Is It Okay to Be Outgoing in Today’s World?

Is it all that bad to be in the “outside world”? What lessons can we learn from Dina the daughter of Leah? What can we do to emulate her way of Avoda? Rabbi Avrohom Brashevitzky, Shliach to Doral, FL, shares his thoughts on this week’s Parsha – Vayishlach.

“Vateizei Dina Bas Leah Lir’os Bivnos Ha’aretz” – “And Dina the daughter of Leah went out to see the daughters of the place”

Rashi comments that the Passuk attributes Dina to being the daughter of Leah vs. being the daughter of Yaakov. This is because “like mother like daughter”; Leah too was “outgoing”. In an earlier verse we are told that “Leah went out (towards Yaakov)”. At first glance this seems to portray Leah and (thus) Dina in somewhat of a negative light. It seems that the Torah is pointing out that Dina took after her mother, not after Yaakov.

The Rebbe (in a Farbrengen in 5746) took issue with this understanding. First of all this seems to go against The Torah rule which seeks to always portray things in a positive light. Even when referring to non-Kosher animals The Torah goes out of its way to describe them in the most positive way. How much more so when talking about such great Tzidkoniyos like Leah and Dina. Moreover, from where does Rashi gather that Leah was “outgoing” in a negative way?

The Rebbe explained that indeed Leah and Dina’s “outgoingness” was a very positive thing. Leah’s approach was to be more outgoing and outreaching. Likewise, her daughter Dina went out to see what she can do to bring the daughters of the land closer to Hashem. This was NOT the approach of Yaakov. As the Torah describes, Yaakov was “Ish Tam Yoshev Ohelim” – always sat indoors, in the tents of Torah. Yaakov was more introverted in his way of Avodah and dealing with others. This also explains why Yaakov “loved” Rachel over Leah, as Leah represents the Avodah of Baalei Teshuva while Rochel represents the Avoda of Tzadikkim. Yaakov’s Avoda was Avodas HaTzadikkim, thus the emphasis in the Passuk that Dina was more the daughter of Leah, not Yaakov.

See how The Rebbe “turned the entire picture around”. He took what seemed to be an affront to Dina (and Leah) and showed us how this was the ultimate compliment. Not only did The Rebbe help us understand Dina and Leah in a totally different way, moreover, He showed us how Rashi is consistent with the principal of portraying everything in a positive light. In fact, it is Rashi who taught it to us in the first place!

This can serve as a guiding lesson for our generation. We all need to “go out” and help change the world. We all have the obligation, thus privilege, to help make the world a better place. Perhaps too often, too many make the mistake that since they are “not on Shlichus” or not officially in a communal capacity of teaching or outreach – that they do not have the opportunity / obligation to do so. Not true! Each and every one of us is charged with the responsibility of making this world a “Dirah B’tachtonim” in every way they can! Perhaps the “regular” Anash are the uncelebrated heroes of Shlichus, parallel to Dina who is hardly mentioned in The Torah, certainly not “celebrated” as much as the Shvatim – to this very day.

I wish to share a personal experience which happened this week. On Tuesday I had emergency surgery to remove a kidney stone. My doctor is a Lubavitcher Yungerman who studied in Oholei Torah and descends from a very Choshuve Anash family. I don’t have the words to describe the thoughts that went through my mind when I experienced the following: As I was laying in the pre-op room waiting to go into surgery, Dr. Yekutiel Sandman came in to mark the spot and explain the procedure to me. I know Yekutiel (as he insists I call him) for a long time. But this was a different scene: I saw a doctor in green scrubs, with his Talis Kattan clearly visible as it stuck out from the V-neck, and a full Chassidishe beard and big Chassidishe Yarlmulka.

After the surgery, as I was getting ready to leave the recovery room I got a chance to chat with the nurse. She had such wonderful things to say about Dr. Sandman, literally showering him with praises. In fact, she explained that the best praise she gives to the other doctors is that “they are like Dr. Sandman”, and they too consider it to be an extraordinary compliment! Then she asked me if I was Orthodox like Dr. Sandman! What a Kiddush Hashem!

I went home without the stone and pain, but I took home far more than that. I was full of pride and inspiration! See what a Chassidishe Chinuch can do. See what a Chossid is. I’m so impressed by A)His Chassidishe beard.  B)He goes by his Yiddishe name Yekutiel (reminds me of the first person with that name – Moshe Rabeinu – who spent a significant part of his life in the “outside” world).  C)The good impression he manages to leave even on ordinary Goyim in Hashem’s world.

One does not need to be in the “tribe” of (official) Shlichus to have an impact on others, to be a living example. It is ultimately the uncelebrated “Dinas” of the world who are out there influencing the masses. I’m not advocating that we all go to secular school to obtain a “career”. What I am trying to point out is the beauty of the fact that every individual – in their own way which Hashem prescribed for them – can and should do their part to promote the ideals of Shlichus and the teachings of Our Rebbe.