What are your Priorities | Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger

It's all about priorities. What's important to you? What's important to me? What's important to us? Is it honor? Is it fame? Is it money? Or are they things of a spiritual nature, things of an eternal nature that matter to us? So let me tell you about someone whose priorities were other-worldly. There was a Yid, R’ Dovid, who lived in Bnei Brak, and he had a dream of a Chavrusashaft with the Gadol HaDor, R’ Yosef Shalom Elyashiv. So he approached Rav Elyashiv's son-in-law, R’ Yisrael Yisraelson, and he asked him, Do you think that your father-in-law would learn with me B’chavrusa? And R’ Yisraelson said: Listen, you know my father-in-law, the Gadol HaDor. He has a very tight learning schedule. I don't think it's likely. R’ Dovid said: Listen, I'll make it worth it for him. I'll give him enough money. He'll be able to marry off his children, his grandchildren and his great-grandchildren. All I want is a half-hour a month with the Gadol HaDor. And R’ Yisraelson said, I don't think it's going to happen, but the next time I go to my father-in-law in Yerushalayim come with me and you’ll present your request directly. And that's what they did. The next time R’ Yisraelson went to Rav Elyashiv's home in Me’a She’arim, R’ Dovid accompanied him and they entered the portals of the Gadol HaDor and there he was, immersed in his Gemara. And R’ Dovid approached and gently asked the Gadol HaDor, Would the Rav agree to learn with me a half-hour a month? It would be a tremendous zchus. And Rav Elyashiv, in his own eidele, gentle way, politely declined. And at that point, R’ Dovid pulled the check out of his pocket and he slid it across the table. And an eyewitness said that this check was, we'll just say, in the millions. And R’ Dovid explained to Rav Elyashiv that by having this Chavrusashaft this מתן שכרה בצידה, this side-benefit would enable him to support his family beautifully for many years. But again, Rav Elyashiv politely refused. And what he said was so profound. He said, For me to change a Seder for a few million dollars is not worth it. Rabosai, those were Rav Elyashiv's priorities. When we're in a moment of temptation, when we have a moment of challenge, we have to think to ourselves for a second, What are our priorities? What matters to us? Are we going to sell ourselves for a moment of fleeting enjoyment, or will we maintain our standards? Are we going to sell ourselves for a few million dollars or will we stick to what really matters to us?