Rabbinic Aristocracy or Nepotism | Rabbi Shai Finkelstein | July 8 2025

Hello everyone. Okay. So, uh first would like obviously to um dedicate by their families in memory obviously of Mel and Sylvia David. Hello everyone. Welcome back to everyone who was away and uh we are on page four. So uh sorry three three four three page three page three yeah page three what we saw last week was the following anyone needs another one I think they are outside thank you okay so what we saw the last few weeks, we spoke about nepotism or aristocratia. Uh we spoke about Mosher Rabenu wanting to have a successor and he preferred his own children. And then to his surprise or maybe not to his surprise, God told him uh no we will take someone else. And we spoke about why is this someone else? And then we start talking about is there is something in halaka that basically dictates requires uh expects that really the successors will be the children and we said the answer is yes but he needs to be worthy. He needs to be worthy not necessarily only in wisdom but more in what? Ina mind. And we spoke about that. So that's what we spoke last week as well. So now take a look and and then we sorry we started with Rabzar and Rabi Joshua and we spoke about the the first merit rebellious of the Talmid against Raan Gaml they removed him from the from his presidency. However in the process of finding a replacement even though Rabosa was definitely a great pick they didn't want him. Why? because he was the baliva and then Rabaka was the scholar but he did not have a did not have and therefore they skipped over him as well and they took Benazar that is very great guy but he's also 10th generation tora so that's what we saw last week okay so take a look at this story in the in the page Page three, the last source. There's a story about one student. So, as you know, there's no question. It's a it's an obligatory especially if you say that which means that we're created in corresponding to the so we know that invitan. What do we do? We just burn the leftovers and therefore is not obligatory. It's rash. We accepted it upon ourselves but it's basically rash. So what I told you that was after it was decided. Okay. Now we are talking about the time that it was before the decision. So someone come and came and asked Yeshua what about is obligatory or not? Not obligatory. So then the same as what do you think is or obligatory or nonobligatory? Uh you know this is a Talmid who wants to create a bit of a a bit of a of let's call it a fireworks between between the two. So says it's obligatory Yeshua in a shoot. He says, "But you know your friend Raua says it's a non-obligatory. So you know make up your mind. Someone needs to make up his mind." So he told this said to that student, "You know what? Tomorrow when we get into the B midrash, you ask this question. is obligatory or non-obligatory. So the next day comes so this student stood up and says uh I have a question is obligatory or nonobligatory. So is the head of the Sanhedrin. He's the one to give the answer. He says obligatory. So the Talmid publicly says you want to talk about you think that everything was you know in the past was so nice and gentle. You have a tal in front of everyone says to you say obligatory says nonobligatory. By the way, you know who was that? According to some sources, interesting. Okay. [Music] You're the one who says that it's nonobligatory. Love. No. No. I didn't say that. See your faces. Yes. Yes. It's okay to react like that. What do you mean? You just said yes. Okay. Stand up. And this time it says he asked you. So they will testify that you said it's nonobligatory. So you are not exactly saying the truth. So sat down and gave a lecture and was standing and it's obviously it's embarrassing. It's embarrassing. It's humiliating to Rabi Yeshua. So they pressured spit who was the translator to tell him let the people go. So will stop talking and will stop standing. You see the is very elaborate much more elaborate than the bubbly is not like it's goodbye. So he says to them says tell the people to what to all stand. So not only Yeshua but everyone can stand. So then what did they do? They removed the evil doing that you did is gone. We are done with you. So the always said that he was how old? 18. 18. Here it says 16. and his hair became gray. So he looks old in the bubbly. It's about what? The beard, not the hair. Okay. Now take a look at that. That we don't have in the basically said and he was said why. It's not that because of smarter than me or is more of a sageim but rather because he has whatus. This is why I was not chosen to be the head of the Sanhedrin because I don't have praiseworthy is the person that is that has and praiseworthy is a person who has a anchor to hold on to meaning from his ancestors. What was his which means we're not sure anything about father but we know for sure that his great great great great grandfather was Ezra and therefore even a 10th generation will be good for now. Now if I would stop here for a second first and foremost what do you see here that again is obviously something