Weekly Story: Chai Elul
by Rabbi Sholom Avtzon
I thank all those who davened for me. Boruch Hashem I am home and Bezras Hashem on the way to recovery.
Since I received a few requests to farbreng on Chai Elul and wasn’t able too, I will share a thought on Chai Elul. As always, your feedback is most appreciated.
As is well known, Chai Elul is the birthday of both the Baal Shem Tov and the Alter Rebbe. Therefore, if we are celebrating both of them, we should learn something from each one.
The Frierdiker Rebbe writes that the Baal Shem Tov’s neshoma is a gilgul (reincarnation) of a hidden tzaddik who lived in Tzfas. The obvious question is, if he was a hidden tzaddik and as the Frierdiker Rebbe notes of the highest accord, why did his neshoma have to return? Seemingly, he didn’t have anything that needed repair.
The explanation is, since Eliyahu Hanavi taught him the deepest secrets of the Torah, while he was living in this world, the purpose was that ultimately it should be revealed in this world. But due to the tzaddik’s humility, he continued his life as before, as a simple tailor who wasn’t learned. So, the world was missing out on this revelation of G-dliness, and the Baal Shem Tov was born to reveal it.
This teaches us an important lesson of how mitzvos can only be performed in this world and not in Olam Haba. As the Mishna states, “One moment teshuva and good deeds in this world, is better than eternity in Olam Habah.”
When the Alter Rebbe was born, the Baal Shem Tov instructed the Alter Rebbe’s father, who was his student, the tzaddik Reb Boruch, not to tell his son anything about him. “Your son will have to come to the ways of Chassidus on his own accord.” Reb Boruch was so careful in this guidance that when his fellow chassidim of the Baal Shem would visit him, they often would attempt to say a story or a thought of the Baal Shem Tov to the young boy. To their shock. Reb Boruch would chastise them saying, “Don’t tell him anything!”
Indeed, that is what happened. The Alter Rebbe came to the Maggid, but wasn’t impressed enough and left. He then realized that he left something behind and went to retrieve it. When he entered and heard how the Maggid was explaining a halacha, he was truly impressed and decided to remain. Only then did the Maggid reveal his essence to him.
However, we know that the Baal Shem Tov traveled extensively and did various actions to bring other tzaddikim to Chassidus. So why was it forbidden to do so with the Alter Rebbe? What was the difference?
The answer is that the Alter Rebbe had to teach a different approach in Avodas Hashem (how to serve Hashem).
All the other tzaddikim taught Chassidus Chagas (emotions.) That approach espouses the concept that the tzaddik inspires his Chassidim in all their actions. While Chassidus Chabad, which is the approach of the Alter Rebbe, emphasizes the necessity of the Chossid to toil and elevate himself. So obviously, the Alter wasn’t supposed to be inspired, it was to come from himself.
I would like to bring out this thought from a conversation I had with the Rebbe’s secretary, Reb Binyomin Klein.
I asked Reb Binyomin why in the first years of the Rebbe’s nesius, he instructed various chassanim, some who were in the middle of their sheva brochos, to move to a specific city? Some years later, people would request to go on shlichus, and the Rebbe gave them his brocha and approval. This then graduated to the Rebbe writing to those that asked that they should follow the advice of their friends.
Reb Binyomin replied, “What don’t you understand? In the beginning, the concept of Shlichus didn’t exist, so the Rebbe had to introduce it, and therefore he instructed those couples to go. But once it was introduced, he wanted it to come from the person’s initiative and not from the Rebbe, so he waited until a couple decided on their own, that we too desire to go on Shlichus. Once they requested, the Rebbe gave them his haskama and brocha (approval and blessing.) Later on, once it was becoming the norm, then it was completely upon Chassid to initiate and follow through, since Chabad demands your avodah.
May each one of you and Klal Yisroel be blessed with a kesiva vchasim tova, l’shana tova umesukah.
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
Mushkie
“due to the tzaddik’s humility, he continued his life as before, as a simple tailor who wasn’t learned. So, the world was missing out on this revelation of G-dliness, and the Baal Shem Tov was born to reveal it.”
Interesting, that the Besht himself was for many years hidden from the world, till he eventually revealed himself publicly.
Wouldn’t that ALSO require a tikun? For depriving the world?
