Weekly Story: One Action Multiplies Manyfold

by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon

I heard the following story from a friend [Yaakov]. As I often note, this is what gives me the stamina to write this weekly post for the past 9 years. So please help by providing your story.

Concerning last weeks story a few people mention that in Shulchan Aruch, it just says that it is not customary to drink, not that it is forbidden.

However, I pointed out to them that in Reshimos Hayouman, the Rebbe writes that he asked, simply, we don’t drink the leftovers of the Havdalah.

Your feedback is always welcomed.

Yaakov told me that around 1980, he was working in a bank by Kings Highway and Coney Island. When he applied for the job, he informed them that he is Shabbos observant and they replied, we have other workers that will cover your responsibility on Shabbos.

This went on for a few years. One day Mr. Herman came over to Yaakov and said, “In a few weeks on Shabbos is my fortieth anniversary. Do you think I should ask to be excused from work that day. I want to get an Aliyah by the Torah on this special day.

Yankel responded, Yes, and I don’t think the manager will give you a hard time, especially as you are giving him two weeks notice. Mr. Herman then went to the manager and said, “In two weeks on Saturday is my fortieth anniversary, and I would like to spend the entire day with my wonderful wife. May I have the day off?

Of course, such an occasion doesn’t happen every day or to everyone. I will find a replacement and enjoy the day. Congratulations!

Mr. Herman then went to the shul he goes to a few times a year and asked them if he can have an Aliyah on that Shabbos. The gabbai replied, With pleasure, it would be our honor.

He came home and when he informed his wife of his decision, she was overjoyed. “I will put on a beautiful dress in honor of this occasion, and I too will attend the services in the synagogue.”

The Shabbos came and they walked together to shul. She stood next to the balcony, so she can see her husband being called up to the Torah, and clearly hearing him make the blessing.

He didn’t disappoint her. He remembered not only the brocha and said it fluently, but he also said it with the proper tune. She was overjoyed, or as we say in Yiddish, she kvelled with nachas.

After the kiddush in shul, they walked home together, and as he said, he spent the entire day talking and taking a walk with his wife.

Towards evening she said to him, My dear, thank you for such a wonderful present. I enjoyed this day tremendously. I have one request, why can’t we spend every Sabbath like this? Wh do you have to work on the Sabbath, cant they get someone else?

Mr. Herman replied, If that is your desire, I will request it from the manager. On Monday when he entered, the manager came over to him and asked, Your wife enjoyed the anniversary present?

Mr. Herman was thrilled that he brought it up, and replied; she loved it so much that she told me to request that I no longer have to work on Saturday, as this way we can spend the weekend together.

The manager replied, I will work on it, but for a permanent change, you have to submit a request four weeks in advance.

Mr. Herman replied, “I understand. So if you can find someone in a week or two, I will really appreciate it. If not, I will come in for the next four Saturdays.”

He then went over to his co-worker Yankel and said to him, “Your few words of encouragement gave me the strength to ask for this past Shabbos, as well as for the future.

The power of a few words and doing one mitzvah. Look what it leads to.

A Taste of Chassidus

Vihuyu Midei Chodesh 5733

[Being that this Shabbos is Rosh Chodesh, we say in the final possuk of the haftara the possuk of Vihuyu Midei Chodesh.] The Navi is informing us that when Moshiach comes, [may it be speedily in our days], then the mitzvah of making a pilgrimage to the Beis Hamikdash, would not only be during the three festivals of the year, but every Rosh Chodesh and in fact every Shabbos.

So, in essence there are three categories; the weekdays that there never was or will be an obligation on the nation to make a pilgrimage. Then there are the three festivals, that we were obligated to make a pilgrimage when the Beis HaMikdash was standing, as well as in the days of Moshiach. The third stage will be when moshiach will be here, at that time there will be an additional obligation, to also go every month and every shabbos. Furthermore, being that the level of G-dliness that will be revealed then will be much higher than it was in the days that the Beis Hamikdash was standing, so therefore the level of our self-nullification will also be on a higher level.1

To be able to clearly understand why then everything will be on a higher (or deeper) level, we have to understand the beginning of this weeks’ parsha.

The parsha (Mishpatim) begins with Hashem instructing Moshe to present the laws of the Torah in front of the Jewish people. The following possuk states,” When you will buy a Jewish slave.”

1 The Rebbe notes that we say in davening on the festivals, and we are not able to see and bow to You. Through seeing the revelation of G-dliness, that gives us a sense of awe, and subsequently we nullify ourselves in front of Him, signified by bowing down. So, the higher the revelation is, the higher is the sense of nullification.

Seemingly the wording should have been When one of you will buy, since this halachah was being said to all of the Jews. Additionally, why is this law, the first one after we receive the Torah, and Moshe is specifically instructed to present it to them in a manner that they would easily understand it, or simply said, what is so significant about it? Finally, why is it important to learn about a slave who is Jewish?

