The Midrash relates that one Friday night a certain woman attended a public lecture given by Rebe Meir. By the time she returned home her candles were extinguished. "Where have you been?" her husband demanded. She replied that she had been to the class of Rebe Meir. "You are not permitted to enter my house until you spit in the face of Rebe Meir," insisted her foolish husband.
Elijah the Prophet informed Rebe Meir that the woman was banned from her house. Rebe Meir went to synagogue. When the woman came to pray, Rebe Meir made himself yawn. He told the women that he was suffering from an ailment that could be cured if she would spit in his eye seven times. After she reluctantly complied, he told her, "Go tell your husband, 'You told me to spit once, whereas, I spit seven times."
Rebe Meir's students were appalled, "Rebe, the honor of the Torah has been disgraced. If you would have given the word, we would have forced him to take his wife back."
Rebe Meir responded, "The honor of Rebe Meir should not exceed the honor of Hashem. If Hashem allows his Holy name to be dissolved in the waters of the Sota (Bamidbar 5:23) - in order to make peace between husband and wife - all the more so should I lower my honor in order to make peace between husband and wife."
Although there was an alternative solution (as the students suggested) Rav Meir preferred to solve the problem by degrading himself. Rav Meir reasoned that the Sota procedure did not necessarily require the erasure of the Divine name. Rather, Hashem chose that method because - in His boundless compassion - He is willing to disgrace Himself in order to bring peace between husband and wife. Yet, if peace could have been achieved without disgrace - why did Hashem command us to erase His name?
When someone loves something, he does not delegate it to others to perform on his behalf. Rather, he himself pursues it. Hashem's love of peace is the reason that He chooses that His name be dissolved in order to make peace. May, we learn, as Rebe Meir did, to cherish peace so dearly - that we are even ready to make great sacrifices for the sake of peace.
[Based on Lev Eliyahu, Rav Elya Lopian]
Important Numbers
