Weekly Story: Living Lchatchilla Ariber

by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon

I am posting a few of the points that I said on Beis Iyar in 770 and elsewhere about L’chatchilla Ariber. As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated.

I thank those who emailed me about last week’s article. Many of the points were important details that will be added to the biography of the Frierdiker Rebbe.

Often when people hear about a person who conducts their life in an exceptional way, some say or think, that is truly amazing, but that person is a unique individual. But do you expect regular people, like myself to be able to attain that level?

The same thing is when we speak about L’chatchilla Ariber, everyone agrees it is an excellent way to live their life, and it is an extremely powerful motivator to help one overcome their challenges. But there may be a doubt in one’s mind; can I be on that level?

And the answer is that sometimes, each and every one of us conducts ourselves in that frame of mind. What the Rebbei’im are telling us, is that it should be our normal and constant frame of mind.

I doubt that there is a Lubavitcher or someone who is acquainted with Lubavitch that has not heard a story that perhaps even happened with a friend, neighbor, acquaintance or relative who was informed by their doctor that they should undergo a certain procedure.

When they followed the Rebbe’s guidance to consult a second doctor, that doctor concurred with the first opinion.

At that time the person or their family writes to the Rebbe requesting his brocha for a successful procedure and a speedy recovery. But to their surprise or to others, to their relief, the Rebbe replies that the procedure is not necessary or that it should not be done at all.

The family informs the doctor that they will not be signing the consent form as their grand Rabbi in Brooklyn has replied to their inquiry that it is not necessary. You all know what the doctors or surgeons response is, and some of them have even indignantly called the Rebbe and asked him how he can take the responsibility of causing this patient tremendous harm and even death G-d forbid.

But the family stood firm despite the doctors’ dire warnings, and then sometimes the doctors admitted that the Rebbe was correct and if the procedure had been done, it would have caused the patient tremendous suffering.

That my friends is L’chatchilla Ariber in its fullest sense. We are in a culture that the doctor is the authority and the Torah instructs us to follow our doctors guidance. If the doctor says one has to take a certain medication on Pesach, we take it, even if it is kitniyos or worse. So the doctor’s decision is to be respected. Yet, when and only whenthe Rebbe tells us to  disregard it, we stand firm and don’t listen. That is a classic case of Lchatchilla Ariber.

However, Boruch Hashem most of us haven’t had such an experience of being told to have a life-saving procedure, and b’ezras Hashem won’t be facing such a situation. So let us see how in our everyday life it plays out.

Mazal Tov, your child is getting married, your son is becoming bar mitzvah. What a wonderful feeling and experience in a parent’s life. But sometimes this happiness is dampened by the fact that the parents are struggling with the day to day expenses, annow they have this enormous expense. [By the way, Tosfos says this is the reason we don’t say the brocha of Shehechiyanu at a chuppa.]

Yet, because the two pairs of Tefillin now cost over five thousand dollars, are you as the parents not going to try to obtain for your dear and precious son the best pairs possible? After all, it is going to last him a life time.

But the obstacles of affording it are formidable, and that is only one of the expenses.When it comes to making a wedding, the expenses are much greater. Yet, it is our child’s happiness, and we will do anything and everything for their happiness to be complete.

THAT, MY FRIENDS, IS L’CHATCHILLA ARIBER!!

In other words, L’chatchilla Ariber means, it must be like this, and it cannot be any other way. Or better said there is no other option. I will illustrate this with two stories.

In the early 70’s when the gates of the Iron Curtain were opened and tens of thousands of Jews were finally allowed to leave Russia, among them were some Lubavitcher chassidim, and for Tishrei they came to the Rebbe. The Rebbe instructed around ten of them to visit HaRav Moshe Feinstein.

Reb Moshe greeted each one individually and then asked all of them the same question; “How did you survive the Communist war against religion and remain religious and even Chassidish?”

