MINCHA & GEULA

Dear Reader sh’yichyeh,

The Rebbe writes in the HaYom Yom 24 Elul: “There was a time when every word that one heard was a teaching, and every event that one saw was a directive for one’s Divine service and personal guidance.” This is true regarding anything we hear or see; how much more so for a chassidic teaching or saying that we learn or hear.

There is a nice vort that is recorded in the HaYom Yom, yet, when we learn the history and think about the lesson that we can take from it, it takes on a whole new meaning. The Rebbe writes (HaYom Yom 22 Adar 1): “The Alter Rebbe delivered the following teaching shortly after he arrived in Liozna: The Sages teach: ‘לעולם יהא אדם זהיר בתפילת המנחה — One should always be careful concerning the Afternoon Service.’ The Afternoon Service is superior to the Morning and Evening Services inasmuch as it is offered in the middle of the day, when people are busy and involved in their affairs, yet they interrupt them for the Afternoon Service. [On this basis, we can offer a non-literal interpretation of the above teaching of the Sages, phrase by phrase:] A person’s spiritual task in this world (לעולם) is to make his mind radiate and influence his emotive attributes (יהא אדם), so that his qualities will shine forth (זהיר).This means that one’s spiritual essence should overcome his materiality — and this is evident [when one prays] the Afternoon Service.”

The source for this HaYom Yom is a story in the periodical HaTamim (Vol. 8 pg. 42), where the Frierdike Rebbe retells the descriptions of elder Chassidim as told over by the famous Chassid Reb Gershon Dov: “On Tuesday, 21 Teves in the morning, while we were still davening, Reb Dov the melamed came and informed us that his grandfather, the chassid Reb Yitzchak Shaul, was sick. We therefore hurried to finish our prayers, and we went to visit him. In the meanwhile, the physician Reb Lipa had bled him. Thus, when we entered his room, he was feeling a little better. He prepared himself for prayer, and he davened in his usual fervent manner. After the prayer, he studied his usual lessons. In the evening we came to visit him again, and at his request I repeated the aforementioned discourse, ‘Thus said the L‑rd ….’ Then, we sat with him for several hours. The same thing happened on Wednesday evening. But when we stood up to depart, he suddenly fainted.

“When we managed to arouse him, and he finally opened his eyes, he inquired whether it was already daybreak. He explained that he wished to put on his t’fillin and daven, for he was in a hurry to travel to his home before Yom Tov — ‘מען דארף פארען אויף יום טוב א היים – We must reach home in time for the festival.’

“These words of his alarmed us; though his facial expression appeared normal, we feared that he was not in his right mind. But when we told him that it was still an hour before midnight, he washed his hands, recited Krias Shma in a melodious voice, and then fell asleep.

“At daybreak, he requested of his grandson Reb Dov Ber to hurry and change his shirt for a clean linen one. He then put on his tallis and t’fillin and davened for a long time with great fervor. However, because of his weakened condition, he had to interrupt the prayer several times. When we returned to him, he was already finished davening.

“Yosef Shalom: send for Shaul Leib, Peretz, Chayim Eliyah, and the other Chassidim,” said Reb Yitzchak Shaul. ‘I wish us to bid each other farewell before I journey home for Yom Tov. Meanwhile (he said to me), you — Gershon Dov — repeat the discourse ‘Thus said … I will give you …’ again. When I see your father, I will give him your regards, and tell him that you are traveling on the right road.’

“By the time all those who had been summoned were assembled (joined by many who had not been summoned), Reb Dov Ber the melamed’s house (where Reb Yitzchak Shaul lived) was filled to capacity. Reb Yitzchak Shaul then declared, ‘ברידער! איך פאהר אויף יום טוב א היים – Brothers! I am going home for the festival!’

“All the assembled people rubbed their eyes, having no idea what he was talking about. Only the elderly Reb Shaul Leib [understood, and] he said — in all sincerity — ‘Do you expect to get there for Yom Tov?’