that they took into consideration. Okay. B and that's might might be even more interesting is that it seems to be that can skip generations which means again we don't know anything about Azaria. We know about we have nothing to do with Aaria and still because he was 10th generation to Ezra he got the job. Now isn't that interesting that I will put it like that if I was so says that he was said it it hurt him that he was not chosen but he justified it by saying what is something very important right so what's the message that is trying to convey to us is very important. But you know someone needs to be the first which means who was Benim according to the tradition meaning his ancestors were converts and there was no in terms of Rabaka was the be the first one in his family to create to start creating. Okay. So in a way especially in the second century we are talking here about the second century all the tanim are here from the second century already after probably the destruction of the beta mikdash so which was in 70. So you have you need to try some kind of a balance between what between but also the new movement of that even if you don't have you are still consider as you with me meaning if you send a message only so if I don't have one why should I even bother right I'm not going to study I'm not going to do anything I will never get anything so why why do I care however if I totally denyot or ignores everyone understand that is something important and why you saw something at home some of the things that your ancestors did and they were not rewarded yet in their time maybe you will get the reward meaning the idea is also you were trained by them probably or maybe so the idea of versus your own uh I don't know personal accomplishments we'll put it like that is Definitely something that Raaka is trying to what he's trying to emphasize. He's trying to focus on what and to develop. That's true. Yes. So that's the Oh, okay. What do we know about Rabbi Ka's children? Okay. Right. So there is an agada that his daughter was at the day of her marriage. She took a needle and she put it in the wall and she killed a snake. And why did she did do it? Because at the day of her wedding when everyone was busy with makeup and all of that, she gave uh bread to the poor and she was saved by death. And why? Because the astrolog astrologologist told Rabaka that his daughter will die at the day of her wedding. Sounds like a Cinderella, right? And um and then she took the needle, okay, and she put it in this uh in the thing. And then then she killed the snake. So she he has a daughter. Okay. What else do we know about children? Gished. Clue. Ben Zuma who we're not sure. I think he was like his son was supposed to be son-in-law. He did not really married his daughter. He also he says he didn't get married. So we don't know too much about uh to some extent it's a bit sad. Yes, there's a famous statement that's an alternative might but he basically says that says that if someone teaches um others they can be considered like his own children. Now that that's beautiful but everyone wants to have his own. Yes. children. No, he might. I don't know. He might because there are some Ben Rablazar, but I don't know if that's Benazar or not. There are many also when it can bear it. It can be benazar just so we we don't know really. Um but that's the rushi. Now it's interesting that the usami is more elaborated than uh than the bavi and also adds this interesting idea of okay now now let's talk a little bit about and some interesting questions. So these 16th century in Israel says the following. If you your position is to be the rabbi of that city or in the city even if you basically took over a position without being elected or without being asked. Do you know people like that? They're just taking a position and they said that they were appointed. You don't know anything about it. Okay. Interesting. You are not allowed to remove him from his position. Even though there is someone who is greater than him, even his son or his grandson are taking precedent over someone else from the outside. And the condition is that they will replace their their parents with what with god-fearing um abilities or or whatever attributes and there also needs to be a bit smart and in a places that what that you have that you basically have a rabbi based on a contract which means five years, seven years, three years, two years, whatever it Oh, they have a a choice to make. They have elections. They are allowed to remove him after that time. But if they accepted it, accepted him upon themselves, they cannot get rid of him. cannot fire a rabbi unless unless and the the unless of the list is very long. Okay, so that's what the says okay 16th century is so take a look at um and he says the following he was asked about one of the rabbis that they wanted to remove and if he says the following The question that he was asked was the following. The rabbi died probably or retired and his son wanted to take over and the father wanted the son to take over but the kahal the congregation do not like him. He says