Nachalat Binyamin: The True Measure of Achievement

The 28th of Cheshvan is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Zev Wolf, Rav of Salik, author of Nachlas Binyamin (1686). Jacob, even after he had taught his son Joseph all the Torah he knew, pushed his son to achieve a higher level of existence.  “Please go and see the peace of your brothers and the peace of the flock.” It is not enough to learn. One must be concerned with and for others.

When the Sages teach that a scholer may not go out alone at night, they mean that a true scholar is never alone; he does not learn and live only for himself, but for others as well.

“It is not good for man to be alone,” means to be focused on himself and not others.

This was the greatness of Abraham who understood that God did not want him to live alone in safety, but to go out into the world and teach and help others.

This is the only true measure of a person. (Introduction to Nachalt Binyamin)