I
"A pleasant fragrance (reiach nicho"ach) to Hashem" (Vayikra 1:9). Contentment (nachas ru"ach) before Me, that I said and My will was done (v"na"aseh r"tzoni) (Rashi).
The Mishna (Zevachim 46b) lists six things for which a korban (zevach) is brought. One is l"sheim Hashem. The K"sav V"hakabala asks on Rashi, why is nicho"ach listed separately if it means "contentment before Me"? The Gemara adds the word "Hanachas ruach laShem". What does that mean?
The K"sav V"hakabala links rei"ach to ru"ach. In the haftora for the last day of Pesach, the Moshiach will be blessed with the spirit (ru"ach) of Hashem (Yeshaya 11:2). He will be censed (vaharicho) with the reiach (scent) of yiras Hashem (11:3). Indeed, it is ruach, wind, which spreads reiach, scent.
Nichoach denotes lowering, as in yaniach yado, when Moshe lowered his hand (Shemos 17:11), as opposed to yarim, raised his hand. The korban must include "hashpalas haru"ach v"hachna"aso". The double ches of nicho"ach indicates extreme humility and subservience to Hashem. Only a humble person, whose mind and wisdom rule over his spirit, can avoid his spirit leading to sinful thoughts and deeds. The sacrifices Hashem desires are a broken spirit, a heart broken and humbled (Tehillim 51:19). This is hanachas ru"ach, lowering one"s spirit.
Indeed, the Gemara (Sanhedrin 43b) commenting on this passuk, says that one who feels lowly, the Torah considers it as if he brought every type of korban, and his prayers are answered.
II
The K"sav V" hakabala states that in every person are implanted forces (kochos) and their reverse (hipuchei kochos). When aroused by his spirit (ruach) they can be used for good or bad. Only one who has a humble spirit can control his thoughts and forces to subdue an idea which is against the Torah and avoid sin. A humble spirit is a prerequisite to be counted among the students of Avraham Avinu (Avos 5:19).
The next mishna (5:20) teaches how to do the will (la"ason ratzon) of Hashem, a term the aforementioned Rashi (1:9) employs. Remarkably, R" Yehuda ben Teima begins: "Be as bold (az) as a leopard", a typically negative trait (Rambam). He concludes paradoxically "az panim l"Gehinnom". The Tosfos Yom Tov resolves the apparent contradiction. The trait of boldness is advisable only to do the will of Hashem. Otherwise, it is very bad, especially if used against the will of Hashem.
The Maharal links the two mishnayos in the negative. The students of Bilam inherit Gehinnom because of their arrogant spirit (ru"ach gevoha). Az is linked to fire (Beitza 25b), including the fire of Gehinnom. However, to do Hashem"s will boldness is required to overcome natural inertia. Rashi"s term is "lahut b"mitzvos", fire in doing Hashem"s will, the opposite of azus which leads to the fire of Gehinom.
The Rambam says that boldness is required to rebuke sinners. However, it must be done only l"sheim shamayim, as the Mishna concludes: to do the will of your Father in Heaven.
III
The Tur (Orach Chaim 1:1) opens his magnum opus with R" Yehuda ben Teima"s exhortation to be as bold as a leopard. He explains that one should not be embarrassed because of people who mock him in his service of Hashem. The Beis Yosef, cited in the Mishna Berura (5), states that one should not quarrel with them. The trait of boldness is very despicable. It should be avoided even in service of Hashem, lest he acquires this trait even when serving Hashem is not involved.
In B"iur Halacha, he limits the words of the Beis Yosef to a private encounter. However, if in his place there are heretics who rebel against the Torah and can lead others away from the will of Hashem, and his peaceful words and fell on deaf ears, it is a mitzva to quarrel them and to foil their plans as much as possible.
It requires great discretion, even for individuals with the requisite lowly spirit, to know whether, or how, to respond to contemporary challenges of this sort. Rav Soloveitchik, in 1975, responded to what he considered a heretical statement in very sharp, uncharacteristic terms [See Light 17 Kislev 5736 p. 11-13 for the transcript] "One must not try to gear the halachic norm to the transient values of a neurotic society (That"s what our society is)." Moreover, we should not be apologetic when communicating the external truth of the Torah. "Yahadus does not have to apologize. We should have pride in our Mesorah, in our heritage. We must not yield to the transient and passing charm of modern political or ideological slogans."
In the past half century, the values of our society have plunged to new depths, unimaginable when our rebbe spoke. This requires greater resolve, as he wrote elsewhere, "Every halachic maxim assumes greater import in times of disregard and unconcern. The greater the difficulty, the more biting the ridicule and sarcasm, and the more numerous the opponent then the holier is the principle, and the more sacred is our duty to defend it."
May Hashem grant Torah leaders the humility and wisdom to properly navigate the turbulent and treacherous waters of modern society with uncompromising loyalty to Torah.
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