One individual said, “Others looked up to me for support and guidance and for their sake I had to stay strong.” Another one said, “If I wanted my children to hold on to Yiddishkeit, I had to hold on to it all the way.” Someone else replied, “It was the farbrengens that kept me going.” Each person said something else.

Hearing each answer, Rav Moshe shook his head in understanding. But then one person replied, “It couldn’t have been any different. There was no other option! A Jew does what  Hashem wants!” Reb Moshe was overwhelmed with this answer. When it comes to Torah and Mitzvos, nothing can deter or prevent us from accomplishing the mission Hashem gave and is constantly giving us. In essence, when one feels that there is “No other option” that  is L’chatchilla Ariber.

Years ago, after an earthquake in Tokyo, Japan, I was shown an article. The earthquake toppled down some transformers and there was no electricity in many areas. When the rescue teams came to an apartment building, they were astounded to see a woman giving an elderly man mouth to mouth resuscitation, and quickly rehooked him to a portable oxygen machine.

Unable to contain their astonishment they asked, how were you able to do this for twenty hours? [Ask any EMT, most people can do it only for a few minutes until someone else relieves them.]

The woman replied, “He is my father! Could I not continue?!”

We should realize the tremendous importance of every action that we do. As the Rambam guides us and says, a person should think that the world is on a scale and the scale is balanced, and your one good deed will tip the scale in the positive direction and help the entire world.

If we would think of that concept, would any challenge be strong or powerful enough to deter us? I venture not. And that, my friends, is L’chatchilla Ariber. It is within reach and DNA of each and every one of us.

A Taste Of Chassidus

L’hovin Inyan Hillula D’Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai 5730

Lag B’Omer is the day that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai was nistalek. Yet although during the days of sefiras Ho’Omer (the weeks between Pesach and Shavuos) one does not play music, on the day of his histalkus all Jews celebrate, (while on the day of the histalkus of other tzaddikim, we fast).

Additionally, the praise the sages said about him, and what he said about himself, are praises that are not said about anyone else.

In fact, we call this day the day of his Hilula [which means wedding celebration]. So we have to understand what was so unique about Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai that causes all of these differences?

The navi (Zecharia 3:7) says V’nosati lecho mehalchim bein ha’omdim – And I will make you walking among those who are standing. Chassidus explains that this possuk describes the difference between humans and angels.

The angels, although they continuously elevate themselves, nevertheless they are considered stationary (as if they are standing in the same place), since their elevation is just to a higher level in the aspect that they are in. The angel Michoel serves Hashem with love, so it is now and continuously will be a higher level of love, while the angel Gavriel serves Hashem with awe and fear, so he serves Hashem each day in a higher level of awe and fear.

Humans on the other hand, have the ability to transcend their place and situation. Their elevation is not just a higher level in their zone, but it is to a new realm altogether.

The reason given for this difference is, because even the highest level of angels, who are called Serafim, are in the world of B’riah, and everything in that world and lower is limited.

While Neshomos emanate from the higher world of Atzilus, which is G-dly and has no limitations. So, a neshoma is not limited to a certain aspect, whereas angels are, and therefore a neshoma can transcend their situation.

However, we have to understand this concept, as in another possuk where the Navi  (1Melachim 17:1) describes neshomos he says: Chai Hashem …. asher omadeti l’fonov – I swear by the Creator Whom I have stood in front of; so we see that neshomos also are referred to standing – a stationary thing. So that possuk is informing us that both Neshomos and Angels are on the same level, so how can we say that they are totally different?

And even though you explained that neshomos come from Atzilus which is a higher level than the source of angels, and Atzilus is G-dly, nevertheless, Atzilus also has certain limitations. There are ten holy spheres, not eleven and not nine. Therefore, Atzilus is not truly limitless, so why are neshomos considered walkers who can transcend limitations?

