Weekly Story: The Ushpizin
Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon
Last year I wrote a thought the Rebbe said about the connection of each of the Ushpizin and the Chassididhe ushpizin that corresponds with them. This year I am posting a story about each one of the chassidishe Ushpizin. The first night about the Baal Shem Tov, the second night for the maggid, etc. Bezras Hashem in the middle of Chol Hamoed I will continue it and on Hoshana Raba I will conclude it.
As always your feedback is always appreciated.
The Baal Shem Tov
THE “SECRET” MEETING
Some of the Baal Shem Tov’s opponents decided that they must stop the Besht and his movement. They would accomplish this by issuing a powerful ban (cherem) against him. So that no one would obstruct their plans, it was agreed that the 250 Rabbonim involved would meet at a secret location. In addition, they all swore not to reveal their plans to anyone and to conceal when and where the meeting would be taking place.
The night of the meeting arrived, and all of the participants made their way to the designated spot. After giving the guards a prearranged password, they were allowed admission.
As the meeting was about to begin, one of the guards came in and announced: “Honored Rabbonim, I am sorry to inform you that a terrible mistake has occurred. There are only supposed to be 250 Rabbonim present; however, according to our count, 251 people gave us the password. There is someone here who was not invited!”
Shocked by this announcement, everyone wondered who the extra person was.
Furthermore, since all those involved were sworn to secrecy, how did he find out about the meeting?!
Visibly shaken, one of the organizers arose and said: “With the power of the Torah, the Beis Din demands that the uninvited guest announce himself and reveal to us why he is here.”
Everyone was quiet as they witnessed one person arise without any hesitation. “My name is Yisroel ben Eliezer,” he said. “I am the person against whom you are planning to establish a ban. However, you should know that the manner in which you are doing this is against Torah law. The Torah states that one is not allowed to judge someone unless the judgment is made in his presence. It also states that the judges must conduct a thorough investigation. Yet, here we have 250 distinguished Rabbonim who are ready to judge me severely both in my absence and without questioning my accusers!”
The Rabbonim were clearly embarrassed; what the Besht claimed was indeed true. One of them stood up and said: “Please tell us one thing. How did you find out about our meeting? Who broke the vow and informed you?”
“No one broke the vow, and no one here told me about it,” replied the Besht. “Your plans were revealed to me from Heaven, so that I could come and prevent such great Rabbonim as yourselves from transgressing Torah law. Furthermore, you should know that you, the 250 Rabbonim present, are gilgulim of the 250 great leaders who joined Korach in his fight against Moshe Rabbeinu. If I don’t stop you before you carry out your plans, the outcome will be as terrible as then!”
Upon hearing these words, all of the Rabbonim trembled. The meeting was duly canceled, and many of those present went home ashamed of their actions.
Before the Besht left, a Rov named Rav Moshe Ostrer approached him and said: “I see that you are a Getliche mentch [a G-dly person]. I have with me here a commentary I published on Shir Hashirim that I am about to send for binding. I would be extremely grateful if you would look it over.”
The Besht took the sefer and leafed through it for a few seconds. He then returned it and said, “Your commentary is excellent. However, you explained every possuk except for one of the pesukim that discuss the words arugas habosem.”
The person was doubly shocked. How could the Besht claim to have read the entire sefer, which was over a hundred pages long, in less than a minute? And furthermore, he knew he had explained every possuk, including that one. So he replied, “I did explain that possuk.”
“Please show me your explanation on that possuk,” said the Besht. The author turned to the proper page, but, to his bewilderment, his thoughts on that possuk were missing. Evidently, the printer had misplaced that sheet. Now there was no question in his mind that he was dealing with a Getliche mentch.
Humbly, he asked, “What shall I do about it?”
The Besht advised him to name his commentary Arugas Habosem, after these two words mentioned in that possuk.
1 . Compiler’s note: In other words, it was already printed but was not yet bound. (In those days, printing and binding were often done separately, and some people would purchase unbound copies, which were cheaper than bound ones.)
2 . Compiler’s note: These words are mentioned twice in Shir Hashirim, in 5:13 and 6:2. It is not known to which possuk the Besht was referring, as in subsequent printings the missing page was inserted.
The Maggid of Mezeritch
“NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU ARE THE SUCCESSOR!”
A year after the Baal Shem Tov’s passing/histalkus, the Maggid became his successor.
Most of his fellow colleagues immediately accepted him as Rebbe. However, three students of the Baal Shem Tov did not submit themselves totally to the Maggid. Although they too would visit the Maggid, they came as chaveirim (colleagues), not as talmidim (students).
