Toward
the end of parshas Kedoshim, the Torah tells us that if a man lives with an
animal, not only is he put to death, the animal is also killed (Vayikra, 20,
15). Rashi explains that although the animal did nothing wrong and doesn't
deserve to be put to death, nevertheless, since it caused a person's demise it
must also be put to death. This being the case, it goes without saying that if
a person, who could differentiate between good and bad, causes his friend to
transgress an aveirah he will be punished.
Rashi continues, that in a similar vein, the Torah commanded Bnei
Yisroel that when they enter Eretz Yisrael they are to destroy all the places
and trees where idols were worshipped. Once again one must ask why the trees
deserve a punishment. The answer is the same. They were the cause of a man's
transgression, and therefore they must be destroyed. We are to learn from here
that if a tree which cannot see or hear, is punished because it caused a
person's sin, how much more so is this the case regarding a person who causes
his friend to transgress an aveirah and stray from the path of life to the path
of death.
Rav Wolbe related (Shiurei Chumash) that he was once speaking to
Rav Meir Chodosh regarding the possibility of throwing certain troublemakers
out of Yeshiva. Rav Chodosh answered that it might not be the troublemakers
that he needs to throw out, but perhaps some of the boys that would be labeled
as good boys. He explained that since everybody knows that these boys are
troublemakers, no one is prone to learn from boys whom everyone looks down
upon. However, there is a greater chance that they will emulate boys who learn
well yet don't show up to davening, since others look up to them. The above
mentioned Chazal describes quite clearly the severity of one who causes his
friend to stray from the path of life.
We all find
ourselves in situations and places where we are among other Jews, religious and
secular, who look up to us. They scrutinize our actions and they define for themselves
the proper behavior of a religious Jew. We bear the great responsibility of
ensuring that no one is turned away from the path of life because of our
actions. However, the opposite is also true. If one is turned toward the path of
life because of our actions, we have created a Kiddush Hashem, which is such a great mitzvah
that its dividends can be received only in the World to Come!
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