Rabbi Frand
At the end of the parsha Shimon and Levi made a deal with Shechem son of Chamor that they would allow him to marry their sister if he circumcised himself and all the other males of the city. The Torah testifies: “The youth did not delay doing the thing, for he wanted Yaakov’s daughter…” [Bereshis 34:19]
One cannot but be amazed at what Shechem accomplished. Virtually on the spot he circumcised himself and convinced every other male in the city to likewise have themselves circumcised. One is astonished at both the physical and diplomatic accomplishment of this young man. It is nothing short of mind-boggling. How did he manage to do this?
Rav Yeruchem states that the Torah explains how he managed it: “for he wanted Yaakov’s daughter.” He wanted to marry her so badly that nothing would stand in his way; whatever it took he would do. If he had to promise one resident a trip to Bermuda and another resident this and another resident that in order to convince them to allow themselves to be circumcised, that’s what Shechem would promise. Whatever it took, he would get it done. Why? Because he wanted Yaakov’s daughter.
If there was ever a proof that nothing stands in the way of one’s personal desires, it is the actions of Shechem son of Chamor.
Rav Noach Weinberg tells a story indicating how one can bring another person to Torah commitment. What is the trick to be successful at ‘kiruv’? Certain individuals have been successful in drawing hundreds and thousands of individuals back to Yiddishkeit. Other people cannot seem to accomplish anything in this area. What is the secret of those who succeed?
Rav Weinberg tells the story of a person who owned a nursing home. In the nursing home, 90% of the residents were non-Jews. He served them non-Kosher meat. However, he had three or four residents who were non-observant Jews. As the halacha [Jewish Law] requires, he would not serve these Jewish residents non-Kosher food. He prepared special Kosher meals for them.
One day the State inspector came to inspect the nursing home. One of the Jewish residents, an old woman, complained to the inspector that her food was not as good as everyone else’s food. The inspector investigated and found out that there were in fact two menus. The inspector gave the owner of the home an ultimatum: “Either you acquiesce and give this woman the food she wants or I will shut down your home.”
The owner went to the woman and told her that Kosher meat was better and healthier and more expensive than non-Kosher meat. None of his reasoned arguments made a difference. The woman was adamant, and insisted she wanted the non-kosher meat.
Finally, he began talking to the woman about religion. He told her that she would soon be meeting her Maker. He explained the concepts of reward and punishment in the afterlife to her. To make a long story short, he was successful, and she told the inspector she wanted the Kosher meat.
Rav Noach Weinberg asked the nursing home operator how he was successful in reaching and convincing this woman who was so set in her ways and who for so long had rejected Torah practices to suddenly say she wanted to only eat Kosher. The nursing home operator told him simply, “You don’t understand. I HAD TO DO IT. If not, I would have lost my business.”
Nothing stands in the way of a person’s will. This is the key. The principle that “nothing stands in the way of a person’s will” can move mountains. It can make a whole city circumcise themselves and it can make a lady in a nursing home decide that she in fact wants to keep kosher.
