THE REBBE: THE LIGHT OF SIXTY MYRIAD STARS

The message derived from this analogy, as it relates to Moshe Rabbeinu – as well as the “extension of Moshe in each generation,” including the Moshe of our generation, my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe – is that even now he is present and shines as before. Were we to go together with him, we would see that he shines in full force just as before. In fact, in an even more profound way. * Source materials compiled by Rabbi Majeski. (Translations appear in bold. Underlining is the author’s emphasis.)

Translated and presented by Boruch Merkur

Continuing the discussion of how not only does the Rebbe Rayatz live on but enlivens others as well, the Rebbe MH”M develops an analogy for this based on how the sun shines throughout the world, illuminating and bringing life to everything:

We may add to our discussion what is written in Igeres HaKodesh “about Moshe Rabbeinu, alav ha’shalom” (Biur Al Siman 27 [citing Zohar III 273a; see also ibid 216b]) – “that [even] after his p’tira his radiance shines, in each generation, to sixty myriad souls, as the sun shines from beneath the earth to sixty myriad stars.”

The Rebbe goes on to detail the manner by which the sun shines continuously, day and night. The sun shines directly upon the hemisphere that it faces but reaches the opposite hemisphere as well by way of the sixty myriad stars, for the light of the stars is also the sun’s light, shining at present [i.e., throughout the night] by way of the stars. That is, the stars do not only receive the light of the sun during the daytime, and now (at nighttime) the stars illuminate on their own. Rather, even the light that the stars emit at night is the light of the sun.

The message derived from this analogy, as it relates to Moshe Rabbeinu – as well as the “extension of Moshe in each generation,” including the Moshe of our generation, my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe – is that even now he is present and shines as before (like the way the sun is present and shines even during the hours of the night).

Were we to go together with him, we would see that he shines in full force just as before (in fact, in an even more profound way.) It is just that since he has ascended On High, continually ascending from one spiritual height to another, whereas (we have not gone with him) we have remained in our place, he is, therefore, not visible to us with the naked eye (just as the sun is not visible at night). Nevertheless, even in that [sublime] state, his light reaches all the Jewish people, who comprise, in general, the sixty myriad souls. And through these souls he illuminates throughout the world (as the sun shines from beneath the earth to sixty myriad stars – as we have said, the light of the sun itself shines by way of the stars).

(And even if we don’t perceive the Rebbe’s light shining, bear in mind the saying of the Rebbe Rashab, nishmaso Eden, discussed above (pg. 108) how the [very rudimentary] thought of the horse regarding hay does not negate the reality of the existence of angels!)

(Ibid 121-122)