The explanation is, that when a neshoma is next to Hashem’s throne, it is as the navi states; a stationary thing. When does it receive the elevated status of walking, which shows it is unlimited, that is only once it comes down in a body in this physical world. Therefore, the Torah was given to us humans who are in this physical world and not to the angels. And furthermore, when can the fulfillment of a mitzvah elevate a physical item that is involved in something spiritual, also only when the mitzvah is fulfilled in this world.

The ability to transform physicality into spirituality is a G-dly power that transcends limitations. Being that a neshoma accomplishes this only once it is in this world, that proves that only once it is down here, does it have the status of “walking.”

Every other creation, even the angels, were created as one unit, the body together with its soul (life-source). However, when it came to humans, the possuk states that first Hashem created the form of the body and then He blew into it a source of life. This combination of total physical to become one and fused with total spiritual and G-dly, is only in the ability of Hashem who is unlimited.

While in this limited world, it is difficult for us to see something that is unlimited, intellectually we “see” it in the power of procreation. The ability to create new life, is a G- dly power, that was given to humans (and therefore to all creations) only when they are in this world; to show them that they have the G-dly ability and power to transcend whatever their situation is.

However, our sages compare our relationship with Hashem nowadays as the time of our engagement. Only once Moshiach arrives will it then be considered as if we are married.

This points out that when will we truly be considered moving and transcending our situation of time and space, once Moshiach comes.

So we have to understand what is the difference between the Torah and mitzvos that we are doing now and that we will be doing then?

In general, nowadays we are learning the revealed aspects of the Torah, and in the days of Moshiach we will be learning the inner (and presently concealed) dimension of the Torah. So the unity between us and Hashem will be much stronger then, than it is now. Just as the unity between a couple who are married is much stronger than it was during the time of their engagement.

In Chassidic rerminology, nowadays we connect to the lower level of G-dliness which is called mimaleh kol almin – [a level of G-dliness that can be contained in this world[, whereas in the days of Moshiach we will become connected to the higher level, which is Soivev Kol Almin [it surrounds the world, as the world cannot retain it].

{For example, a teacher desires to teach a certain concept, but it is too difficult or advanced for the students to comprehend it. That concepts hovers or surrounds the mind. So the teacher gives a parable and the students understand the parable, that is contained by them.]

Now we can understand why the day of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s histalkus is celebrated and referred to as a day of marriage. Just as the unity of a couple becomes complete through marriage and especially after they merit to have a child or many children, and that is when you see that a human has the G-dly ability of procreation and giving birth to a new life. So too, through learning the inner dimension of the Torah, which was first taught and publicized by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, then it becomes obvious to all that this that we are learning is truly Hashem’s wisdom, and we are revealing that higher level in this world.

[As nowadays, we sometimes learn from the arguments that a thief, cheat or liar puts forth, and we have to negate them. When one learns that, they may have difficulty in seeing that this is Hashem’s wisdom. (How can a lie be or emanate from Hashem’s wisdom?) This question can even arise when one learns the opinion of two sages who are arguing. Being that the law is only like one of them, that means the other one is wrong. If he is wrong, how can you say that is the wisdom of Hashem?! But this won’t occur when one learns the inner and deeper dimension of the Torah, then everyone will recognize that it is indeed a part of Hashem’s wisdom.]

So, most tzaddikim their connection to their students was in the revealed aspects of the Torah, and that is not as powerful as Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s. Their connection is therefore compared to an engagement; yes, they are connected, and it may be a very strong connection, but it doesn’t come close to the level of connection that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai attained with his students, which is compared to a marriage, where the G-dly power of infinite is apparent.

So when those tzaddikim are no longer in the physical world their students lament and cry, and it can become a fast day. But his connection is compared to a marriage that blessed the couple with offspring, and therefore his life is celebrated for everyone to see what he had accomplished. And in a certain sense, he is still very much still here.

Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and the author of numerous books on the Rebbeiim and their students. He can be contacted at avtzonbooks@gmail.com