Why was the tribe of Yehuda rewarded for throwing stones?
The Gemara (Sotah 37) gives us a glimpse of the internal politics among the tribes of Israel immediately preceding the splitting of the Red Sea. The tribes were arguing for the privilege of being the first to jump into the Sea before it was split, especially the tribes of Binyamin and Yehuda. Finally, the tribe of Binyamin just jumped in. When the tribe of Yehuda saw this, they were so angry that they picked up stones and started throwing them at the Benjaminites.
For this, the Talmud continues, the tribe of Binyamin merited the honor of having the Holy Temple of Jerusalem built on their portion of the land of Israel. The tribe of Yehuda also merited an honor: all the kings of Israel should come from them.
This Midrashic account seems very perplexing. We can understand why the tribe of Binyamin was rewarded for their enthusiasm to cross the Sea in total reliance on Hashem’s promise, but how can we understand Yehuda being rewarded for throwing stones?
The story is told about a group of children who were playing at a certain family’s home. One of the children incurred a serious accident and had to be taken to the hospital. The hostess had the unenviable task of breaking the news to the child’s mother, which she decided to do gradually.
When the child’s mother came to the house, the hostess told her that one of the children had an accident. “That’s nothing,” she said, “children are always having accidents!” The hostess then said that it was a serious accident and the child had to be taken to hospital. “Nu,” the mother replied, “we must have faith in Hashem. He will help the child.” “But,” the hostess finally said, “it was your Yossele!” And the mother fainted.
Our Own Yossele
As much as we can and should appreciate those who work for peace and an end to dissension in the Jewish community, their aloof attitude sometimes implies that the issue at hand doesn’t really affect them — it isn’t really their issue, it isn’t really their Yossele!
Rav Moshe Feinstein once commented that in the old communities in Europe, people would fight over an aliya in shul. Today we are more polite and gentlemanly; we’re willing to give up such an honor for the sake of peace. Rav Moshe’s comment was: “I don’t know which attitude is worse!”
In the Maariv evening service, we pray that Hashem should spread a canopy of peace upon us, upon all of Israel, and upon Jerusalem. Why the special canopy for Jerusalem? The answer, given by the Vilna Gaon, has to do with the truth-seeking nature of the holy people of Jerusalem. Such people are not blasé about the issues of the Torah, as people elsewhere might be. For such people, these issues evoke a high emotional response — these issues are their own Yossele!
Like the special canopy over Jerusalem, the tribe of Yehuda was rewarded for throwing stones. By doing so, they demonstrated that listening to the word of Hashem was precious to them, as it was to Binyamin.
The Talmud tells us that when two Torah scholars fight, although they may even appear to hate each other, in the end, there will be love and peace between them. The reason is that their fighting is for the sake of Heaven (Pirkei Avos 5:20).
We need to stand for the truth, care about the right, and strive for the just. At the same time, we must ensure that our intentions should always be for the sake of Heaven. When the two are combined, true peace will prevail.