Sholom Avtzon
The Baal Shem Tov was instructed by Reb Adam Baal Shem to reveal himself when he became 36 and he refused.Reb Adam then informed him that that was the only reaon his neshoma descended into this world. So he immediately agreed. So he reveLed hi.self at the apprpiate time.
Boychik
Firstly you have no right to question the Bal Shem. Secondly as far as I know the Bal SHem was told when to reveal himself, and not before that time. Thirdly it is a chutzpah to write that the Bal Shem needs a tikkun.
Bochur
In last week’s issue of Derher, article about Baal Shem Tov (part 2) it says that the Baal Shem Tov lost 6 years of his life because he at first refused to reveal himself (I think source id Freirdiker Rebbe).
Mushkie
“This then graduated to the Rebbe writing to those that asked that they should follow the advice of their friends.”
The same evolved with ALL questions, like medical or business or chinuch. First the Rebbe would answer but eventually it evolved to directing the questioner to ask the expert-mumcheh, friends-yedidim mayvinim or hanalah.
This was the Rebbe’s method to let us grow independently.
Sholom Avtzon
I don’t know when the Rebbe began answering on a steady basis to ask rofeh yedid and your Rov and Mashpia.
If it was after the Rebbetzins histalkus that was in order to bestow upon them the special siyata dishmaya to give the proper response.
Sholom Avtzon
Part 2
And sometimes you succeed and other times you toil to succeed.
But without a Rebbe you are trying to get out of the darkness and although you are sincere you have no knowledge what direction you should go.
Therefore the misnagdim turn to their Rosh Yeshiva.
Yanky
To grow independently is also an avoda atzmi. So you are saying the same think. Kind of. Maybe not as aidel but same point.
Boruch
“In the beginning, the concept of Shlichus didn’t exist, so the Rebbe had to introduce it, and therefore he instructed those couples to go. But once it was introduced, he wanted it to come from the person’s initiative and not from the Rebbe”
Mushkie is asking (1) it wasn’t just Shlichus, but ALL questions evolved? (2) Did medical issues or business questions also need to be first be”introduced”?
Sholom Avtzon
In reply to Yankie medical questions and other points were answered by the Rebbe but after the histalkus of the Rebbetzin the Rebbe bestowed the ability to respond to rabbonim mashpiim rofeh yedid and others
BMG
“Rebbe bestowed the ability to respond to rabbonim mashpiim rofeh yedid and others” – is this like Moshe bestowed of his spirit to the 70 zekeinim? Or is this like Shulchan Oruch says that a medical shaylah of pikuach nefesh is decided by a doctor? Or simply like the possuk says, “V’rapo yerapeh” mikan shenitna reshus l’rofeh l’rapos? Or is it simply common sense, like, don’t ask me, ask a Dr?!
Mushkie
“they often would attempt to say…a thought of the Baal Shem Tov to the young boy…Reb Boruch would chastise them saying, “Don’t tell him anything!”
If being a chosid is am obligation, like a mitzva, can a parent let a child wait till he grows up and chooses on his own according to keep mitzvos?!
Isn’t part if chinuch also to give a chassidish chinuch?
May a parent today act like Reb Boruch??
Sholom Avtzon
Obviously not. However if you recieve that guidance from your Rebbe as a chossid you listen to him even though it is perplexing to you
anonymous
You missed the point – “When the Alter Rebbe was born, the Baal Shem Tov instructed the Alter Rebbe’s father, who was his student, the tzaddik Reb Boruch, not to tell his son anything about him.”
It was a special horaah to Reb Boruch directly from Baal Shem Tov.
It wasn’t a normal chinuch instruction to use on other children.
Mushkie
Does this mean that Reb Boruch did not give his son, the future Alter Rebbe, a chassidishe chinuch? That as a child, he wasn’t told any chassidic thoughts or customs? How sad!! And as a child (and even as an adult), he never realized on his own that his father and the chassidic visitors are chassidim???
Sholom Avtzon
Concerning your back up question we know that theAlter Rebbe learned by his uncle the tzDdik Reb Yosef Yitzchock a d the Frierdiker Rebbe states that he taught teachings ofthe all the Baal Shem Tov without noting its source.
SiImiarly obviously Reb Boruchs conduct influenced his son but he didn’t know this is darkei hachassidus or that the thoughts he taught him were chassidus
Mushkie
“Chabad demands your avodah.”