But the explanation is, Hashem is talking to Moshe, that he should teach the Jewish people. The first statement after that is also being said to Moshe, and not as we thought to the Jewish people. When you [Moshe] will purchase a slave, and therefore it is in singular form.

Now the reason this is so significant, that it comes directly after Hashem gave us the Torah, is as follows: The entire purpose of creation was for us to elevate the physical into spiritual. The way that is accomplished is by us using the physical aspects of this world for the purpose of fulfilling Hashem’s desire, his mitzvos. So through this action, we are revealing that their [and indeed the worlds] essence is a spark of G-dliness.

As is known, when Hashem informed the angels that He is giving the Torah to the Jewish people, they argued, “Give it to us angels, who are elevated in the heaven.” At that point, Hashem commanded Moshe to reply and Moshe said to them: Do you have an evil inclination, did you go to Egypt in servitude, etc. Moshe’s reply was, “The reason Hashem is giving His precious treasure is in order to elevate the world, and the only way this can be accomplished is by the Torah and it`s mitzvos being in this physical world. The world will try to obstruct and stop us, but by overcoming this struggle and serving Hashem we are bringing G-dliness in the world and thereby elevating it, as well as elevating the Torah.

Now the Jewish people are sometimes called Hashem’s children, and other times we are called His slaves. One of the reasons for these two descriptions is; While a child adores their father and mother, and therefore obeys them unconditionally, even when they may think that perhaps they should act otherwise, it is because they realize that their parents are greater than them, and they nullify themselves to their parents.

Nevertheless, as exemplary as this is, their self-nullification is not equal to a slave’s self-nullification to his master. While the child does nullify their thoughts etc., yet it is with a certain degree of understanding and reasoning; they recognize the greatness of their father or mother. So the nullification is not complete, as it is measured upon their understanding, [and therefore may fluctuate. While a slave, quite often has no concept of the masters’ knowledge and greatness, so their nullification is pure self-nullification, as it is not based on any reasoning.

As is stated in the maamar of Yud Shevat, this higher level of self-nullification is what elevates the physical world to be able to receive the highest levels of the shechina that is brought into the physical world.

Therefore, immediately after mattan Torah, the Torah teaches us that Moshe who has this level of nullification, [as the Torah states, “My servant Moshe”, is being instructed by Hashem, the first thing you should do for the Jewish people is to transmit this level of self-nullification, that you have attained to every Jew.

Now we can understand why the Torah chose to speak specifically about a slave who is Jewish. But instead of using the regular Hebrew word for a Jew which is Yehudi (or ben Yisroel), the Torah chose to use the word Ivri, which was generally used to describe Avrohom Avinu, (which was before we received the Torah).

The deeper meaning of Ivri can be understood by analyzing the first time the Torah used it. The Torah states, “V’nuhur yoitze meieden lihashgos ess hagan – and a river came out of Eden to water the gan (garden).” This shows that Gan [Eden] is a recipient of Nuhur. In other words, Nuhur is higher than Gan, and therefore can supply the Gan. Following this understanding, we can deduce that Eiver HaNuhur [the other side of the river] is even higher than Nuhur.

The reason that a Jew is called an Ivri, is as the possuk states that our forefathers originally come from Eiver HaNuhur, (higher than Nuhur). Since they came from such an exalted place, they are able to draw or better said reveal that level into this world. By doing so it protects them from the world being able to affect them, as they are much higher than the world.

With this we are able to understand why the possuk also says that “When you acquire (bought) the servant.” When one acquires an item, they are not creating or forming it, rather they are revealing that from this moment on I am the owner.2

The same thing is here, the Torah is telling us that every Jew Men, women and children have this exalted level of Eiver Hanuhur, and they have the ability to reveal this level even in this physical world, just as it was revealed in the higher worlds. Subsequently, the person stands at the highest level of self-nullification.

This allows us to understand, why when Moshiach comes we will be making the pilgrimage, not only in honor of the three festivals, and every Rosh Chodesh, but even on a weekly basis. As the level of nullification that we experience, is what enables us to bow and prostate ourselves in front of Hashem.

During the era of the Beis Hamikdash, the level of G-dliness that we witnessed and observed enabled us to bow in front of the Creator three times a year. When the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed, we no longer witnessed such revelations and subsequently, there is no commandment to prostate yourself in front of the Temple, since in general we were not on that level of self-nullification.

However, when Moshiach comes the revelation will be from that sublime level of beyond the River, eiver hanyuhur, and therefore our self-nullification, will be one that our self-nullification is noticed on a weekly basis.

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

2 The Rebbe notes as we say in Kiddush Levanah every month, Boruch Oisech….Boruch Koinech, Koneich is a reference to the supernal world of Atzilus, where there is no creation yet,. The process of Creation begins in the supernal world of Beriah.