TALK OF HISKASHRUS: CONNECTING TO THE SOURCE OF LIFE

May Hashem yisbarech help that we will not need to rely on “let us render [for] bulls [the offering of] our lips.” Rather, the Rebbe himself, the Rebbe shlita, should lead us to greet Moshiach Tzidkeinu. * Source materials compiled by Rabbi Shloma Majeski. Translations appear in bold; underlining is the emphasis of the compiler.

Translated and presented by Boruch Merkur

The Rebbe, the Moshe Rabbeinu of the generation, heals the soul in a way that far surpasses doctors, healers of the body. A doctor can only cure illnesses that affect the circulation of vitality throughout the body; they cannot rehabilitate the life-force itself. A Rebbe, on the other hand, can channel essential life-force to a person, where lacking.

Following this discussion, the Rebbe MH”M goes on to speak about connecting to this source of life, developing and strengthening hiskashrus to the Rebbe:

With regard to having hiskashrus to the Rebbe, speaking about it has benefit, as expressed in the verse, “let us render [for] bulls [the offering of] our lips” (Hosheia  14:3).

May Hashem יתברך help that we will not need to rely on “let us render [for] bulls [the offering of] our lips.” Rather, the Rebbe himself, the Rebbe shlita, should lead us to greet Moshiach Tzidkeinu.*

(From the address of Shabbos Parshas VaYakhel, Toras 
Menachem 5711, pg. 274)

***

Perhaps shedding some light on this topic, elaborating on the power of speech, the text includes a footnote here:

*In the course of the farbrengen – though it is not recalled what it was in reference to – the Rebbe shlita said the following: My revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, told a story (Seifer HaSichos 5698, pg. 251) about a Chassid [in Czarist Russia] who was returning from a farbrengen and encountered a police officer, who asked him, “Who goes there?” The Chassid answered, “Bittul goes.” This Chassid was returning from a farbrengen where they had spoken about creation ex nihilo, his’havos yesh mei’ayin, as well as the concept of bittul, self-nullification, the negation of ego. The mystical talk at the farbrengen affected him to the point that he transcended his sense of self, perceiving how all is nullified [that nothing exists other than G-d]. These thoughts so penetrated him that he answered the police officer (who had asked him “Who goes there?”), “bittul goes.” And the officer, who was a Gentile, heard “bittul goes” [and left it at that]! 

Parenthetically, the Rebbe revisited this story years later in greater detail, deriving from it the lesson that a Jew has the power to reveal in himself the Yechida, the highest dimension of the soul. The revelation of the Yechida grants the Jew – even amidst the darkness of exile – the power to stand up to the goy and tell him, “before you goes bittul to the Alm-ghty Himself!” Here is the text of the story:

In a small Russian city, Chassidim sat at a Chassidishe farbrengen. At this farbrengen, the concept of bittul was discussed, bittul ha’yesh la’ayin, bittul b’metzius, etc. On the way home (after the farbrengen), as they walked, the Chassidim continued to speak about the topics discussed in the farbrengen – the concept of bittul, etc.

Since the farbrengen had ended in the wee hours of the night (for the Chassidim didn’t have their eyes on the clock to be conscious of the late hour, to see whether the farbrengen had continued until a certain time or if it would drag on an additional half-hour), their walking in the street late at night, amidst song and conversation, etc., aroused the suspicion of the Russian police officer, who was making his rounds at the time in the city.

The officer of the small Russian city, saw himself as the boss of the entire town, knowing that, in this place, he is in agency of the Czar. Therefore, when he heard men traversing the streets at a late hour of the night and speaking out loud, in a language he did not understand, this aroused his suspicion: who knows what they are saying and what their intentions are, etc. And so he called out to them: “Who goes there?!”

One of the Chassidim knew a bit of Russian, though he was not entirely fluent, and he answered the officer, “Bittul goes!”

It would appear that this Chassid did not know how to translate the word “bittul” into the Russian language (or he did not see it proper to translate it into Russian). On the other hand, it was necessary to address the officer’s question and to answer truthfully, so as not to enrage the officer who held himself in such high esteem and importance – “in agency of the Czar.” And if he did not properly engage the officer, who knows what could happen to him, etc. Therefore the Chassid answered him truthfully: “Bittul goes!”

(The Rebbe shlita smiled and said) the Gentile did not know what “bittul” means etc., but he didn’t enquire further, thinking that you don’t ask questions about Jews. If they don’t believe in “such and such a person” [i.e., Christianity], it is no wonder that they would answer in a manner that is “not normal”! On the other hand, since he had received an answer to his question, he let them go on their way.

(1st day of Rosh Chodesh MarCheshvan 5748; Hisvaaduyos 5748 Vol. 1, pg. 329-330)

Following this story, the Rebbe goes on to describe how, by writing a letter in a seifer Torah, a Jew draws vitality to himself (reminiscent of what the Rebbe said about hiskashrus).