Weekly Story: The Mitteler Rebbe Part 2
by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon
As I noted two weeks ago, this year is 250 years since the Mitteler Rebbe was born and therefore I decided to write stories in English about him that are published in the sefer, Sippurim Noraim. I would like to note that if the story is written somewhat differently in other places, I am writing it as the author wrote it.
Your feedback and comments are most appreciated.
HIS HUMILITY
Although his greatness was spectacular, nevertheless, he did whatever possible to conceal it as much as possible. I will note two incidents (somewhat similar) that bring this out.
The Mitteler Rebbe would daven for many hours. Sometimes on Shabbos the Shemone Esreh itself took around three hours, yet during that entire time, no one noticed even the smallest movement, it was as if he was a metal support beam that was secured in the ground. When he concluded it, he walked to his room to change his shirt, as it was soaked from his sweating in davening. At that time, we all noticed his face was shining like a fire and it was impossible for anyone there to look directly at him.
We then saw his attendant was carrying his shirt, so we told him, Being that today is Shabbos and on Shabbos it is forbidden to squeeze water out of anything, including a soaked garment he shouldn’t hold it with his hand. Rather he should lay it across his arm.
After musaf, the Rebbe went once again to his room in order to change his shirt. Evidently this was a result of his tremendous concentration, but as mentioned it was impossible to decern his immense concentration as he made no movement whatsoever while he was davening.
By the wedding of one of his daughters with a grandson of Reb Levi Yitzchok of Berditchov, which took place in Liadi, the tzaddik obviously participated in this joyous occasion. The Alter Rebbe who learned by the Maggid at the same time of Reb Levi Yitzchok and they became true friends, told him tremendous praise about his son.
When the Alter Rebbe mentioned to Reb Levi Yitzchok that he wishes to honor him to lead the benching, he in turn said he wishes to honor the Mitteler Rebbe. One of the reasons he did so was to observe the Mitteler Rebbe’s conduct during benching. He wanted to see in his benching the level of his excitement and cleaving (deveikus) to Hashem.
How shocked he was when he saw that HaRav DovBer was benching as a simple person, without revealing any emotion. This astonished him, as he was certain that what the Alter Rebbe said about his son was true and not an exaggeration. Yet he benched as if he only knew the simple translation of the words, without knowing the deeper thoughts.
At the opportune time he asked the Alter Rebbe about this conduct.
The Alter Rebbe replied, “You should know the truth, just as I know the [few] streets of Liadi, by him all the paths of the heaven are illuminated. He knows every detail of how Hashem created the world, through its various heavenly stages. [In Chassidic terminology tis is called Seder Hishtalshilis.] However, his mode of service to Hashem is on an extremely exalted level. I am envious of this ability of his, as I can’t do it.
[Author’s note: As is known that the Alter Rebbe was very emotional when he davened, (especially when he was living in Liadi.)]
While on the inside he is full and overflowing in the highest levels of Love and Fear of Hashem, it is not noticeable at all by anyone who is observing him. Only a neshoma from the concealed worlds (which not too many neshomas come from that level), could accomplish this.
Before I write a Chassidic though of a maamar, I would like to mention one point. This week is Shabbos Mevorchim Kislev. As the custom is to farbreng especially on a Shabbos Mevorchim, this week is extra special as there is a kinus of the Rebbe’s Shluchim.
One of the points that will be mentioned by almost every farbrengen this week, is a few words that Eliezer said to Rivkah’s family: EVED AVROHOM UNOICHEE – I am a servant of Avrohom.
We all wear many hats. We are our parents child, a sibling to our brothers and sisqters, friends to classmates and colleagues, a spouse, a parent and so on. When Eliezer introduced himself to them, he didn’t even mention his name, the only thing that was important was that I am a servant of Avrohom and I am dedicated to fulfill the mission he entrusted me with.
Each one of us have to learn from this approach, Hashem sent our neshoma down to this world in order to transform the physical and materialistic world, that it should become His dwelling place, and that the shechina should mainly be in this world, and not in the heavenly spheres. The Rebbe is guiding us on how to accomplish this.
