והייתם נקיים מה’ ומישראל (מטות לב:כב)

When the Sfas Emes zt’’l once came late to a Shiur from his grandfather, the Chidushei Harim zt’’l, his grandfather didn’t spare rebuking the Sfas Emes as to why he was late.  After the shiur, the Sfas Emes’s friend asked him: “I don’t understand, why didn’t you tell your grandfather that you were late to the shiur because you were up learning Torah all night?” 

The Sfas Emes opened a Chumash to Parshas Matos and showed his friend that Moshe Rabbeinu preached to the children of Gad and Reuven why they didn’t want to go along to Eretz Yisroel, and he spoke harshly to them.  Why didn’t they answer that they were willing to go to war? Why did they allow Moshe to talk, and when Moshe was finished, did they answer then?”

Answered the Sfas Emes, “We learn from here that when one listens to mussar – words of rebuke, it can eventually impact them; therefore, they wanted first to hear rebuke from Moshe. So too, my grandfather’s rebuke won’t harm me!”