Weekly Story: The Power of Chassidus

by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon

As this Shabbos is Yud Tes Kislev, the day that the Rebbe Rashab coined Rosh Hashanah L’Chassidus, as well as starling that the spreading and clarifying concepts on Chassidus began in earnest, (and for this reason we find the term before Peterburg (i.e. the chassidus that the Alter Rebbe said before his arrest) and after Peterburg ( the Chassidus he said after his liberation), therefore, I decided to note some aspects about Yud Tes Kislev and Chassidus.

This is in line with what the Frierdiker Rebbe did after leaving Russia, he published Megillas Yud Tes Kislev, in order that the story be retold in its details. He subsequently noted that even though most people knew the story (at least in general), never-the-less, when it was read it brought out by the attendees of the farbrengen an arousal towards learning Chassidus, and conducting themselves in the spirit of Chassidus.

As always your comments are appreciated and most welcomed.

WHY WE DON’T WEAR A SILVER ATARA

Being that i note your feedback is appreciated and welcomed, I will begin this week’s post to answer a question that I was asked, “Can you please explain the reason/ story why Lubavitch Chassidim are the only Chassidim, that do not wear an atarah (silver lining at the top of a tallis)? Is it that the chassidim gave it away to bribe the guards?

After the Alter Rebbe’s arrest, the leading chassidim gathered together to see what has to be done. Being that everything is in the hands of Hashem, so obviously we have to beseech Hashem for His mercy. Addressing that they publicized that the men that could fast on Mondays and Thursdays, should do so.

However, at the same time we are obligated to make a channel (keli/vessel) in the world that everything should proceed and conclude in a positive manner. They focused on three points.

That the Rebbe’s family shouldn’t be lacking financially.

The Rebbe’s activities should continue in their entirety, and nothing should be diminished.

To do whatever possible to free the Rebbe. This obviously entailed various or numerous aspects. 

One of the ways they raised the necessary funds was that all chassidim sold their silver atara’s. After the Alter Rebbe’s vindication and freedom, the chassidim did not replace their Atara’s. The reason for this was twofold:

1). Although the wealthier chassidim were financially able to, they felt it is improper to do so as not to embarrass someone who cannot afford doing so.

2). To keep a reminder of the true love and dedication of the chassidim to the Rebbe. how they willingly and with happiness relinquished their atarah’s in order to help the Rebbe.

but it should be noted that the money or articles of value that they gave, were used for all of the purposes, so you can’t so it was exclusively to bribe the guards.

Furthermore, it is difficult to say it was to bribe the guards. Being that the Alter Rebbe was accused of preparing to make a rebellion against the Czar, he was originally placed in an unknown prison as his followers would not know where he was, so they wouldn’t try to forcibly free him. 

In conclusion the chassidim gave their atarahs away, but it was not specified for any specific purpose.

B. WHAT IS CHASSIDUS?

Obviously there are many answers to this question, but here I will give one.

One of the great chassidim of the Alter Rebbe gave the following parable to explain what Chassidus is.

A king was returning home from a visit to another country. Traveling through one of his cities, the wagon passed by a park where an orchestra was playing numerous songs. 

He happened to be passing by when they began playing a new song that enchanted the king and he instructed the driver to stop so that he could listen to it in its entirety.

For the next few hours, until the king arrived at his palace, he continuously was humming or singing this song/tune. However, as soon as he arrived at the palace he was visited by various ministers, who informed him of what was taken care of during his absence, and requested guidance on how they should proceed in other aspects.

After the king replied to all their questions, he wanted to sing that song he had just heard that morning. However, to his distress he nor those who had accompanied him could recall it.  He was terribly upset about this, but he calmed down saying, I will send a large chariot to bring the entire orchestra here, and they will play it tomorrow.

An official accompanied the driver and found the orchestra in the park, informed them of His Majesty’s request and they took their musical instruments, climbed into the coach and arrived at the palace.

As soon as they entered a large room in the palace, the king thanked them for traveling to him and informed them that yesterday at around whatever time he heard them playing an enchanting tune the touched his heart, but alas, he cannot recall it, so he is requesting them to replay it.

The leader of the group replied, Your majesty, we don’t play from notes, so I cannot say which song we played at which time. However, if His Majesty wants, we will begin playing various songs and hopefully His majesty will recognize the song he desires to hear.

The king replied, definitely so and for the rest of the day and part of the next day they played hundreds of tunes. Yet while the king truly enjoyed numerous one’s he stated, but that is not the one I desire to hear once again. 

At that point, much to the king’s disappointment they stopped playing saying we played all of our songs, and we don’t know what His Majesty is yearning to hear.

The chossid explained, the king is our neshoma. As it begins its journey to this world, it still feels the wonderful sense of being close to Hashem, and basking in his glory. But then when it arrives at its destination in this world, that feeling is not clear, it just senses that it is lacking something. So therefore, the Jew begins his search to find meaning in their life. [Author’s note: Therefore, we find an disproportionate large number of Jews in various movements, as their neshoma is seeking for that lost contentment.]

However, while the person might get some sense of happiness, they are constantly searching for that aspect which is elusive from them.