even though you have a right it's probably not the right thing to do. No, no. You the the the son, you have the right to take over the position of your father, but if the congregation don't like you, we're going to do it anyway. Yeah. So, it's not going to work. So, step down. Let someone else do it. So theam says like that. So what do we have? The rabbi died. There is a son. Says if the son is not likable, the congregation do not like him. He shouldn't step in. He should step down. But if the kahal wants him, they like him. Even if they like him only in order to what to appease the dead father and there is someone else who came to town and he is a great we tell this great what find a different city now this is an interesting thing because let's think about it let's say the other rabbi is a mamesham a great scholar so he will elevate the city right he will teach people more and so who cares about this Why do you think it is so important to keep that the son if the congregation wants him that he should be the rabbi not the other guy tradition stability it's better to deal with the rabbi you know you mean the rabbi you know rather than the rabbi that you don't know right okay now the problem is the fair of the lot. No, no. Two options. Two options. He says two options. If they if they don't like him, he shouldn't. If they like him, even if the other guy is smarter, so they should keep you. Now, I want to ask you a question. It's a tricky question. Be careful. Who was the most stable leader in the world? I mean, the head of a government, the head of a country. um that he was met never replaced until he died. Stunning. No, but years. Years. Talking about many many years. No, like more than 30 years. Fidel Castro. Do you know Fidel Castro? Okay. Oh, he did it with the army. He was a dictator, right? One like many others. But he was able to survive for I think 40 years or something like that. Now stability for sure knowing the devil that you know for sure. What did he do to his country? He destroyed this country which means stability is a good thing but at the same time it's also a barrier a barrier for what? full of change which and progress, development in creativity, innovation, which means it's good to have a rabbi that you know his father and his grandfather and yo when he spoke he reminded me of his grandfather wonderful but who says it's good for the community in a way even with Moshe was not the right leader to what to lead the Jewish people into the land of Israel, which means there is a balance here that the rabbis try to address. On one hand, stability, honor, you know, the business, all of that is good. At the same time, it's not necessarily be um going to be what? Something that will help the congregation. In addition, what do you do? And that we have I don't know a lot but you can hear about it inot when you have more than one worthy son or son-in-law and then and then sometimes you open up his own somewhere else or there is a fight which both options are not exactly in favor of the Jewish people. So we obviously understand if you remember what we saw in one of the sources that Rebi before he died he got all three of his kids and he told him okay you are but you should not be a leader you are a leader you are not thatam you are this you it's very hard so sometimes it's good to start from the beginning you just start from the beginning you got a new guy and let him do it but at the same time there is some kind of rashiv to have something that you had before So um so that was theam. Now take a look at chudin now p turn to page five turn to page five. So this is that coin says the following meaning that is the acceptable Okay. Basically says every appointment I don't know what else whatever it is when you are appointed it's for life and then you can basically give it to whom? to your children and and based on yusha the oldest and then the next one. Now if we go with this to the extreme what do you have? Nepotism. Exactly. That's the list of my problems. You know what's my main problem with that is that I will never be able to break into that circle because even if you are the sages and your son comes after you will never get a job unless you open up a new community a new city which means Rafuk and it's very interesting this is uh 20th century beginning of the 20th century he basically says if you received an appointment it's for life and you can basically give it to your children. Now take a look at it. I don't know if you were aware or not but when you become a chief rabbi of a city or a judge it's really what it's for life. Now part of the issue was that uh I think the wrote for bagats the the appeals to bagat to the supreme court was let's make it like a term limit of 10 years and then every 10 years it will be an election they are for eight eight 10 years and um so on one hand I think that there is need to be some kind of a of a of time that they need to know that they are there because if not they will always be what busy in trying to be reelected you can't do a job okay that's part of the problem I think in Congress in Congress every