on on number two, >> this is his right. This is his his prayer. Actually, we won't say the word braha because there's no blessing in it. There's no braha. There was the last braha. We've we've concluded all the braot of the amida. This is one extra as you come to the end. A personal a personal prayer. So this was his this is the one that's adopted. And Ruk makes the following point. What does this mean that we're praying that we should not be affected by we should remain silent to those that curse me? He says that this really relates to a certain self-confidence that there are those even those that are going to be critical of you, right? Even those that that are looking at you with a scance eye that you have the self-confidence, you know that you are you are uh that you have the holiness of a nishama that Hashem has given you that ability. Again, that's the the positive part, right? The positive aspect of of the selfassuredness that you have. And we pray for that every day. We pray for that every day, which is interesting, that at the end of the I should have the self-confidence, that I have the courage, that I should have the heroism to do that which I believe to be correct, even with others that might be critical, even with others that might disagree, what I believe to be right. And that requires self-esteem. That requires self assuredness. So that's that's one idea. Then there was another rabbi who had a different his own personal prayer. Go to the very last line of that the paragraph in bold rava. We all heard of rava sal when he would finish his. This was his personal prayer. Now, that does not make it into our daily amid. For whatever reason, it was not chosen to be the prayer to end the amida. But where do we say it? [snorts] Good. On the yam, that's correct. As we come to the end of the Amida, we say it on rashy kipper. This we do add to it, which is fascinating that we say it at that time. Now, let's translate the words. We say alukai my godi before you created me any there was I was not kadai by the way that like we use in modern modern Hebrew it's like a modern it's not kada here it is before I was created I was not [snorts] there was no purpose to my existence and now that you created me it's as if you didn't create me Now again, what does this mean exactly? It's a difficult line. It sounds like kind of like a harsh way of looking at your life. There was really no point to my existence. And now that I'm living my life and I'm not living up to the way I should be conducting my life, it's also somewhat wasteful. In other words, let this be a wakeup call to who I am and what I need to do in this world. It's a bit of a it has like a a harshness to it. Ruf Cook reads it a little bit differently and is going and we'll see now the really a very beautiful a beautiful interpretation. This by the way is one I would say one of a well-known interpretation of RVuk of all of his Toras and I'll point out that Rabbi Salvetk who rarely quoted Ravkuk for whatever reason he did not quote Ravkuk he didn't doesn't seem like he he was really drawn to the writings of RVuk. I'm not sure why not, but it wasn't wasn't his thing. But this he quoted again and again this teaching from Ravkuk on this this this on this gam. So I just want let's read it together. Let's read it together. [clears throat] So this is number four. Or it says how do how do we understand that God before I was created before you brought me into this world that entire time and a long time since the beginning beginning of creation that you waited until now right 2026 that I'm here in this world right why did you wait so long to bring me into the world. It must mean that I didn't have a particular role to play that you didn't see a particular role for my for my existence until this moment until this time in history again from the beginning of time until you created me. There was nothing in this world that needed my existence, that needed me to be here. Because if there was a purpose for my soul, for my existence, for me being here on this earth, not you would have created me. You would have created me 150 years ago in the in the if I had a purpose or 500 years ago in Spain or 2,000 years ago that I would have been one of those slaves in in Egypt, right? But why did he wait until now? It must mean that there was no purpose for my existence until this moment. That's what it means. I was not there was no purpose for me until this moment in time. What does it teach me? that now there is a particular mission and purpose for my existence in this world. If you waited this long, if you chose this time in history and in my in my life, in the life of the Jewish people, in the life of the world to bring my soul in this world, what must that mean? That I have an incredibly important role to play at this time in this place. It's not by chance that I was brought that my soul and each of our souls is brought into the world at this time that right now I have something very very significant to accomplish and that's why I'm here at this time. I just want to point out what does Rook say? Just the language. I didn't have a purpose, a role, a mission. Anybody know what Rufuk is? Beautiful Reggie. Nice. So Rufuk says migill that Rufuk is using the language from that famous Puk in McGill Esther which is some say I think Rabar said that's like the turning point of the whole story. We're just three and a half weeks away. We can already talk about a Morai says, "Is it not the is there not the possibility and really more than the possibility