Therefore this Shabbos we should recommit ourselves, and come to the realization that our primay and perhaps entire objective is that we are a servant to the Rebbe who gives us the guidelines and tools to accomplish the mission that Hashem gave us.
May we all be successful.
A Taste of Chassidus
This week I am posting a thought of a maamar of the Alter Rebbe on the Parsha
Torah Ohr Vayeitzei Yitzchok
The Alter Rebbe is comning to explain why Yitzchok went to the field, in order to daven.
He begins by explain an interesting concept. The Mishna was written by Reb Yehudah HaNassi (commonly called Rebbe), whle the Braisa was written by his student Reb Chiya. A person would obviously say that a statement in a Mishna, is stronger than a statement in a Braisa. Yet we compare a Mishna to a general statement, which is clarified and defined by the particulars and details that are in a braisa.
This is similar to the concept of Klal and Pirat, that when the Torah says a general rule and follows up by certain details; the general rule applies only to things that are similar to the details that are mentionned later.
But the qyestion is , if the Mishna comes from a higher source, why does the halacha follow the lower source?
But the answer is that although it seems that a Braisa is the lower source, in reality it is the higher one. This is the concept of the words we say Friday Night in L’cho Dodi, Soif Maaseh B’machshava Techila – The final product is what was thought of first. Or as our sages explain it with the following parable: Place two marbles in a narrow tube., and you will see that the first one to be placed in the tube comes out after the ones that were put in after it.
Therefore a human being, which is the ultimate of Creation was the final thing that Hashem created. Therefore our sages state in Pirkei Avos, One moment of Teshuva and fulfilling of Hashem’s mitzvos are greater than an eternity in Olam Haba (the world after life in Gan Edem).
The reason for this is, that in Gan Eden the person enjoy and benefit from the glory of Hashem. As great and lofty as it is, it doesn’t come close to Hashem’s essence, which the person becomes connected to though Teshuva and good deeds.
[This is also the reason that a mitzvah that its reason isn’t given is higher than a mitzvah that is given. When one fulfills a mitzvah because he appreciates the reason, his connection to Hashem is limited to his understanding of the mitzvah. However, when one fulfills a mitzvah, even if he doesn’t understand the mitzvah or there isn’t a given reason, his connection to Hashem is to Hashem’s essence.]
Now we can understand the possuk that Yitzchok went out to speak (daven) in the field before evening.
The word that the possuk uses to speak is Lusoo’ach. While it has the meaning to speak [or as our sages say to daven mincha], it also is related to the hord shichiya, which means to bend down. And evening is synonymous with darknes. While the word before [evening] is lifnos or if you change the vowels (as the torah doesn’t have any vowels) you have the word L’phanos, which means to clear out [the darkness].
So while the field is lower than the city, as people dwell in the city and vegetation grows in the field, nevertheless, in their source the field is higher than the city. [Therefore Chassidus explains that the food of the field has the ability to give life to a human, as in its essence the food comes from a higher source].
Similarly the Torah which the wisdom of Hashem, descended into dealing with liars and thieves, and so on. It teaches us when two people have an argument and often one of them is not saying the entire truth, how the judges should see the truth of the situation.
Therefore, Yitzchok bent down in the field, meaning he lowered himself into these argumenys, to clear out the non-truth, and as we see everyday, after evening and the darkness of night, when the are removed the light shines through.
This concept can be accomplished by every individual, through their studying of the Torah and after toiling over it they come to a clearer understang of Hashem’s wisdom.
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
This weeks post is lzechar nishmas my father HaRav HaChossid Reb Meir a”h ben Reb Gershon, whose yahrzeit is Monday, erev Rosh Chodesh Kislev. As well as in honor of the birth of my grandson, baby Raskin ben Chana. May his parents merit to raise him to Torah, Choppa and good deeds in the spirit of Chassidim. May they have true chassidishe nachas from him and from all their children.
