Weekly Story: You Have the Ability

by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon

In honor of the upcoming kinus hashuluchim, I am publicizing two statements that the Rebbe told Reb Berel V. in a yechidus.

Reb Berel was an accomplished melamed, he was loved by his young students and they enjoyed learning in his class. However, he and the administration had their differences, and it came to a point that they both presented their thoughts about the other to the Rebbe.

The administration informed the Rebbe that notwithstanding his talents and contributions, there were certain aspects in his conduct that they felt were counterproductive, and therefore they were not going to rehire him for the following year. One example of his misconduct was; every class has a time for Lunch and recess, however, he sometimes dismisses his class fifteen minutes earlier or could skip a recess entirely, or dismiss them for lunch a half hour later than scheduled and it is disruptive to the orderliness of the entire school.

The Rebbe replied he would like to discuss it first with Reb Berel, as perhaps he can help him make the necessary adjustment to everyone’s satisfaction. The administration happily accepted this offer, for after all he was an excellent teacher, if it wouldn’t be for his few quirks. Some weeks later during Reb Berel’s yechidus, the Rebbe said to him; Reb Berel, are you aware of the hanhalah’s (administrations) complaints against you?

Reb Berel responded that he is. The Rebbe then asked, Are there any merits in their complaints? Once again he replied in the affirmative.

So, the Rebbe asked, If they are correct, why don’t you make the necessary adjustments?

To this he replied, Ich kein nisht (I can’t change my nature)!

The Rebbe said, “Do it for me.”

He replied, If the Rebbe instructs me to jump off the roof, I will do so. However, if the Rebbe instructs me to jump from the ground to the roof, as much as I would like to fulfill the Rebbe’s desire, it is an impossibility and can’t be done, and so is this, I have tried in the past to no avail.

The Rebbe replied, “If the Rebbeim ask an individual to jump onto the roof, they are giving him the ability and he can do so. [Inferring, and you too have been given the ability to make these adjustments.]”

***

I heard this story some weeks ago from Reb Nissan Mangel at a farbrengen, who said he heard it directly from Reb Berel and I repeated it to Reb Berel’s grandson (who carries his name), in order to verify it and attain additional details about it. He informed me, that he didn’t hear about this yechidus, but heard of another yechidus connected with his grandfather and the hanhalah, with a different insight:

Reb Berel mentioned to the Rebbe that he and the administration come from different countries and their outlook on chinuch often clashes. From his perspective, they are not as dedicated as they should be in certain aspects and the Rebbe should instruct them to make some changes or…!

The Rebbe smiled and said, “Reb Berel, what do you want? You want me to create people with sefer yetzira (book of creation)?!”

The grandson continued, that his grandfather felt that the Rebbe didn’t say I can’t create (or at least change) a person; rather he was implying that he could, but he wants it to be our avodah and as the Rebbe stated on numerous occasions, he works with those who he has.

***

Shluchei Kodesh, The Rebbe has you, and gives you abilities you don’t realize you possess. Be matzliach, fulfill the mission and may we all merit to be with the Rebbe with the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, even before the Kinus.

Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech in the United Lubavitch Yeshiva and is available to farbreng in your community. He can be reached at avtzonbooks@gmail.com.