Frum Journalist Calls Bibi Netanyahu "The Mordechai Of The Generation"

0:03One fool recently tried to show how foolish he is and was caught on camera. He's a journalist, religious. And he wanted to get the attention from Bibi Netanyahu. So, Bibi Netanyahu is walking by him. journalist, religious journalist, says to Bibi Netanyahu: "Bibi, you are the greatest of this generation." What flattery! You know what kind of punishment he's going to get for that? You called... Secular reformer supporter of missionaries, more than the gadol hador, not only do you have to apologize to Mordechai, you have to apologize to all of Am Yisrael.

1:13But why did he do it? Because he figures, listen, if I, as a religious journalist, tell Bibi that I'm supporting him, he'll think that all the religious people support him, and maybe he'll support us more, and maybe this, and maybe that. No, no, you're not understanding how it works. Being a flatterer to wicked people is never an option. it's never an option unless your life's at risk. Your life wasn't at risk. You didn't have to go get his attention. He wasn't putting a sword to your neck. When it comes to leaders, whether they be Jewish leaders or non-Jewish leaders, be very, very careful when it comes to flattering. Be very careful when it comes to flattering. Why? If you flatter a wicked person, The Torah promises that this is so detestable in the eyes of Hashem that there's literally a punishment you're going to live to see. Now, there are certain times when working with wicked people is necessary because there's no better choice, but even then, you have to be very careful.

2:34of Ephraim's rabbi when he was younger in yeshiva was Rav Baruch Shimon Salomon. He was a big talmid chacham and refused to compromise his principles for even half a second. There was a wicked mayor who was against the Torah and everything else, but the people wanted to make peace between them. the rabbi because the rabbi wanted to extend the yeshiva; he wanted to get another building. It doesn't matter how much money you have or don't have — without getting the permission of the city, meaning the mayor, it's not happening. You're not going to get the approval. So, they arranged an event where, I don't know, hundreds of people came. All the kids from the yeshiva, everybody came, and they invited this mayor and... Figured if the mayor shook his hand, you know, they would become friendly. It would approve the building, and the mayor knows that the rabbi doesn't care for him because he's a rasha against the Torah and Shabbat, and he did things to go against the Torah and influence people to go against the Torah. So anyway, he wanted to get the rabbi on his side and...

4:02So he came to this event, and the rabbi, Rav Efraim, tells me that he was there, watching the whole situation unfold. The rabbi was literally shaking, and he did not want to shake his hand or even pretend for a second. But finally, when it came to it, they were on a stage, and the rabbi barely reached out his hand to shake his hand, barely giving his hand, and they shook hands. People got excited, and the politicians made a big deal out of it. Then one of the bachurim in the yeshiva took a little step too far, and he brought a cup of wine to give, you know, as a celebration for this, you know, this new friendship. And he wanted to give the mayor this cup of wine. Even though there were hundreds of people there, Rav Shimon Solomon says, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, it's too much. Don't give it to him." Don't flatter this guy, don't flatter him. Plus, of course, if it's regarding wine, and if he doesn't keep Shabbat, then he makes it non-kosher. Of course, the mayor saw and heard this, especially in front of everyone, he ran away, and the building was never approved, even until this day, 20 years later. So, on one hand, you'd say, "Listen, if you would have just simply closed your eyes and let that happen, maybe the building would have been built."

5:30You have to understand that tzaddikim know that the line between flattery and something that's permissible is very, very thin. Below you is the abyss; below you is the fire of gehinnom. Therefore, a person has to be extremely careful who they're flattering. We must reach such a high level of Kedusha through Torah learning and good deeds that we finally realize everything comes from Hashem. The decree didn't come from Haman, and the salvation didn't come from Mordechai. Everything is from HaKadosh Baruch Hu. All your problems are not caused by others. It's Hashem talking to you, trying to get your attention.