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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
September 24, 2026, 13 Tishrei 5769
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From: The Foundations of All Foundations Rav Avigdor Miller zt”l Rosh Hashanah. Toras Avigdor Authentic Torah Thought For Life. Honoring Who? “That’s what the Mishnah in Avos (4:1) says. Eiezehhu Mechubad-Who is an honored person? Hamechabeid Es Haberiyos-Someone who honors people. If you treat others with respect, then H will see to it that you are honored too. And it brings a proof from a possuk, Sheneh emar ki mechabdi achabeid-H says, “Those who honor Me I shall honor.”
What kind of proof is that? Honoring H means you go to the shul and daven. Honoring H means you’ll buy the most beautiful esrog and daven. Honoring H means you’ll learn Torah. But when you honor your fellow man, what’s the connection? All right, if you honor H you’ll be honored. But if you honor your fellow man?
And so we see that it’s one thing. When you treat your fellow man with kavod, when you help him, when you’re careful with his feelings, that’s called honoring H. Why is that? Because that’s what H wants. H declared, Betzelem Elo-kim asah es ha adam- man is a telem Elokim (Bereishis 9:6). Why did He tell us that? Who cares” It’s because He wants people to honor each other as a result of that. Chaviv adam shenivrah vetzelem-How beloved is a man that he’s created as a tzelem! And your fellow Jew? Chibah yeseirah noda as lahem- There’s an additional piece of information that H tells us, shenikreu banim lamakom- that a Jew is a child of H Avos 3:14).”
The Arba Minim held together also represents achdus.
Chag sameach Succos.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Yehuda Blank