These three tzaddikim were Rav Yaakov Yosef of Polna’ah (who published the first sefer on Chassidus 1 and, until the Maggid became the Baal Shem Tov’s talmid, was presumed to be the Baal Shem Tov’s future successor), Rav Pinchos Koritzer, and Rav Michel Zlotchover.
During one of Rav Yaakov Yosef’s visits to the Maggid, he asked him: “What do you know about our holy Rebbe the Baal Shem Tov that I don’t know? I believe I understand the reason behind his every conduct!”
“Do you know why the Baal Shem Tov had two towels in his room, one on each post of his bed?” asked the Maggid.
“I actually never paid attention to that,” replied Rav Yaakov Yosef. “Please tell me.”
“I was curious to discover the reason for this detail,” the Maggid began. “So one Erev Shabbos, when the shammes accompanied our Rebbe to the mikvah, I entered his holy room and hid under the bed.
“When the Baal Shem Tov returned from the mikvah, he entered the room and looked around to make sure that everything was in order. He then instructed the shammes to leave. After locking the door, the Baal Shem Tov once again looked around. Although he felt something was amiss, he didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary, so he continued with his preparations.
“Our holy master then wrapped each hand in one of the towels and began experiencing aliyas haneshamah, a spiritual ascent to the supernal realms.
1 . The name of this sefer is Toldos Yaakov Yosef.
“At that point he sensed that a second person was undoubtedly in the room. He stopped abruptly and asked, ‘Who’s here?’
“I immediately crawled out from under the bed and said, ‘If the Rebbe wishes that I leave the room, I will do so at once.’
“‘Since you are here already,’ said the Baal Shem Tov, ‘you may stay.’ I then witnessed our Rebbe experiencing aliyas haneshamah.”2
Hearing his colleague’s amazing account, Rav Yaakov Yosef exclaimed, “Now I see why you are deserving to succeed our holy master the Baal Shem Tov!”
The Alter Rebbe
Reb Isaac Halevi Epstein known to us as Reb Isaac Homiler, was overseeing the building of his sukkah.
When it came to putting on the scach he told them to keep putting on more and more.
One of his students said, Rabbi doesn’t it say in shulchan aruch that one is supposed to be able to see the stars. If we add anymore Schach it will be impossible to see the stars!
Reb Isaac replied, I am aware of the halacha. However, when I was a talmid in the Alter Rebbe’s chadorim, I was given the zechus to participate in putting up the Rebbe’s Sukkah. The Rebbe came out and exhorted us to put on additional scach. I vividly remember how he said diker uhn noch diker (thicker and even more thicker).
So if the Rebbe who wrote the halacha in shulchan aruch, nevertheless had his sukkah made in a way that it would be impossible to see the stars, I will do the same.
COMPILER’S NOTE I noted this story, to point out that even those of use that use bamboo mats, nevertheless, the custom in Lubavitch is that there should be additional Schach on top of it. The Schach on the Rebbe’s sukkah was many inches thick.
The Mitteler Rebbe
“PERETZ OF SMILIAN IS A FINE PERSON”
The story of how Rav Peretz Chein of Smilian was appointed as Rov of the city of Tchernigov is well known. Is it necessary to write this THAT IS HOW IT WAS SAID? When the position of Rov became vacant, the Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek instructed him to join the group of candidates vying for the spot. Rav Peretz was hired almost as soon as he presented himself to the committee.
Shortly after becoming Rov, Rav Peretz had a candid conversation with one of the town’s most influential people, an individual by the name of Reb Moshe Marinoff.
“I am young and was relatively unknown to the members of this community,” Rav Peretz said. “What made you decide to help me become Rov when you opposed some other well-known Rabbonim and prevented them from being given the position?
“What’s more, at each of the community meetings that have taken place so far, you backed me as soon as I presented my opinion. You did so even when it is clear that you yourself would have chosen a different approach.
“It’s not that I don’t appreciate your continuous support,” Rav Peretz made sure to add. “I am just curious about it.”
“How can I not support you?” replied Reb Moshe. “Right before the histalkus of my Rebbe [the Mitteler Rebbe], he told me, ‘Peretz of Smilian is a fine person’!”
Reb Moshe proceeded to elaborate:
“The night before his histalkus, the [Mitteler] Rebbe said a number of maamorim. While he was saying these maamorim, he mentioned certain things that were only understood by the individual people to whom they applied. Indeed, some of these statements remained unclear to everyone. One of them was the cryptic message, ‘Peretz of Smilian is a fine person.’ None of those present understood what the Rebbe had meant. No one even knew of a person by the name of Peretz from Smilian!
