By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com l’zeicher nishmas Rav Yaakov Ben R. Yisroel Meir Hirsch zt”l on his yahrtzeit The Michtav m’Eliyahu points out that many of us grow from role models in Torah.  However, we can also grow from seeing bad role models and staying far far away from them.  He explains that Rivka Imeinu grew enormously from seeing role models as to what to stay away from – Besuel and Laval. With this in mind, let’s examine recent events. On Monday evening, US President Joe Biden called Fox News journalist, Peter Doocy a “stupid ___” on the sidelines of a White House photo op according to an AFP report.  It was caught on a live microphone as journalists were leaving the room. Peter Doocy had asked the president whether the inflation the country is experiencing would be a political liability for him in the upcoming election. The president sarcastically responded, “It’s a great asset. More inflation,” and then muttered somewhat silently, “What a stupid ___.” The term that the president had used was definitely a pejorative one, and one that, in its current usage, is uniquely American.  Although it did have its origins in England.  Shakespeare had used it in Act II Scene II of King Lear, “One that art nothing but the composition of a Knave, Begger, Coward, Pandar, and the Sonne and Heire of a ____.” It seems, somehow that the use of the expression began in England, continued somewhat in that country, hopped over the pond to the United States, and then died down back in England but ensconced itself on these shores. However, what concerns us is the halacha of what was done at the point of the name-calling and what the president did or did not do in the aftermath. THE GEMORAH IN BAVA METZIAH The Gemara in Bava Metzia (58b) states that all the people who descend to Gehinnom arise from there with the exception of three kinds: adulterers; those who affix a pejorative name to another; and one who embarrasses his friend in public. These three never arise. This halachah is stated in Shulchan Aruch (Choshen Mishpat 228:5) and is nogaya – practically applicable. The Rambam (Hilchos Teshuvah 3:14) lists these as one of the 24 categories of people that have no share in the World to Come. It is clear that the president did a no-no, and a very serious one at that. DID HE MAKE UP FOR THE NAME-CALLING? Did the president make up for his name-calling?  That’s a good question.  He did call the reporter within the hour after he insulted and used the pejorative term against him.  But, it seems, that he did not own up to what he did. What do our great Gedolei HaMusar have to say about not owning up to something? There is a fascinating observation that was made by Rav Leib Nenedick hy”d, the last Mashgiach Ruchni of the Yeshiva of Kletzk, Rav Aharon Kotler’s Yeshiva in Europe. We known that After Adam HaRishon ate from the aitz hadaas, Hashem asks him, have you eaten from the aitz hadaas?  He answered, “HaIsha asher nasata imadi – hi nasna li min haAitz vaOchai.. The woman that YOU GAVE ME.. she gave me to eat from the aitz hadaas and I ate..” The midrash […]

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