“‘Certainly!’ replied Reb Yitzchak Shaul. ‘But first, I wish to daven Mincha. Don’t you remember what we heard from the mouth of the Holy of Holies — the Alter Rebbe — concerning the Mincha prayer?’ Abruptly, Reb Yitzchak Shaul rose from his prone position and sat up in bed. He asked for his hat and gartel, which he put on his head and around his waist. Then he said: ‘It is more than seventy-five years since we two — Reb Shaul Leib and I — heard the Alter Rebbe say, when he first came to Liozna …’

“(Here, Reb Yitzchak Shaul struggled to stand up, but was unable to do so. He remained seated in his place, and red blotches appeared in his snow-white face.) The Gemara says, ‘A man must always be scrupulous about the Mincha prayer.’ Now the supremacy of the Mincha prayer over the Shacharis and Maariv prayers stems from the fact that it is recited in the middle of the day, when people are busy and occupied with their private affairs. But they interrupt everything to daven Mincha.

“The perpetual avoda of a person in this world is to strive to be a man, i.e., his intellect must illuminate and control his emotions. The [Hebrew] word for scrupulous [about Mincha] also means to illuminate. This means that [spiritual] form must govern material substance. This can be discerned through the Mincha prayer.

“When Reb Yitzchak Shaul finished repeating the discourse (which he managed with great difficulty, because of his weakened state), he declared: ‘This evening will be the yahrtzait of our holy Rebbe. I beg you Chassidim not to spend too much time on the preparations [for my funeral]. Bury me in time, so that I will have a chance to immerse myself in the River of Fire, and still arrive at the yahrtzait celebration [in Gan Eden].’

“He then hurried to begin davening Mincha. Before Reb Yekusiel had a chance to finish reciting the last Kaddish, we suddenly heard Reb Yitzchak Shaul reciting, ‘Shma Yisroel A-donai Elo-heinu A-donai Echad!’ Then, with a glow on his face, he surrendered his soul to its Creator, in perfect serenity and complete faith.

“With powerful tears, all those who stood by responded ‘Blessed be the Name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever!’ They then repeated Shma Yisroel and the other verses [usually recited on such an occasion].The news of the passing of the elderly Chassid Reb Yitzchak Shaul spread like lightning. Huge crowds, from all corners of town, immediately began to stream toward the home of his grandson, Reb Dov Ber the melamed.

“The heads of the Chevra Kadisha arrived, and they decided to allocate a place of honor for him in the cemetery. There was snow on the ground and the earth was frozen. Nevertheless, the elderly Reb Shaul Leib and Reb Yosef Shalom urged the young members of the chassidic community to hurry the job [of digging the grave], so that Reb Yitzchak Shaul’s final request could be fulfilled to perfection.

“By the time we returned to town, it was already late at night, and we all went immediately to the shul. We spent the whole night there, as each of the elders repeated things he had heard from the Chassid Reb Yitzchak Shaul, and they shared fond memories of him.”

Dear Chassidim sh’yichyu!

The message of this HaYom Yom about the specialty of the prayer of Mincha is a very timely message. In the month of Elul, right before the sunset of the year, we are all “holding by the Mincha prayer.” We need to make sure to utilize every day and moment of this special month to make a Cheshbon Ha’nefesh on the past and to prepare ourselves for the Kabbalas HaMalchus of Rosh HaShana. This is the time when our T’fillos can be and will be answered, like Eliyahu HaNavi.

On a macro level, our generation exists at the sunset of galus as we prepare for the Geula. This is the time, the time of Mincha, to daven to Hashem to answer our prayers and send us Eliyahu HaNavi to share the good tidings of the Geula. In this special time, all our focus needs to be on bringing the Geula. This is our only remaining shlichus: To prepare ourselves and the world around us for the coming of Moshiach!

L’chaim! K’siva Va’chasima Tova!

Rabbi Avtzon is the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati and a well sought after speaker and lecturer. Recordings of his in-depth shiurim on Inyanei Geula u’Moshiach can be accessed at http://www.ylcrecording.com