The elusive point is Chassidus, which once again connects to neshoma with an appreciation of G-dliness.

I mentioned this story, for the following reason. Last Wednesday night after I spoke in 770, I participated in a smaller farbrengen. There I met an yungerman, (in his early forties) who mentioned that he has always lived in Lakewood. When we asked him why he came tonight to Crown Heights, he replied that he brought one of his children (who is now in high school) together with the child’s friend to participate in a farbrengen of their peers, other high-schoolers. So while he was here he took the opportunity to also participate in a farbrengen.

Someone asked him, what drew you closer to Chassidus and particularly Chassidus Chabad? 

He replied, When I was forty I felt that all the Torah I was learning, the mitzvos I was fulfilling, my davening was all mechanical. I didn’t feel a true connection to Hashem. So I began searching for meaning. I began learning many seforim, including numerous Chassidishe seforim. While they all were good, I still felt something was lacking. But then I came across some seforim of Chabad Chassidus. For me that worked. I was infused with Chayus (vitality) realizing that every mitzvah is not merely fulfilling Hashem’s will, but it is a way to become connected to him. The halachos of the Torah, even those that are connected to the Beis Hamikdash are applicable today, as every Jew represents their personal Beis Hamikdash and so on.

Now I feel that whatever I do in serving Hashem has great meaning and true significance.

Let us all attain that level of appreciation, so that we too infuse the spirit and feeling of Chassidus every moment of our day.

A TASTE OF CHASSIDUS

Kotonti 5733

When the Alter Rebbe was released from his first imprisonment, he wrote a letter (printed as the 1^st letter of Iggeres Hakodesh) beginning with the words that Yaakov Avinu said to Hashem, Kotonti M’kol Hachassodim u’mikol hu’emes – I am humbled from all the kindness and truth that You [Hashem] has done for me.

When we translate this literally there arouses a question. Kindness denotes that I am receiving something out the goodness of the giver’s heart, while truthfulness is something that the receiver earned. So therefore, the order should first be I am indebted to what you gave me as payment or in Yaakov’s situation, that You fulfilled Your promise, and especially from Your kindness to me that you did things for me that You didn’t commit to. 

The explanation is, Yaakov Avinu said these words as a preface to his request of Hatzileinee -he pleaded with Hashem to save him from his brother Esau. Chassidus explains that through our actions we cause a reaction in heaven, or simply put when we come closer to Hashem, Hashem comes closer to us. So since Yaakov was requesting a special favor of kindness, he noted that I acknowledge and I am humble from the kindness You have already bestowed upon me, and that effects that Hashem gives a higher level of kindness.

In general there are two ways a Jew serves Hashem, one is based on his understanding of what Hashem wants a person to do, and the second way is that I serve Hashem higher than my understanding. Or in other words in a limited fashion or an unlimited fashion. As we say in Shema, You should speak of the laws of the Torah [and fulfill them. Meaning you are doing what is understood from the Torah. However, we also say with all you might, which denotes above and beyond a person’s limited knowledge.

To explain this clearer, when Hashem created man, He said, We shall make man in our form and image.

Form is like a craftsman makes a statue that has the same height and features of the person. Image, is when an artist draws a picture. If the artist is talented the picture could come alive to the person seeing it. Yet it is only an image (or an illusion) of the real thing.

This difference also applies to a persons service to Hashem. When a person serves Hashem based on their understanding of Hashem, that is in the image of the angels in the supernal worlds of Briah, yetzira and asiyuh. The angels there are limited in their spiritual service, Michoel serves Hashem only through love, while Gavriel serves Hashem with fear.

However, when a person serves Hashem through the passion of their heart, that is beyond their understanding and that reaches the supernal world of Atzilus and higher, where there is no lomitations, as there the only thing that exists is G-dliness. Nevertheless, we call it an image since what is beyond one person’s comprehension and understanding, can be within another person’s understanding, so it is not truly a form of those worlds, it is only an image of them.

Therefore, when a person experiences Hashem’s kindness they realize that they exist only because of His tremendous kindness and nullify themselves to Him. And as noted before that causes Hashem to bestow on the person even greater acts of kindness, which causes a greater sense of self-nullification. This closeness to Hashem is the experience one should feel/sense when they are davening. 

Although davening is with the passion of the heart, which is a result of Hashem’s kindness and is above limitations, however it is not the same beyond limitations of those higher worlds. Higher than that is the Torah which is truly unlimited, and the Torah is called Toras Emes. Therefore, Emes is noted at the end of the possuk, and not in the beginning of the possuk.

In Torah itself there is nigleh and nistar/Chassidus. In nigleh it is possible for a person to learn the entire Torah, so that is not the true essence of unlimited. Whereas Chassidus, which dwells on Hashem’s greatness, so just as Hashem is the only thing that is truly unlimited, so too is the teachings about those levels, unlimited.

This should inspire us to enhance our learning of Chassidus, until Hahem’s essence is revealed in this world with the coming of Moshiach.

L’shana Tova t b’limud Hachassidus u’b’darkei Hachassidus  ikuseivoo v’seichuseimoo.

And remember that the Alter Rebbe guaranteed that whoever rejoices in his celebration he would extract them from whatever constraints they are in.

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