Misnagdim say similarly, that a person can daven for his needs – without a Rebbe; a person can grow spiritually – without a Rebbe.
They claim, by doing our own avodah, we can achieve. Therefore, they say, who needs a Rebbe?
Can you explain: Chabad demands per own avodah, yet the Rebbe also has input in our avodah? How so?
Sholom Avtzon
On the possuk vayish.a Yosro chassidim asked is it that only Yisro heard the entire world heard, as stated in Oz Yushir?
But Yisro had a Rebbe and therefore his hearing led to action.
A chossid once asked the Alter Rebbe why does my friend daven everyday and I can’t?
He replied your friend is not davening! His Rebbe Reb Chailel is davening within him. But you are attempting to daven on your own
Sholom Avtzon
Part 3 So you may ask what is the difference?
I recently heard from a chossid that his father informed him.that he leaves zohar from someone.
The Rebbe replies we only learn zohar from one who learned it from Eliyahu Hanavi.
Rabbi
The Rebbe helps us get koach to do the avodah. Similar in tefilah was ask hachzireinu b’teshuva, even though teshuva is our own avodah and bechira, we still need Hashem’s help. vdal.
Mushkie
“But Yisro had a Rebbe and therefore his hearing led to action.”
1. How do we know that Yisro considered Moshe his Rebbe? He criticized Moshe was not delegating others to answers the Nation’s questions. He didn’t listen when Moshe begged him to remain with the Bnei Yisroel, instead he chose to leave.
2. Yisro heard and it led him to action (others didn’t) – where does having a Rebbe come into it?
Sholom Avtzon
To your follow up qwestin Moshe was a gilgul of noach as the Mabel is sometimes referred as mei noach and Moshe Rabbeibu rectified that by saying micheine which are the same 4 letters as mei noach.sojust becausei don’t know why each tzaddik s eshoma returned it was in order to rectify or enhance his mission
Mushkie
Rabbi Avtzon, if you were unable to farb on Chai Ellul, you remain in debt and can pay up by farbrengening here online with your wise and insightful replies.
old chosid
Malkie,
I am probably old enough to be your grandparent, so listen to my little bit of advice: You need a mashpah. Forget these online farbrengens or asking for one-size-fits-all answers. You need a mashpah for custom-tailored guidance to your machshova dibur and maaseh. Someone that understands you as an individual. You should listen to me, but when I was your age, I also thought I knew it all.
Mushkie
The entire question of why does a tzaddik return as a gilgul seems off. Many tzaddikim returned as a gilgul:
David HaMelech’s soul is from the soul of Moshe. (Or HaChayim
Vayechi) Shlomo was gilgul in the Yirmeyahu, also Rabbi Tarfon. Hillel
haZaken is a gilgul of Shlomo. He never became angry. Hillel is also
a gilgul of David…
So we see that MANY great tzaddikim returned as a gilgul???
Mushkie
Thank you Rabbi Avtzon for giving us these weekly stories that inspire and open discussions among my friends and here online. We missed the stories during the last few weeks. Welcome back. I know it takes loads of time to write up the stories and to find time to respond to comments, which adds so much wisdom, during this busy time of the year of selichos, yom yov, your personal health…thank you
Bochur
Mushkie, if you realize the selfless efforts made by R’ Avtzon to put out these stories, you wouldn’t bug him for his time by demanding answers to your questions and comments. Your questions are really good but they require loads of time to answer (in the 400 character limit! LOL). A short answer takes more time to writer than a long one. I think you are expecting too much from R’ Avtzon’s time.
Chosid
Bochur, you say that Mushkie shouldn’t bug Rabbi A. I ask you, is ok to bug the Rebbe (who is also very busy) with all your questions and requests? Better yet, I ask you, is it ok to bug Hashem (who is certainly “busy”) with all the silly requests? Nor vos, dos iz vos de Rebbe un Oibeshter vil. And from a chosid like Rabbi A ken men monem.
Derher
One shabbos mevorchim I davened a little longer than usual and the minyan was long over. My zeide was farbrenging, and he noticed that I was still davening. He shouted to me, “mendel, herr uf mutchen Der bashefer mit dyna narishe bakoshos un kum mach em ah nachas ruach, lomir farbrengen” (stop bugging the Creator with your foolish needs, instead do something worthwhile, join the farbrengen).