Subject: In Memory of Baruch Yitzchak ben Yirmiyahu (Barry Pessin)
From: Heath Berkin <heath.berkin@gmail.com>
Date: 8/4/2017, 3:54 AM
To: Heath Berkin <heath.berkin@gmail.com>
BCC: menachem@alonsystems.com
The mishna in Avos (5;20) Rabbi Yehuda ben Teima, describes four traits that a person should have in their service to G-d the first trait that the Mishna says is that a person should be "brazen as a leopard".
Although generally a person should be humble and not brazen in any way nevertheless when it comes to serving G-d this trait is considered a positive and not a negative one. As we continue living through exile in a foreign land among foreign nations, the upkeep of the Torah, our religion and Jewish Identity, can be met with sneers, snickers and even out right antisemitism. A person must therefore be brazen and steadfast as ever in their beliefs, values and identity. We live in a society that demonizes many of the beliefs of the Torah and G-d's Word (C'V) and only through this brazenness can we persevere. Our sages teach us that G-d gave the Torah to the Jewish People because we excelled in this trait of brazenness. Only through this trait could there be a continued upkeep of the Torah even through the most difficult times and among the most difficult societies.
Obviously a person needs to use this trait only within the framework of serving G-d and keeping the Torah, brazenness in other matters is a trait that should in fact be avoided.