two years or two years okay so the congressman's every two years they are being elected the minute the mean the meaning is the minute they got elected they're starting their campaign so when do you have time to walk you know between in between So it's not good. You need to have some kind of time that you know you are there you can put your mark now how many years it can be three it can be five it can be seven but after whatever years we can agree on there is need to be some kind of a term why because you get too comfortable and then you say okay the same programs I did the first year I will do the second year the third year and you know what maybe the same shoe I'll give the next semester too right why should I prepare new ones just gave you the same thing. I'm going to stop becoming lazy. Why? Because my job is secured. Every person knows that if you want to be if you want to develop yourself, you need to know that there is some kind of uncertainty regarding your job. That is in every other profession. Besides what are the professions that after you reach the point you don't need to worry too much supreme courts are there for life professors in the university after you get the 10 years the 10 or 10 whatever you are there unless you did something horrible you are there basically sometimes you can just recycle the same over and over and over unless you can stand yourself doing it. Yes. What's it like to do? Thank you. But you know what, Lifka? I can't do it to myself. That's the problem. Oh, no. This was a joke. She said that I can repeat I will repeat that joke too. I will that I can repeat the same classes because you will not not everyone will remember. Let's put it like that. Yes. Okay. So, I'm not going to repeat the question. So, so the thing Yes. So, yeah. Kingdom. So, the question is what about kingship? Kingship or kingdom? kingdom goes from one generation to another. Yeah. But there it's different for a while meaning Yeah. only for the generation. No, no, not only that. stays in the family stays in the family. But there I can understand why I don't have any problems with it. I need to have it's not so much about it's about being trained as a king. You need to be groomed as a king. So you need to live in in a palace. Musher Rabenu for example was put in that palace. Why? So he will be um accustomed to how to act like a king. He couldn't be a slave. Mosher Rabenu. How can I get commandments from a slave who slept the same bricks with me? Like who are you? But he was in the palace. He looked like an Egyptian. So I can hear I can hear what he has to say. So I can understand why it should be. There are certain people who were more deserving and would have been made better kings than the children of uh probably not. Yeah, that's what it seems to be. That's what it seems to be. Schlam was chosen was handpicked by God and then who was supposed to get it he made a he made the wrong choice. I mean whatever God determined for him but he made the wrong choice. So Kuna also if your father is a coin your grandfather is a coin you are a coin even a million dollar to the rabbi will not change it. So the thing is what is that with these two I can understand because it does not affect me but you would think that what everyone can pick it up right and here you say that basically by the appointments this entire is closed in in the door is closed for me if I don't come with my ancestors it's closed so but that's what Rafuk says of says that's and that's what you need to do after children. I don't think he had I I don't know. I don't think he had children. He thought not only that it's fair, it's the Yeah. and he and he bring all the sauces the ramb now I would mama it's not very democratic it's by just it's not that democratic and also by the way just as a side note at that time there was a question about um in the need if women can vote yeah don't look at me like that and ruff Ruff Cook was against it. Cook. Yeah. By the way, Raf Cook was not such a maker in many things. He was uh sometimes he understood the reality but in his and things like that you don't find too many cool raum the what husband and wife no they cancel each other so um no there are sources that uh a woman should not be elected to any position And uh that's what the Rambam says. Now obviously the democratic world changed things and we found a way to to be but look what was the city that you came from from what kind from what state did you come? When did you make aliyah? When from when and where New York Okay. When what was the year that women in America were allowed to vote? Women were allowed to vote in America. America Democratia when 100 years ago maybe in the 20s. 100 years ago. Yeah. Okay. No. Yeah. So, uh we progressed even before. Okay. Good. Now, Raovia Ravadia has a different question. Interesting question. Interesting question. There is a rabbi who wrote a book and he basically ordered his children to publish it. Now when you publish a book and you start selling it, you obviously get hopefully someone is going to buy it and they're going to pay, right? So there are some uh there