והייתם נקיים מה' ומישראל | ל'ב כ'ב
“Then you shall be vindicated from HaShem and Yisroel”
Moshe Rabbeinu exhorted the tribes of Gad and Reuven to honor their word and lead the nation in battle against the inhabitants of Eretz Yisroel before settling in the Trans - Jordan area.
The Yerushalmi deduces from the juxtaposition in this verse of ‘Hashem’ and ‘Yisroel’, that one must fulfil his obligations to mankind to the same degree with the same seriousness as is required when fulfilling his obligations to HaShem.
The Chofetz Chaim, based on the Yerushalmi, advised a disciple who was newly appointed as a Rav, to first focus on developing sincerity in his own relationship with HaShem before attempting to help his constituents in their Avodes HaShem. To reverse this order would be inconsistent with Torah values.
About the Author: Rabbi Yisroel Meir Rubinfeld
Rabbi Rubinfeld has been in the field of Torah education for over 3 decades and serves as an Executive School Consultant for Torah Umesorah. He provides an array of services to schools across North America, including teacher and principal mentorship, school and curricula evaluations, professional development and parent education.
Rabbi Rubinfeld's expertise includes classroom management and discipline, effective instruction, bullying, cultivating sensitivity in the classroom, impulse disorders (such as ADHD and ODD), and balancing the educational needs of mainstream and special needs children in the classroom.
Rabbi Rubinfeld is the also the founder and director of Torah Umesorah's Lilmod U'Lilamed department which provides professional development for teachers and principals throughout the year.
Rabbi Rubinfeld is a talmid of the distinguished Yeshivos of Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin, the Mirrer Yeshiva in Yerushalayim and Bais Medrash Govoha in Lakewood.