העורך Editor

Speaking of yesterday’s article on volunteering (like Stalin…), I should add this: card-carrying communists in general were manically devoted (although not just them).

Communists were all pushed to be “leaders”.

Communists would volunteer for every position in their local trade union.

Communists would go anywhere for the Party, and put their life and liberty at risk.

Communists would give very large donations of time and money for the Revolution (before tight-fisted Moscow was ever contacted).

Communists routinely sacrificed lucrative careers for the Party.

And people still wonder how small numbers had a disproportionate effect on the whole planet?!

The big-shot, revolutionary Communist leaders wanted to do the fun and exciting parts (for idea-people, anyway) like speeches and pamphlets and vicious arguments. Who likes paperwork and details?! So, they allowed a minor thug worry about the nitty-gritty secretarial paperwork. He’s willing to volunteer? Phew!

The volunteer was just “general secretary” of the Central Committee. Effective service gained him respect, as service always does. The volunteer got to know everyone who was “central”. The volunteer began to fill important positions with his friends. Eventually, the volunteer took over everything and killed one or two of the grand old leaders.

Today this volunteer is quite (in)famous. I’m talking about Joseph (Vissarionovich) Stalin, of course.

(Details. More details.)

Think: Marxist superstructure of society.

Here’s Lenin’s prosaic opinion of bookkeeping: essential but boring!

That’s the story. Here’s the lesson: it might be a good idea to volunteer for a place you believe in…

• Do what others won’t do.
• Become “indispensable” (look it up).
• Let others take the credit.

“Eighty percent of success is showing up.”

– Woody Allen

Bamidbar Rabba 21:14:

… אמר לו הקב”ה, נוצר תאנה יאכל פריה. בניך ישבו להם ולא עסקו בתורה, יהושע הרבה שרתך והרבה חלק לך כבוד והוא היה משכים ומעריב בבית הועד שלך, הוא היה מסדר את הספסלים והוא פורס את המחצלאות. הואיל והוא שרתך בכל כחו כדאי הוא שישמש את ישראל שאינו מאבד שכרו, קח לך את יהושע בן נון, לקיים מה שנאמר נוצר תאנה יאכל פריה.

Take on responsibility to gain more of it. You won’t have many competitors…

לחכימא ברמיזא…

Alternative title: What YOU Can Learn from Stalin

Is this image supposed to be funny?!

As the great Rabbi Brand points out in his works, “religious” errors tend to stick, no matter how bad and harmful.

When change occurs, like starting to live beyond the Green Line or separating mixed youth groups, it isn’t forthright, either.

Also, when the ostensibly religious purposely do political evil, this is a Chillul Hashem, unlike with seculars (yes, malice).

Lastly (for now), they have no earthly idea what to do with political power (other than base cynicism) and refuse to think deeply.

Welcome to the new bosses…

For example: What to do about Chillul Shabbos? Prison time?!

To quote something I once wrote in Hebrew:

ספר חסידים של”ב:

“גדול המעשה יותר מן העושה, דוקא אם מעשה את העשירים, אבל אם מעשה את שאינו יכול להתפרנס, כאלו הוא גוזלו.”

(Sarcasm.)

“Dalyos Yechezkel” vol. 4, pages 432-435 has something called: דברים נבחרים מכתבי מוה”ר נתן ז”ל.

He means Rabbi Nosson Sternhartz, the main student of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov.

(The contents are often either incorrect or too brief to be useful.)

It’s so short it’s likely just “שלא להשאיר הגליון חלק”. And it’s missing from the Table of Contents, too (איידי דזוטר מירכס maybe?).

But still…!

On the other hand, Rabbi Sarna, a student of the Alter, was sure a Litvak in other ways…