Dear Reader sh’yichyeh
There is a fascinating letter of the Frierdike Rebbe, which is the source of three separate quotes in the HaYom Yom, which was written on 25 Nissan 5698 (Igros Vol. 4 pg. 340). It is a letter written to Rabbi S. Rein who was a Shochet in his city. He was a Tamim and was blessed with many talents.
He wrote to the Frierdike Rebbe that he reviews a Maamer in shul every Shabbos and he also gives a shiur on Gemara and Mishnayos. The Frierdike Rebbe was pleased, but reminded him of what the Rebbe Maharash answered someone in Yechidus: “If good is good, is better not better?”
The Frierdike Rebbe quantifies: “Every individual is required to serve G‑d according to his nature and spiritual level. A person who can pierce pearls or polish gems, yet occupies himself with baking bread, is considered to have sinned, even though this too is a much-needed task. The parallels to this in our Divine service are obvious.” (HaYom Yom 25 Nissan)
“You are one of the talented products of Tomchei T’mimim. The Rebbe Rashab spoke a few times highly of you and had high hopes that wherever you are, you will create an atmosphere of Chassidim, as befitting one of the elite T’mimim.”
The Frierdike Rebbe continues with a story: “The Rebbe Rashab once asked a melamed in yechidus: Do you have a set time to learn chassidus with your community on Shabbos and the weekday?”
The Chassid responded that the community members were Yerei Shamayim and Chassidim, but they do not have a desire and enjoyment in learning Chassidus. Hence, they only learn on Shabbos. The Rebbe Rashab responded: “For what purpose were you brought from a suburb of Vilna to this city near Cherson? If it was just to teach children, Hashem could have provided students in your city! Have you internalized that Hashem directs the steps of man for an inner purpose?”
The Rebbe Rashab continued (HaYom Yom of Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan): ““From the time the Holy One, blessed be He, told Avraham, ‘Go forth from your land,’ and thereafter ‘Avram journeyed on, continuing to travel southward,’ the mystical mission of birurim began. [This term signifies the task of sifting materiality, and elevating the Divine sparks that are embedded within all permissible entities and activities, by using them with spiritual purpose.] Propelled by the decree of Sublime Providence, a person travels to the place where the sparks that are destined to be elevated by him await their redemption. Tzaddikim, being gifted with vision, can perceive where ‘their’ sparks await them, and proceed there of their own accord. For common people, by contrast, the Cause of all causes and the Prime Mover sets in motion a train of events and circumstances that will bring an individual to the particular place where he is duty-bound to fulfill his specific tasks of sifting materiality and elevating its sparks.”
The Frierdike Rebbe continues (HaYom Yom 5 Nissan): “The Sages teach: ‘It is not a person’s place that enhances his honor [kavod]; it is the person that enhances the honor of his place.’
“On this teaching my revered grandfather, the Rebbe [Maharash], commented: ‘There are two ways to understand the word kavod: Its three root-letters spell kaved, which means a liver. The same word appears in the phrase, kaved lev Pharaoh, where it means that “Pharaoh’s heart has become stubborn” (lit., ‘heavy’). In the interpretation of the Sages, “His heart [which ought to be warmly responsive to spirituality] has become [spiritually insensitive] like a liver.”
“‘The other meaning of kavod is ‘honor,’ which [in Kabbalistic terms] signifies the revelation of a transcendent light from a lofty Divine source. Considering these two meanings, the above teaching of the Sages can be perceived [on a non-literal, mystical level] as intimating the following message: A person’s place, his environment, [should] not [weigh him down and] cool his ardor; rather, every individual has the power to illuminate his environment with the light of the Torah and Divine service.
“‘[And indeed,] before every soul descends into the body, an oath is administered to it: “Be righteous!” [Now, the root of the verb mashbi’im (“an oath is administered”) is virtually identical with the root of the verb masbi’im (“one causes [him] to be sated”). ] By this oath, the soul is fully empowered to fulfill the purpose of its descent. And the same is true of every individual, wherever he may be.’”