that Hashem put you in this place at this time because you've something awesome to contribute a mission that you are to play out." Surf Cook says that's what it means in this braha or in this prayer and this is the way that he ended his daing every day. Interesting. We don't say this every day but we say it rashy kipper especially that time to recognize that my nish my existence as a person God did not bring me into this world until this moment but what does that mean? It means that God has in mind something significant for me to accomplish within my family, friends, community, making aliyah, moving to Israel, a contribution to the Jewish people, right? We're here for something very, very significant that we weren't created 100 years ago or 500 years ago or thousand years ago that God and that's that's this that's this uh this the way that this great rabbi reva the way that he ended the davining. And what a beautiful idea. I mean talking about cavode and and a sense of self-esteem right of of of self a sense of self that god has chosen me my nishama to be here at this time in this place to accomplish something great. This is uh this is rkuk one of the famous teachings of rakuk. One other really beautiful teaching of a cook and uh also somewhat wellknown is the final one on the page and also a comment that he makes it's in the mission of messer sheni now when we think about mser think about truma and mser and something that we Jews haven't really thought about in a very long time for the first time Jews are thinking about it again you walk into an osherad and go to the uh the fruit and vegetable section you'll see a sign with a certificate it'll say micer chuma micer have been taken, right? Which is quite amazing that we're living with micer and truma. So what's messer truma? Mser essentially we're giving right we're giving a portion of our fruits and our vegetables agriculture to the kanium to levim. Okay, we're familiar with that. But there's something called mser sheni mser sheni and it's done in year 1 2 4 5 of the sevenyear cycle. And what do you do in that in for my sheni? Who do you give it to? Is it given to the coen? Is it given to the ley? >> What? >> It's given to yourself. Given to yourself. >> What's the is no matter where you live in Israel, you take your fruits and you take your vegetables, you come to and they are to be eaten in Jerusalem. That is my that's the of my sh. You're not giving it to anyone. Well, I thought Meister is always giving it to one of the holy people of giving to a co-ang, giving it to a ley. No. Meer sheni is for a Jew to come to you shalim with your fruits, with your vegetables. If you can't shle them all here, what do you do? So, the Mishna talks about you can what? You can redeem it. You be pod. What do you do with that money that you that you exchange the,000 or $5,000? What must be done with that money? You must buy food in Ushalim. You have to go to a restaurant every night in Ushalim and you have to invite $5,000 you got to go through. I mean it's a lot of money. You got to invite all your friends. You got to find a very expensive restaurant and go through that five. That's the only thing you're allowed to do with it. >> Is there anything today? >> Ah, so we don't have it today. Thank god we don't [laughter] we don't know but we dream about ma sheni. We want to do this again but we need the bas mikdash. Look at what Ravkuk writes about Mser Sheni. So this is source number five. It's this is from the section he has commentary on his okay that's just the opening line the sheni you don't give me sheni to anyone else the owner and the owner's family you eat it in a holy And this comes to awaken the idea or to teach us just as within the nation of Israel that you have to find people special people that are that serve Hashem. This is referring to other words. Normally all the other messer we have to find those people and we have to honor those people and help support those people that are the teachers and the holy and those that are serving God. That we have to provide for them what they need. Here's the key line. You can underline the last two lines. Just as you see that holiness in others, you need to see that holiness within you as well. every single person that everybody has a holiness and holy intelligence and holy insight and this strength. This I think is a beautiful line that everybody has a little cohane within them where we usually give the truma and the miser to but we every person has a little cohane. We all have a spark of of that kahuna of that spirituality within us as well. You need to recognize that goodness. So what do you do all those years? You're not giving it away to the co the ley. You're giving it to yourself because you're a cohane. Remember you're also a coain. You're also a ley, right? To remember the goodness and the and the uh and the nobility that you have and the holiness that you have as well. Okay. two more sources and we'll uh we'll come to a close. This is if you turn the page those are some of the classic by the way two or three of those are like the classic some of the classic RV cookook teachings um on this uh in general but especially in this area of of self-esteem and of covid and the honor the dignity that we need to see uh within every person and to see within ourselves >> oh please yes >> I just wanted to say that since we are now in >> ah very Nice. So, one of the things is right. Very good. I thought about that as well. Like what is tishvat by the way? Like it's the beginning of the the new