Rabbi Frand
In the sefer Zahav MiShvah from Rav Moshe Shmuel Shapiro (1917-2006), the author (a disciple of the Brisker Rav) comments on the pasuk “…Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and its officers; take them to the Tent of Meeting and have them stand there with you” (Bamidbar 11:16). This event marked the formation of the first Sanhedrin (Supreme High Court) in Israel.
Rashi notes the qualifications which granted these individuals eligibility to become members of this distinguished judicial body: They had been appointed as guards over the Israelites in Egypt during the “crushing labor.” They would take pity on them, and be beaten by the Egyptians because of them, as it says, “The guards of the Children of Israel were beaten” (Shemos 5:14). Rather than smite the Jews to do the work of the Egyptians, they allowed themselves to absorb the Egyptian lashes. Rashi continues: “Now let them be reappointed to positions of authority in Israel’s state of greatness, just as they suffered in Israel’s time of distress.” The Medrash says that from here we see that whoever sacrifices for Israel’s welfare merits honor, greatness, and that the Divine Spirit should rest upon them.
Rav Moshe Shmuel Shapiro asks: This is all well and good that one who sacrifices for Israel in their time of distress should be rewarded. However, it seems odd that this should qualify them for the Sanhedrin. A person needs to know something to be eligible for appointment to the High Court. If the sole criteria for appointment to the Sanhedrin would be empathy, then they would certainly qualify. But clearly there was an intellectual requirement for membership in the Sanhedrin as well. Furthermore, the Gemara says that members of the Sanhedrin must understand all seventy languages (so they can hear any testimony without having to rely on interpreters). Beyond that, the Yalkut lists other requirements such as “they never spoke idle speech in their lives and their entire conversation always consisted of matters of Torah.”
No one questions the righteousness of the Jewish guards in Egypt, but that per se does not make them into Gedolei Torah (outstanding Torah authorities). How, suddenly, did they become worthy of being members of the Sanhedrin?
The answer is that one of the 48 qualities that the Mishna (Avos 6:6) lists as necessary to acquire Torah is “carrying his friend’s burden” (nosei b’ol im chaveiro). This attribute is a path through which a person acquires Torah knowledge. The Talmud says (Menachos 53b), “Let one who is good come and receive that which is good; from He who is Good to good ones.” The Gemara then parses the implication of this teaching: “Let one who is good come” refers to Moshe, about who it is written, “And she saw him, that he was good” (Shemos 2:2). “And receive that which is good” refers to Torah, about which is written “for a good teaching I have given to you” (Mishlei 4:2). “From He who is Good” refers to the Holy One Blessed Be He, about whom it is written, “Hashem is Good to all and has Mercy over all his creatures” (Tehillim 145:9). “To good ones” refers to Israel, as it is written, “Hashem does good things for those who are good…” (Tehillim 125:4).
In order to be a member of the Sanhedrin and to merit the type of Torah needed to be a member, a person needs to be a ‘Tov’ (good person). In Yiddish, this is what we call “a gu’tir.” A good person is someone who cares about other people. He cares about people to the extent that he is willing to be hit on their behalf. When someone becomes that “Tov,” he will receive “Tov” (i.e., Torah) from the One who is Tov (Hashem) for the sake of the “Tovim” (i.e., Yisrael).
There are many examples thereof, but Rav Moshe Shmuel Shapira cites his Rebbi, the Brisker Rav (Rav Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik (1886-1959)). There was an incident involving Jewish children from Teheran at the time of the founding of the State of Israel. The Government wanted to put the children into situations which would cause them to abandon their adherence to traditional Jewish religious practice. The Brisker Rav raised a ruckus. He moved mountains in his attempts to save these children. Rav Shapira writes that the Brisker Rav once called a meeting of Gedolei Yisrael and insisted that something be done about these youngsters from Teheran. When the meeting was over, everyone went back home to their regular lives. Rav Soloveitchik told Rav Shapira “How can anyone just go back home to their regular life? What will be with these children?” The Brisker Rav cared for them so much that he was willing to move mountains for them.
Rav Moshe Shmuel Shapira cites another example of a Rav Noach Shimanowitz, who was on one of the boats that tried to run the British blockade around Palestine in the pre-State period. The British interred him in one of their internment camps on Cyprus. Again, the Brisker Rav left no stone unturned in order to try to gain the freedom of another Jew. This is the idea of noseh b’ol im chaveiro. This is the “goodness” of character that brings a person to have Divine Help in becoming a receptacle of Torah wisdom. Such a person is appropriate to sit on the Sanhedrin.