The Frierdike Rebbe finishes: “After these holy words that the Rebbe Rashab told this chassidishe melamed, all other words and explanation are superfluous. Anyone who not only understands these holy and living words but feels these words understands that it is just up to them to put their mind to the mission how to actualize that he will be able to make his surroundings a Chassidishe atmosphere. He should beseech Hashem that Hashem should have mercy and give him the strength to bring these good resolutions from its theory to actuality. This will also give you brachos for all good in all spiritual and physical matters.”
Dear Chassidim sh’yichyu!
There is great news! The journey of avodas habirurim, started by Avraham Avinu, has baruch Hashem come to an end! The Rebbe stated clearly (VaYishlach 5752; Besuras HaGeula chapter 51): “The ‘deeds and Divine service’ of all the Jewish people throughout the generations brought about the culmination and perfection of all aspects of refinement to the world, within the parameters of the world, as my sainted father-in-law was able to publicize, that all aspects of the Divine service have been completed. This includes ‘polishing the buttons,’ and everything is ready for the coming of Moshiach.
“In particular, this process was affected by the revelation of the teachings of Chassidus on the 19th of Kislev, which was the principal beginning of ‘your wellsprings will spread farther outward.’ From that time onward, the dissemination has progressively increased through our Rebbeim and leaders from generation to generation until the leadership of my sainted father-in-law, through whom the wellsprings spread to the farthest corners of the world.
“It follows then that now, as long as our righteous Moshiach delays his coming (for utterly incomprehensible reasons), our Divine service is no longer one of “refinement” (since we have already concluded and perfected the service of refinement), but one unique to bringing the revelation into reality in the world.”
Many will ask: How is it possible that the avodas habirurim is over, if when I look around I see so much more to be done?
It is a very good question. The answer is that we are going through a “repeat” of what transpired when the Jewish people left Mitzrayim.
When the Yidden crossed the Yam-Suf, they saw great miracles of Hashem and sang the famous “Az Yashir” song. The Torah then tells us (14:22): “Moshe led Israel away from the Red Sea, and they went out into the desert of Shur; they walked for three days in the desert but did not find water.” Rashi comments: “He led them away against their will, for the Egyptians had adorned their steeds with ornaments of gold, silver, and precious stones, and the Israelites were finding them in the sea. The plunder at the sea was greater than the plunder in Egypt, as it is said: ‘We will make you rows of gold with studs of silver.’ (Song of Songs 1:11) Therefore, he had to lead them against their will.”
The obvious question here is: The Yidden should have been so inspired by the miracles of Krias Yam-Suf and by the fact that they were going to receive the Torah, that the gold and precious stones on the Egyptians should have been worthless in their eyes! How could they have been so enamored with materialism after experiencing such Divine and earth-shattering miracles?
The Rebbe (Likkutei Sichos Vol. 21 pg. 77) explains: The Yidden were not attracted to the material items out of greed and avarice, but rather for a spiritual purpose. They knew that they had an Avoda of Birurim in Mitzrayim and when they were liberated they had assumed that that Avoda was complete. But when they saw more Egyptian spoils, they thought that perhaps it was their job to elevate the new spoils too. To this Moshe responded that contrary to their assumptions, the Avoda for birurim (of the Egyptians) was already complete and that their focus had to shift to receiving the Torah.
The analogy is self-evident.
Does that mean that we should stop working on ourselves? Absolutely not! In the words of the Rebbe (Noach 5752): “Even though a person recognizes his own personal deficiencies that need correction, this doesn’t contradict, G-d forbid, the testimony of the leader of our generation that we have already completed the Divine Service and stand ready to greet our righteous Moshiach. This is because the Jewish people’s collective Divine Service over the course of the generations, required during the time of exile to bring the complete Redemption (which depends on our ‘deeds and service during the entire period of exile’) has been concluded and perfected.
“There is absolutely no explanation or reason for the delay of the Redemption. Therefore, even if an individual’s Divine service is lacking over the course of time that the Redemption has been delayed, this is a personal matter that certainly needs to be corrected and completed. But this does not diminish, G-d forbid, the completion and perfection of ‘our actions and service’ of the Jewish people as a whole, which stands ready for the Redemption. The very fact that the collective has been perfected allows the individual to correct himself easier and with joy, knowing that the true and complete Redemption is coming imminently.”
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