Rabbi Yaakov Bender, in the name of his Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Berenbaum zt"l, asks a powerful question. The stones on the choshen that contained the names of the shevatim were called "fillers." One would think that these sacred gems that guided national decisions would be described in a grander fashion.

In answering this question, we gain a new perspective on what helping others means, how it relates to Avraham, and examples from a gadol.

Twelve Empty Chairs

The fact that the stones of the choshen are characterized as fillers by the Torah explains how we must view the needs of others. If we see our neighbors are in pain and need assistance in mending difficulties, we must step in to fill those holes. We must fill the voids in others, whether they be financial, emotional, or in any other area.

Rabbi Bender explains that this is why his Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Berenbaum, would have twelve empty chairs at his Friday night Shabbat table, waiting to fill the voids of others.

It turns out that the greatest praise given to the stones was that, having the names of the twelve shevatim written on them, they filled voids, where our focus should be in relation to others.

Avraham Infuses G-dliness

Avraham was the spreader of monotheism and filled the void for many souls. Perhaps he filled the most fundamental of ideas, in being able to infuse others with the joy of being close to G-d.

In Sefer Hamitzvot (Mitzvah 3), the Rambam includes in the mitzvah of loving G-d to bring others to also feel that love. Avraham opened up spaces of those in his generation to infuse G-d’s light into their beings. He and Sarah left Charan with all of these transformed souls.

Sensitivities of a Gadol

The late Rosh Yeshiva of Tchebin, Rav Avrohom Genechovsky zt"l, had an acute sensitivity toward the human condition. A few stories illustrate this. (The first two stories were summarized from the English translation on Dirshu.com).

One time, a person had a question that he brought to Rav Avrohom. Rav Avrohom felt it was a question that should be directed toward Rav Chaim Kanievsky.

Upon telling this to the individual, the person said that he was not comfortable traveling alone to Bnei Brak. Rav Avrohom accompanied him and then returned to Jerusalem. Rav Avrohom felt the question had to be solved and was sensitive to accompany the person who otherwise would not have gone.

It's told over how on one Thursday night a student living in Bnei Brak called the yeshiva payphone asking to speak to another student who he hoped would retrieve an umbrella left at a wedding hall in Jerusalem. Rav Avrohom happened to answer the phone. He looked for that person and couldn't find him but told the caller not to worry; it would all be taken care of.

On Friday, Rav Avrohom delivered the umbrella to the student's house in Bnei Brak. When the student asked the Rosh Yeshiva why he came on his own, Rav Avrohom said that he comes back to Bnei Brak anyway every Friday, so it was no trouble. Then he showered compliments on the student in front of his parents. Rav Avrohom’s selfless act brought happiness to the family and led to a heartfelt relationship with the student.

I was especially graced by his presence when he walked me to the taxi stand every Motzei Shabbat that I was in Bnei Brak. He would make sure the monit had the exact location where I was going and stood until it pulled out. He ensured that I felt safe and looked after upon exiting the city.

Conclusion

The stones of the choshen were indeed fillers, the greatest designation they could be given, symbolic of the need for every shevet to fill the voids of the other shevet. As a people, we must attend to all the difficulties of others. Avraham filled the void of a generation lacking G-dliness. He brought them close to the Creator and continued on his journey with them. Rav Avrohom Genechovsky zt”l was a gadol that served as a model on how to put the needs of others first.