Weekly Story: The Power of Warmth

by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon

I heard the following insight of the Rebbe (written in a letter dated 25 Iyar, 5711) at a bar mitzvah a few weeks ago, and I repeated it this week at the bar mitzvah of my Grandson, Yisroel Meir sheyichye Altein. While the Rebbe noted how it applies to a bar mitzvah boy, I think it is a thought we all can take to heart.
As always, your feedback is appreciated.

The Rebbe wrote this to a Jew whose business was selling reusable sacks (to contain food).

The Rebbe points out that one of the tenets of the Baal Shem Tov’s teachings is that one should learn a lesson from everything he sees or hears. So obviously if one is involved in an item for many years, as that is the source of their income, it is self-understood the necessity to take a lesson from it.

The reason why people weren’t using a sack a second time, was because they were apprehensive of the strong possibility that some form of bacteria would develop on the residue of the food that was left in the sack from its first use and then this bacterium would spread and contaminate all of the new food that was placed into that sack, for its subsequent uses.

The innovation that you made and applied to patent it is, that before reusing it, the sack is heated up (or placed in a hot place) and that heat destroys the bacteria. This way no one will doubt that it would be safe to use it for fresh produce.

One of the lessons that can be learned from this concerns the Nefesh Elokis (the G-dly soul). As is known it enters the body at the age of when the boy or girl becomes, bar or bat mitzvah. However, at that moment the Yetzer Horah (evil inclination) speaks up in protest and declares I have been in this body for 12 or 13 years already, I am in charge and the body knows to follow my commands and fulfill my desires. I am embedded here!

So how does one counter and in fact eradicate this mind-set and influence? Just as in your livelihood it was through bringing extra warmth, so too here it is through bringing extra warmth into your life.

Warmth is synonymous with chayus/vitality and as my father-in-law the Rebbe noted that a chassidishe farbrengen warns up not only one mind and heart, but also the heel of the feet. [Author’s note: our sages tell us that the heel of a person’s foot has the least amount of life than any other part of the body. Yet even the heel will be warned up through a farbrengen.] That warmth inspires the person to learn Torah and fulfill its mitzvos with a passion.

Subsequently, when a person does a mitzvah with warmth and zest or as we say in Yiddish mit a bren oohn a geshmak, that removes and can completely eradicate, the influence that may be lingering, and from now on, nothing will disturb us in our quest to be connected to Hashem.

Author’s note: Perhaps this is the meaning of something I heard years ago. I was told that before the Frierdiker Rebbe left Russia, a chossid asked him, “Rebbe, what could I do that the philosophy of the communists doesn’t affect my children?”

The Rebbe replied; “Make sure that the farbrengens take place in your house.”
By espousing ourselves and family members to the warmth of a farbrengen, [by having a communal farbrengen, or reviewing with your own family some stories and insights you heard at a farbrengen that would warm up everyone. As the Rebbe notes in HaYom Yom, that a chassidishe story and niggun brings warmth and light into one’s house.

A Taste of Chassidus
Hashamayim Keysi 5744

These words are in the first possuk of the haftarah we say on a Shabbos that is also Rosh Chodesh. Towards the end of the haftara we say Ki Ka’asher Hashamayim Hachadoshim, V’Huahretz Hachadash – Just like the new heavens and new earth… One of the points we have to understand in this possuk is; what does the navi mean by saying there will be a NEW heaven and a New earth?

The first thing we have to understand is what is the inner meaning of heaven and earth.

In the first possuk of the Torah, it is noted that Hashem created the heaven and the earth. One may ask, is that all that Hashem created? Didn’t He create an unlimited number of creations? So why does the possuk emphasize these two creations above everything else?

Although Hashem created everything, there is a major difference between all of them and heaven and earth. While they are all separate creations, yet there is some common connection between them; yet the heaven and earth are uniquely distinct from each other, and therefore they are the only ones mentioned.

In general terms the heaven is a reference to the Torah, which Hashem brought down to the earth. But nevertheless, even when it is on the earth, it retains its essence that it is Hashems Torah in its entirety, just as it was in the heaven. [Therefore, an impure person may learn Torah.]
Earth on the other hand is a reference to mitzvos, as they can only be fulfilled while a person is on the earth, and they are performed with physical objects.

Since the world was created for the sake of the Jewish people and for the sake of the Torah, that is informing us that by them also there are these two aspects of heaven and earth.

In general, the Jewish nation is divided into two categories, those who dedicate their life to learn and spread the teachings of the Torah (heaven), and those who fulfill mitzvos, including the mitzvah of supporting Torah scholars and institutions (earth).

At the beginning of the day, we daven (pray). In the Shema [which is the main aspect of davening] there are also these two aspects. The first possuk of Shema Yisroel guides us to accept Hashem as our King, and then the pesukim (passages) from Ve’ahavta -and you shall love…., is guiding us to love him even to the point of self-sacrifice.

While the second parsha of V’huyu is guiding us to accept and fulfill Hashem’s mitzvos, and therefore it mentions earthly matters, as that is where they are fulfilled. Once again the aspects of heaven and earth.

Our sages inform us that Davening is in place of the sacrifices that were brought in the mishkan (tabernacle) and the Beis HaMikdash (Temple). When we were commanded to build the Mishkan the Torah instructed us to donate three Terumahs. The word Terumah has two definitions: uplifting and separating. Uplifting or elevating oneself above their own interest is the complete self-nullification and willingness to give up one’s life for Hashem. That is the beginning of Shema.

While, as noted, the second parsha is guiding us that while we are in this world, we are to conduct ourselves in a unique manner, and even plant our fields etc,. in the manner prescribed by the Torah, and that is separating us from common practice.

We can now understand why the Navi states that when Moshiach comes, there will be a new heaven and earth.

[For example, a person who has a position in a company, and at the end of the contract the company asks that person to return, and they sign a new contract. While it is a new contract and it contains a raise in salary and additional benefits, in essence it is the old contract being revised or updated. However, if the company realizes the tremendous benefits that they have received from this employee, and instead of giving a raise, they create a new position etc., then the contract is not similar to the previous one, it is a completely new one.]

While everyday [and in fact every moment] Hashem renews the act of creation [as we say in davening Hamechadesh b’chol yom- He recreates everyday, yet He is renewing what He had already created and what was here before. However, through our learning of His Torah and fulfillment of His mitzvos, we are drawing His essence – Atzmus, into this world, so when Moshiach comes, instead of His great glory shining in this world, His essence will begin to shine and that is something completely new. Therefore, it is referred to as a new heaven and new earth.

This week’s post is in honor of the bar mitzvah of my dear grandson Yisroel Meir ben Yehudah Leib Altein, on the 5th of Adar Rishon. May he continue growing in the ways the Rebbe guides us, to be a chossid, Yurei shomayim and lamdan, and be a source of nachas to his parents, and all klal Yisroel. Being a soldier in the Rebbe’s army to hasten the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu.

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