“When you arrived in Tchernigov and applied for the position of Rov, I suddenly remembered the Rebbe’s words and realized that the Rebbe was speaking to me about you. If my Rebbe said that you are a fine person, I am determined to help you in every way possible!”
Maamar BaSukkos Taeshvu 5733
The halacha is that a Sukka has to be a temporary dwelling, yet the possuk instructs us Basukos Taeshvu, you are to live in it for seven days, which encompasses every day of the week.
In Chassidic terminology, the question is amplified. Chassidus explains that certain things can become part and parcel of a person. For example, a thought that the person comprehends fully is in him, or with the chassidus terminology, it’s in him b’pminiyus.
However, if the person cannot comprehend it, and it’s beyond his immediate grasp, the thought is above him and in chassidic terminology that is called makif (surrounding him.)
A sukka surrounds the person, and in general it’s not custom constructed to fit a specific person. Anyone can use it and enter the space of the sukkah that surrounds him, representing the idea of makif. Yet, Taeshvu denotes that you are dwelling and settled in it which is b’pnimiyus.
As the possuk then stresses, “In order that your descendants would know, lema’an yaidoo, that I [Hashem] made Sukkos for the Jewish people when I took them out of Mitzrayim.” The Alter Rebbe explains in Tanya, that Daas (comprehension) is when the person is truly connected to that thought (much more than Chachmah and Binah). This is what the Possuk is highlighting when it says Lema’an Yaidoo, that they should know, in a way of da’as, by inwardly internalizing the concept of Sukkah, which is a makif.
Accordingly, you are dealing with two opposite concepts. On the one hand, it is supposed to surround and hover above you, on the other hand the Torah says to internalize it so that it becomes part of you. We’re able to do this simultaneously because Hashem gave us the ability to make harmony between these two polar opposites, however, why is this a central theme to Sukkos?
In order to explain this, one has to realize that Sukkos reveals what is concealed on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. For example, on Rosh Hashanah we blow 100 sounds, 60 Tekios, 20 shevorins and 20 teruas. In the aleph beis, the letters that have this numerical value are Samach (60) and chof (20&20) and that spells S’chach.
The point of the Aseres Yemei Teshuva, the Ten days of Repentance which begins on Rosh Hashanah, is repentance. Simply speaking, one who was distanced by their actions from Hashem, repents and comes close. Furthermore, because they sensed that they are distant, that propelled them to come closer to Him, and therefore those actions are now considered merits. Thus, our sages state that the place and level that a repentant (Baal Teshuva) is standing, a truly righteous person (a Tzaddik) cannot stand there.
So here too, we are dealing with unifying opposites, the one who was distanced is now the closest. This is also symbolized in the physical shofar; the mouthpiece is narrow, while the opening at the other end is wide, reflecting the opposite idea. Like the possuk states, “From the constraints I called out to You Hashem, symbolized by the narrow mouthpiece, and You answered me in an expansive way, indicated by the wide opening.” Through the shofar, we’re once again combining opposites.
Therefore, since Sukkos reveals the concepts that are concealed or hidden on Rosh Hashanah, the mitzvah of Sukkos, of sitting in the Sukka, combines these two opposite ideas.
This is vividly brought out by taking the Lulav and the other three species on Sukkos morning.
The sages point out that there is a unique feature by all of the four species and that is the point of unity. The Lulav has branches that have two parts, but the halachah is that the two parts have to be together as one. The hadasim have numerous sets of three leaves, coming from the same point on the stem. The Aravos grow in groups.
Then it comes to the esrog. Not only can it survive all of the seasons, but in fact it grows throughout all of the seasons, from the coldness of the winter to the heat of the summer, reflecting true unity.
Another idea to note, the mitzvah of sitting in the Sukka, begins on the first night of Sukkos. However, the mitzva of taking the Lulav begins the following morning. We can learn from this the concept of uniting opposites. First, we sit in the sukka, which as noted above denotes makif. Then once we have the makif, the purpose is to internalize it. That is demonstrated when we take the Lulav and shake it in all directions, and each time we shake it, we bring it close to our hearts. That shows we are to internalize all the aspects (the makif’s) of Sukkos.
This concept that Sukkos reveals what was hidden on Rosh Hashanah is not something that was revealed by Chassidus. It is a saying of our sages.
The Talmud states on Rosh Hashanah we don’t know what the judgement was. But when the Jews go out on Sukkos with their Lulav in their hands, symbolizing waving a flag of victory, we know that they merited in judgement.
So you see, that this is a concept that is a basic tenet of Judaism.
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
