Weekly Story: Thoughts

by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon

Since this Shabbos is Gimmel Tammuz, I decided to post the following thoughts, some of which I will be mentioning on Shabbos.

Since the upcoming Frierdiker Rebbe’s biography will be around one thousand pages in two volumes, I was asked by numerous people how many volumes would the biography on the Rebbe be?! And I reply just a few hundred. 

Seeing their facial expressions of “how is that possible” I explain that it would be impossible to write about every aspect of the Rebbe’s life, so all I will attempt is to write about the uniqueness of a Rebbe and especially our Rebbe.

With that said, I am posting the following; it is mainly geared to our children who are connected to the Rebbe even though they have not met or seen him physically. Your feedback is always appreciated.

Dear Mendy,

You and your friends have heard many wondrous stories of the Rebbe. While stories strengthen the Emunah and the Rebbe himself encouraged Chassidim to relate stories about tzaddikim, in Chabad the Rebbe was always higher than the story. 

In Chassidic terminology, a story reveals some of his abilities, while ‘Rebbe’ is his essence and a person’s essence is much greater than all of his abilities.

But the problem then becomes, how can one try to explain the Rebbe’s essence? We have no understanding of that level.

However, I can repeat what I heard from eltere chassidim years ago and I feel that it is important to reflect on it.

Years ago Reb Avrohom Drizin (commonly referred to as Reb Avrohom M’yor) farbrenged in a Litvishe yeshiva and he addressed the students saying, “Many of you don’t understand why the derech Eretz and hadras kovod that chassidim have for their Rebbe is way beyond the derech Eretz and hadras kovod given to the Rosh Yeshiva? Aren’t they both gedolim?”

Reb Avrohom then extolled the greatness of the Rosh Yeshiva. “Your Rosh Yeshiva is renowned for his penetrating pilpulim. He is a tremendous baal mechadesh (bringing new insights into the topic learned), his innovative explanations put him in a class shared by a rare few. On top of this, his devotion and dedication to each and every student is phenomenal. It goes without saying that he deserves your greatest respect.

“But,” continued Reb Avrohom, “your Rosh Yeshiva is not the only one you hold in high esteem. There is also the Rov of this community. Even if he is not as scholarly as the Rosh Yeshiva in his power of pilpul, who can equal his clarity in all four parts of the Shulchan Aruch? As everyone knows, his halachic decisions are relied upon by Jews throughout the world. In fact, Rabbonim from all communities turn to him with their most challenging questions. Who doesn’t have tremendous respect for him as well?

“At the same time, let us not forget the Mashgiach of the Yeshiva. His yiras shomayim serves as an inspiration to all. Just by observing his conduct, one is motivated to improve oneself. When he speaks, the words come from the depths of his heart and enter the hearts of all his listeners, arousing them to improve themselves. There isn’t a person who doesn’t have the deepest affection for him.

However,” continued Reb Avrohom, “this respect isn’t limited only towards giants in Torah. How about the wealthy person who almost single-handedly supports this wonderful makom Torah and its students? Then as all of you know, there is the tremendous machnis orach whose house is open to all. You call him the tzaddik of the town, for no matter what time of the day it is, he is helping someone with food, advice, or a kind word.

Then there is the communal activist who gives up from both his business and personal time for the sake of the community. To all the people whom I have just mentioned, you have the utmost respect and rightfully so. After all, each one is the gadol in his field.

Now, concluded Reb Avrohim, “there is an individual whose greatness in Torah is not limited to one aspect or area of the Torah, but is equally unsurpassed in every aspect of the Torah; a person whose yiras shomayim is fully apparent in every detail of his life, without a moment wasted. At the same time, he is totally devoted to (and has time for) every Jew, not only in the communal sense but in the individual sense as well. When he speaks to you, you feel as if nothing else is important to him at that moment, there is only you and your particular situation. His humility is so great that he shuns all honors and does not conduct himself as if he is above another in any way.

“In all these aspects, and many others, he is the greatest gadol of the generation. Is there then a question why our respect for the Rebbe is way beyond that accorded to other gedolei Yisroel?!”

While this gives an insight of the greatness of the Rebbe, it does not describe the essence of the Rebbe. Rather it says that he is multi-talented and a master in all of them.

The Alter Rebbe writes in Tanya that our forefathers were a merkava (chariot) to Elokus. Just as a chariot has no desire of its own, and it goes only where its master desires, so too the Avos had no desire of their own, their only desire was to fulfill Hashem’s desire.

This explains a saying that is attributed to the Satmar Rov.

Either after the Rebbe went to be Menachem (comfort) him after the passing of his daughter, or after he came to Menachem the Rebbe after the petira of the Rebbe’s mother, Rebbetzin Chana, one of his attendants said in bewilderment “The Lubavitcher Rebbe has a tremendous memory, he doesn’t forget a thing!”

The Satmar Rov replied, “It isn’t that he has a tremendous memory. He remembers everything because he is connected to Hashem-Kiseh HaKovod. We say in davening Ein Shikcha lifnei Kiseh Kivideicho – There is no forgetfulness by Your holy Throne.

The Possuk says, Hashem created forgetfulness for a person. However, one who is connected to Hashem doesn’t have that “gift”, so automatically he remembers everything.”

This explains the numerous stories that are published about people who are amazed that after not seeing the Rebbe for numerous years, and the Rebe has met with tens of thousands of other individuals, when the person meets the Rebbe again, he continues their conversation as if he had just had it, despite the tremendous break in time between.

That is as noted, because the Rebbe is connected to Hashem and therefore forgetting about something wasn’t part of his life.

As great as this is, it still doesn’t define Rebbe, as in all probability this concept would apply to the thirty-six hidden tzaddikim as well.

After the histalkus of the Frierdiker Rebbe, our Rebbe explained (based on what the Alter Rebbe writes in Tanya) that Rebbe is an acronym of Rosh Bnei Yisroel, the head of the Jewish people. Just as by an individual, the head feels every limb of the body and supplies it with its nourishment, so too a Rebbe feels the pain and suffering as well as the joy and happiness of every Jew.

This explains the many stories of the Rebbe sending someone to help an individual Jew, who cried out to Hashem. Yes we can easily say that the Rebbe with his Ruach Hakodesh heard that Jews cry and because of his Ahavas Yisroel helped him. However, that would be saying that the Rebbe and that Jew are actually separate, but became united through an action.

Chassidus explains that the head is connected to the entire body, and every Jew is part of that body. So the Rebbe felt that person’s pain, just as the head feels the pain in his arm or toe.

Gimmel Tammuz is a day we all reflect on our hiskashrus. The Rebbe is there for every Jew, and he is definitely there for those who learn his Torah (teachings) and fulfill his directives. May he all strengthen our hiskashrus and merit to be united with the Rebbe, with the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu.

This weeks post is in honor of the birth of my grandson, baby Schwei. May his parents raise him L’Torah, ul’Chuppa ul’maasim tovim.

Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and the author of numerous books on the Rebbeim and their chassidim. He can be contacted at avtzonbooks@gmail.com