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Rabbi Yehuda {Leonard} Blank MS, BC
Vice President of Professional Development and External Affairs
Chair of the Chaplaincy Commission
Rabbinical Alliance of America/Igud HaRabbonim
917-446-2126 rablenblank@gmail.com
<>August 6, 2026, 23 Av, 5786<>
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Don’t Judge A Book By It’s Cover
Don’t Judge A Person By His/Her Looks, Speech, Mannerism.
Helping to bring a kesher with H.
Making a person feel good.
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Our mission in life is not only learning and following the precepts of our Torah but to emulate and to walk in His ways being kind, caring, benevolent, sincere, empathetic of each other as He is to all of us. Being sincere is truly caring with one’s heart not only for ourselves but for each other. I would like to share these thoughts about chaplaincy and how it reflects on what a person should be like and to emulate. In this article I am referring mostly to healthcare and community chaplaincy. We come across men, women and children of all ages with physical, mental, emotional and spiritual conditions. Many have physical deformities, speech impairments amongst other ailments. Often those we minister to have strong opinions about their own life’s difficulties, how they feel G looks at them and how they feel others perceive them or their lifestyles often in a negative way. It is important not to have any misconceptions, predetermined opinions, dislikes or prejudicial thoughts about those who we minister to. It must never matter what a person looks like, what color is a person’s skin or for that matter what political opinion one might have. Chaplains must treat everyone as equals, as human beings no matter what his or her background might be or how he or she looks, acts or speaks. It is important to act with  kindness and goodness. 

As a chaplain, I have been asked by some who are not Jewish what will G think of them for any sins they may have committed, and will they go to Heaven or be condemned to Hell and their souls punished after they die. Is it possible for G to forgive them before they die whenever that may be? For the Jewish person, I have been asked the same question whether G will forgive them. I have also been asked by many what is important for us to do before the coming of Mashiach. My response for those of the Jewish faith is to review the many ways one can do teshuva, beseeching G for forgiveness and most of all to know that G is a forgiving G. Regarding how to prepare for Mashiach by those who have been exposed to impurities, some of my responses to them included learning the Torah, following the mitzvos (commandments), but most of all to be caring and do gemilus chasadim (kindnesses) to everyone.

For everyone who is concerned about what will happen to them in the afterlife i.e. will they be forgiven or will their souls be punished, I would mention that G is a forgiving G and that He will determine what will happen in the afterlife. In our time left in this world, we could only try our best to improve, to pray and have hope, faith and trust in G that H will be merciful. It is important to remember all the positive things a person did in one’s life so that his or her soul will rejoice with the fulfillment of  one’s  life mission and shower kindness on all of G creations. 

Chaplains must be able to offer care to many from diverse backgrounds. I have had several people seeking information and guidance from myself and some of the inquiries were how to offer care to individuals from diverse spiritual and cultural backgrounds that have difficult behaviors or just look or sound different. After having these individuals do some soul searching and seeking guidance from their mentors, they have chosen not to pursue chaplaincy in the healthcare or community arena. They did not realize how intense the training was to become a full-fledged chaplain and how inclusive one must be caring for all types of individuals. They also thought taking an abbreviated course in chaplaincy as compared to a full course such as CPE, Clinical Pastoral Education, would be sufficient and meet ridged requirements that many healthcare and community facilities require. In addition, to become a chaplain for law enforcement, fire department, corrections etc. one must complete specific requirements.

The importance of helping to bring comfort to a person and making him/her feel good is a tremendous chesed.  In a recently published book, The Story of Reb Dovid Feinstein, A Biography For Young Readers, by Libby Lozewnik, ArtScroll Youth Series, has many stories of Rav Dovid’s tremendous love of the Torah, gemiluos chasadim, his humility, his goodness, his kindness and many examples of caring about other people’s feelings of which he sought such opportunities of doing so. The following are several such stories. Pages 33 -35 “Reb Dovid was always extremely considerate of other people’s feelings. One Succos morning after davening, he asked his grandson to go upstairs to his apartment to get the Rebbetzin so they could walk to the communal succah for the seuda together. As the Rosh Yeshiva waited alone on the sidewalk, a passerby assumed that he needed help opening the door and hurried to open it for him. “Thank you,” said Reb Dovid to the man holding the door. He went through the door into the building and stood in the dark stairwell to wait for his wife and grandson to join him. Why? To show respect for the person who had opened the door for him.”

(ibid) “His respect for all people was remarkable, as we can see from the following tale. His yearly shiur on Megillas Esther was attended by a huge crowd. After it was over, people would greet him. There were talmidei chachamin there, who were eager to speak with Reb Dovid in learning. Many people stood nearby, enjoying the conversation. Then a day-school rebbi approached, followed by his teenage students. The students were not suitably dressed and were clearly uninterested in the whole event. Embarrassed, their rebbe told Reb Dovid sadly, “I guess my boys need a Purim miracle.” Reb Dovid smiled warmly at the boys. Speaking loudly enough for them to hear, he said, “I know the yeshiva, and many of the boys who learned there. They went on to Eretz Yisrael and did wonderfully. They came back as fine bnei torah!” Hearing this, the rebbi’s face lit up. The boys perked up, too. They knew that someone had seen them beyond the way most people around saw them. Reb Dovid had seen not only who they were now, but who they were capable of becoming.”

(ibid) “One day, after Shacharis, Reb Dovid was sitting with his talmidim enjoying refreshments and conversation. A man sitting next to him started talking to the Rosh Yeshiva. Excitedly, he announced that he’d won twenty dollars at a Bingo game the night before. Just then, someone opened the door of the beis midrash to tell the Rosh Yeshiva that he had a phone call. Reb Dovid nodded but did not get up. “Twenty dollars?” he repeated to the man at his side. “That’s a lot of money. In one game, or two?” Happily, the man explained how he’d won the money. The talmid at the door motioned again that there was a phone call. Again, the Rosh Yeshiva nodded but did not stand up. “That sounds like fun,” he told his neighbor. “Can I join the game next week?” Of course not,” the man laughed. “You’re a smart guy. If you come, I won’t win as easily!” Watching the face of the lonely man as he described his Bingo victory- the happiest moment of his whole week- the talmid marveled at the Rosh Yeshiva’s kindness. Reb Dovid knew how to give the man just what he needed, at just the moment that he needed it.”
(PS: I am humbly proud to mention that there is a picture of me on page 56 standing next to the Rosh Yeshiva).

It is my hope that my Moments of Inspiration will be worthy of helping to inspire kindness and goodness to everyone and bring us closer to the Ribono shel Olam. 

Tisha B’ Av has passed. Let us begin wishing each other a Kisiva V’ Chasima Tova. 

Sincerely, Rabbi Yehuda (Leonard) Blank