is a profit. So there are two children let's say for for our case there are two children one is the and the other one is the second one. Okay the question is is the get double in the prophets. Now you would say sure which means only in things that are now here in front of me it takes double but in things that will come later he does not. So for example, let's say there is a a manaya a stock okay that uh in the stock market okay that the father invested and it will expire only let's say three months from now and the father is already dead. Is that money considered as potential money or it's already here because we all know in three months many things can change. It can go up it can go down whatever it is here you have what the kav the the book is already written but it was never sold. So now they need to publish it and to start selling it. Is that considered as something that is already here or this is something that will come in the future? And that obviously the ramification is is the takes double. So he says we'll explain in a minute. So he says like that. He says the two opinions are like that. One opinion says sure he has the ability to be mish prophets to his firstborn. Why? Because the Torah that I learn is mine. So if it's mine, it's mine and I can give it to you. The other rabbi, the other opinion says when we say that when you learn Torah, it's becoming yours. It means just what? That you can be that you can be if someone hurt me. Yeah. Insult me. I can be say okay whatever. Even though you insulted my Torah, I can still be but it doesn't mean that what that it's mine in terms of what that I can sell it. Okay? So it's not yours. Now do you see what's going on here? We spoke about what appointments when you get an appointment when appointment when you get an appointment for a rabbitic position or whatever it is it's yours and it's for your children. Now we are talking also after someone is dead and he produced something Torah can he be this of the prophets in the Torah to his children. Okay, one more uh at least for today also had a very interesting question. By the way, look at the date. So, how many years ago? close to 50 47 years ago. And what's the Hebrew day there? Interesting. What's the question? The question is like that. A rabbi became a rabbi without being appointed. How does it work? You have a minion and then you have a guy who ds and then there's okay m you have seven minutes between or 10 minutes, 15 minutes. People start talking, start talking, whatever it is. The guy comes along and says, "Let me let's learn Mishna." Oh, let's build is always good. Okay, learning Mishna. First Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday on Shabbat. There's no rabbi in the congregation. He goes up. He says, "You know what?" He goes to the gabba. He says, "You know what? Maybe I will can say a few words of sure." And then it goes after a year or two. And he becomes what the rabbi. After a few years, the congregation says, "We want to have First, a search committee. You can't have a sh without a search committee. Who here was not on a search committee? You went to shu. Okay. So, a search committee, you need to be on a search committee. And the search committee is first and foremost searching for themselves, right? They're looking for what they want, what they need, blah blah blah. Okay. So, then you have candidates and they come for a what? for refer. Okay, this rabbi is laughing. He says, "I'm the rabbi of the show." No, no, no, no payment. Let's say no payment, no nothing for now. If it was paid, it can change it because it seems to be they agree to something. Okay? Even though even if they pay, they can still say we paid for your time. We didn't pay for your position as the rabbi. But he after doing that, let's say five years, he assumed he is he is the rabbi. For sure he's the rabbi. So take a look. He described the question. He says something interesting. He says someone who's a is a scholar. So you have a guy, you have a rabbi there who is a scholar and he did it for many, many years. And now the congregation says, "What? I don't know who is this guy. He's a nice guy, but we want a rabbi." So we the question is he says, "I'm the rabbi. You can't fire me and you can't bring someone else." And they said, "What do you mean you are the rabbi? You were never appointed." Okay. Now we described it like that also can be described in a different way. Sometimes for a congregation to become in a congregation takes years. At the beginning it's like a young couple's whatever and the sh is important but it's not that important to start hiring a rabbi whatever but they want some shim and then there is a guy who comes along gives some shim between and whatever. And then it's interesting they can also might think see him as the rabbi but he's a rabbi in the community. He's not the communal rabbi the congregational rabbi the pulpit rabbi. So we can understand how things can get lost in the translation. So the question is that function was asked can they bring someone else or really that position belongs to this guy. So he says knew that he