year for trees. Like what is it? Well, this is the like my is based on the year with tishvat. Exactly. Tishvat defines the the the turn of the year for agriculture. Okay. Yeah. Very nice point. Yeah. Thank you. I actually was thinking about that as well. Yeah. I was wondering whether there's any reincarnation ideas that would come into this that the soul may have been in a body many times already. >> Okay. [laughter] I don't I don't know how to I don't know I don't know enough about that that area. They say above my pay grade. That's uh I don't know that much about reincarnate. I don't know anything about reincarnation. Okay. But yes, we do have such a concept of Gilgal namos and okay, two more sources and we'll uh we'll come to a close with this. So this is from um just you know with thinking about the the the nobility of man the cavode of every individual this just a vort a beautiful vort this comes from rahimajin rahimin was the great student of the v nagon the founder of yeshiva of cook studies in the yeshiva they say that every day he was 18 19 20 years old when he was in the yeshiva how many pages of garra did he study a day 60 pages a day right most people do 60 in a here. So RV cook just talking about the genius of RV cook as well. So that was uh they said about him in so he writes of this is a mission in Perkyos the beginning of parag per and the mission says know that which is above you meaning you're not going to sin when you know that God is above you that God is watching you that God is keeping score so to speak. So the uh of he has a commentary known as and he said he should read it a little bit differently know that which is above you is from you. Other words everything that happens in the heavens and everything that happens in this world that you have an impact on everything around you. It's from you. So the the the the potential and the power of every individual and that soul that holy soul within us that God has given us great potential to do great things and that's part of the cova nobility that we should feel that cohain that's what Rkook said to feel that that cohen quality that's found within you okay the very last source coming from RV cook and we go to the sitter of RVuk and the very first comment that he makes or the first section of comates and comments on. He actually goes through, you could study, we could do a class on just just the So this is how we start our day. So a lot of people talk about the last two words. What does it mean? How do you translate those words? So others say this as well. Rafuk is not the only one to say it but I want to just see see the language of in a moment. Means what great is the amuna the faith not the faith that we have in God but the faith that God has in us. Great is your faithfulness. We are referring to the faith that God has. What what does that mean? The go what do you mean the faith that God has? I know I'm supposed to have faith and muna. What does it mean when we speak about God having faith? Well, what it means is that God has faith in each of us. That God has faith that we can accomplish great things, right? The great potential that we have. Let's look at the words of RV cook just to take one line from RVuk. This is in his parish. the faith that God has he imprinted and it gives every every creation of God its its function or its duty for the strength of all reality. Again you see the language is not easy here that everything that God creates should fulfill its purpose it its service with all with all of its strength with all of its power that it should fulfill its purpose of existence with great success and I think that's the We could just look at those last few words. This great strength which the light of faith that we should experience that we that we should that we should that we should know that we should feel that we should feel that light of God and what is that light of God in this in this sense the light of the faith that God has in us. So this is quite an astounding idea to start every single day. Many people say this as they're just lifting their head from the pillow, right? That's the whole issue that the name of God doesn't appear in the prayer. We just say we say that we don't say shame hashem cuz to say the shame hashem means that we have to wash our hands that we are to say this even before we do anything even before we pick up our phone and check our WhatsApp and check our our messages that we say how great how great is your faith hashem in me to start your day every day the faith that you have in me, what I can accomplish, that ashama that I have, the potential that I have, that you, Hashem, believe in me, that I have a spark of godliness within me. What a great way to start the day. If we could start that day, start our day with that consciousness. Yeah, we can then we're going to jump right out of bed and be ready uh be ready to start our day. So, >> that's right. And then the phone we can we can save for another time. So these are some beautiful ideas about cavode the importance of [snorts] of the positive the healthy aspects of cavote of accepting that cavode from others that it should build us up. Somebody wants to call us a sadic. So we say okay we're on our way. Yes. Let that be an inspiration. I want to be I want to be at sadic. I want to be gone. I want to be that that healthy honor that's going to build us and uh and and bring us great success and spiritual success. All right to everyone. We'll stop here. If anybody has some questions or comments, happy to take them. Yes.