Guided by Peace: The Rosh Yeshiva's Advice That Changed Everything

The pursuit of peace brings with it so many blessings. It invites good things into our lives and protects us from negative influences. On the other hand, conflict and division can open the door to all kinds of harm. One powerful way to bring blessing into our lives is learning to compromise—for the sake of peace.

Rabbi Natan Tzvi Finkel, the beloved Rosh Yeshiva (head of the yeshiva) of the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, would often speak about the greatness of peace and the beauty of compromise. “Peace is the key to every good influence,” he would say, “and it acts as a shield against the yetzer hara—the evil inclination and its forces. But division and fighting invite destruction. They can even bring about the opposite of blessing, Heaven forbid.”

Rabbi Finkel would often share a teaching from the Talmud (Gittin 52a), where the Sages tell of two men who constantly argued every Friday before Shabbat. Rabbi Meir would visit them three weeks in a row, just to help them make peace. In the end, they stopped fighting. At that moment, Rabbi Meir heard the Satan say, “What a loss for me—Rabbi Meir has driven me out of the home.” That’s the power of peace—it can literally chase away negativity and spiritual harm.

One of the generous supporters of the Mir Yeshiva once shared a powerful story that beautifully reflects Rabbi Finkel’s teachings. This man was involved in a major family business deal overseas. The deal promised a huge profit—hundreds of thousands of dollars—but it also had the potential to cause tension or arguments within the family. As the deadline approached, unsure of what to do, the philanthropist flew to Israel to ask Rabbi Finkel for advice.

He arrived on a Friday. When he began to speak about the deal, the Rosh Yeshiva gently said, “You’re not flying back before Shabbat, right? So what’s the rush? Let’s sit and learn together.” After Shabbat, he gave the same warm response. Even on Sunday morning, before offering advice, Rabbi Finkel learned with him for three hours.

Finally, after they had studied together, the Rosh Yeshiva listened to the whole situation and replied: “Even if there’s just a 10% chance that this could lead to family conflict, it’s not worth it. Stay away from it.” Then he added, “I promise you—you’ll earn more this way.”

Sure enough, the man chose a different investment path—and ended up earning $700,000 more than he would have from the original deal. Choosing peace brought him not only calm but incredible blessing.

Another example of Rabbi Finkel’s deep care for peace can be seen during the building of the new yeshiva buildings. Even in the excitement of building a beautiful home for Torah learning, he never forgot to consider the feelings and well-being of the neighbors. He would send messages to those living nearby, asking them to let him know immediately if the construction caused any inconvenience or disturbance. The yeshiva would do everything possible to make things right.

Once, after a new building went up in the Beit Yisrael neighborhood, a neighbor came to Rabbi Finkel and said that two yeshiva windows looked directly into his home and disturbed his privacy. Within just twenty-four hours, the issue was resolved—quietly and respectfully, without any need for further discussion.

Rabbi Finkel lived and breathed peace. Through his wisdom, kindness, and commitment to harmony, he taught that peace isn’t just a value—it’s a source of blessing in every part of life.

Adapted from ‘B’chol Nafshecha,’ courtesy of the Dirshu website.