says it's very simple in my opinion. says this rabbi who was never appointed, he doesn't need to be appointed. He was and he is the rabbi of the congregation. Why? Two reasons. He says like that. He says I understand the Rama says he says is based on the Rama the Rama says what does it mean that he's the not necessarily that he was appointed and there was a what do you call it not an inauguration installation yeah I always wanted to call it coronation uh yeah almost like a coronation from the word keter So um so therefore says I don't need a an installation coronation whatever it is by the way installation is such a bad use of language like you install the rabbi like you install plumbing like I don't know what inauguration it's nice coronation it's really nice yeah But here it's like installation installing like you have like you have you have something to fix like what am I a fixer I'm a rabbi come on I'm a king coronation it's good that we can make fun of it right so um fun off it and fun for but um so the thing is he says so you don't so even if you were not appointed it's yours and then He says if the other rabbi is very smart whatever you can allow him to give shim but the and the discretionary fund the programs in the rabbi of the community the rabbi of the kahal now so that's the first reason the second ischech. says he says especially when the knew that he's there and if they would tell him look you're going to be the interm rabbi until we find someone else and they were very clear. So here it says that they they didn't they did not pay him and that's what he did. So here he would say yes. So I don't know it's a good question. Here it says Shaimot many years. I don't know what is many years more than two less than 20 or between 15 and 25. No idea. And but then he says that if they have not against this rabbi then they should what? Go to a bin, not ask him to leave yet. Go to a bin and present your claims and if the bait would think that he is not worthy to be a rabbi, they will remove him. And if he they think that he is still worthy, you are stuck with him. The only problem is that with all and I will keep the other two for the next time next next week we don't have a sh only the following week. I'm not here. Um so um the problem that sometimes we have is I'm not teaching maybe there's someone else who's giving a shoe but I'm not teaching sometimes there is a gap between and reality and what do I mean by that you have a rabbi you know what let's say there is a beloved rabbi wonderful he was there for 40 years. He married the people. He gave names to their children and grandchildren and he married them and he buried their grandparent. He did every wonderful rabbi. He died. His son is also a wonderful person. Blah blah blah. However, the sh changed hashkafically, educationally, socially, economically, whatever it is. And they want a new rabbi. If they will go to a bathing, they're going to lose. But you want to tell me to be stuck with a rabbi that I don't want. What kind of a recipe for disaster that can be? That's what I'm saying. Sometimes there is a gap between the halaka. I'm not talking about if they have claims, valid claims against the successor. He's corrupt. is immoral. I'm not god forbid. I'm not he's not he doesn't know how to open. He doesn't know where to open it for me. I mean I mean said I'm not talking about that. He's a nice guy. We like him. But he doesn't fit to what we need today. We want more. We want less tony. We want with a beard, without a beard, with a blackhead, with a white head. Whatever it is, whatever congregation through the years they change. Everyone changes. And the question is in the name of stability and honor, do you want to create host hostility and animosity between this poor guy and and the congregation? Break away. Okay, very good. And then you create a breakaway and breakaways are never not never I guess sometimes they were they are not necessarily great news for everyone for anyone. So what I want you to think at least for another week is here you have ala and then you have reality and how do you try to what to mitigate the gap and to allow a smooth transition to the next one with the understanding that what that it might be that the kahila needs some kind of a of a change. I will throw to you one idea that we do is a contract. In the contract, when you do a contract with the rabbi, you basically say, "Okay, you have three years, five years, seven years, whatever." And after three or five years, you can say, "Look, we're going to re-evaluate you." And the best thing is to get receive a re-evaluation every six months or every year in order to understand what's going on. You know, don't tell me after three years. Oh, every day you tell me everything is wonderful and after three years you tell me what, get out. Right? So the idea is is that you can do even if you don't like that rabbi let's say the son of that beloved rabbi you give him a contract for I don't know two years three years and then you do evaluation that will be allowed and we will see what's the basis for it but that we'll discuss next