Weekly Story: Torah Is The Source of All Brochos

by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon

Being that Shavuos begins this Tuesday evening, I decided to relate a few stories which I recently heard, where the Rebbe replied to people telling them about the tremendous benefits that one receives from having set times to learn Torah.

Interesting to note, on Tuesday a Shliach came over to me and expressed his appreciation for the books I wrote and asked me what am I writing for this weeks column. When I related the three stories below, he exclaimed; “Thank you, as I just came from the Ohel, and evidently I just received the Rebbe’s answer!”

I will begin with a story that I heard from the person to whom it occurred. As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated.

I also would like to express my appreciation to whoever forwarded last week’s story to Mrs. C., as I was reunited with one of the families that I met on that Merkos Shlichus of forty-six years ago, and I was pleasantly surprised at the far-reaching effect that that one hour visit had. Bezras Hashem I will relate that story in the upcoming weeks.

Reb S. related: It was around 5746 (1986), and I had many things on my mind on which I needed clarity. I contemplated each issue individually and collectively but to no avail; I couldn’t come to a clear decision as to how I should proceed on any of them. I discussed it with friends, and I still had no clarity, which made me more confused.

At that time many chassidim felt that it wasn’t proper to ask the Rebbe barely anything as the Rebbe had stated that each person should consult with the Rav or Mashpia with whom they are comfortable with. But if you really feel that you must ask (or as some expressed it, to bother) the Rebbe, make sure not to do it with long letters by describing whatever you are asking about in great detail. You should condense it in a few lines. Stay focused on what the question is, and being that the Rebbe is the Rebbe, he would understand what your situation is, without being told.

However, being that I was in a state of utter confusion, I couldn’t concentrate and pinpoint what exactly was preventing me from being able to think clearly and resolve all of the issues I was dealing with. So I wrote at the beginning of the letter, that I am asking the Rebbe for forgiveness that I am rambling on in this letter for many pages, however, I am in a state of confusion. At the end of the letter I wrote “One who is confused” and signed my name.

The Rebbe’s reply came that very day. Underlining my end comment ‘One who is confused,’ the Rebbe wrote: “The advice/solution to this is as our sages teach us, “Someone whose mind is in a state of confusion, he should immerse himself in Torah study.””

That day I joined an ongoing shiur in Rambam, and towards the end of the first week, I began having clarity, and in the course of a few days, I was able to resolve all of those questions which originally had felt to me as great dilemmas.

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I heard from a couple of Shluchim (as well as from children of Shluchim) that the Rebbe gave them (or their fathers) the following guidance.

If you are in a situation that you need an answer immediately, however, you are not able to write or call to receive my guidance, you should seclude yourself in a room and learn Torah in depth, to understand the concept clearly. Once you gained clarity in the Torah, then you should consider the question in front of you and with the clarity you obtained in Torah, you will be able to resolve your question.

Some of the Shluchim studied a maamar of the Rebbe, some studied maamorim of the previous Rebbeim while others learned Gemora and Shulchan Aruch, and then they made their decision.

One person told me that his father would seclude himself in a room and toil in the Gemora for over an hour every day.

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This past Shabbos I heard the following story from Rabbi Nissim Mangel sheyichye. He noted that the person involved showed him a copy of the letter he had written to the Rebbe as well as the Rebbe’s reply:

There was an individual who was beset with many difficulties. There were family issues, health concerns and financial difficulties. It came to a point that he felt overwhelmed and saw no way out.

He decided that he had no choice but to write to the Rebbe a different type of letter. Instead of asking for guidance or a brocha, he needed something more. So he wrote: being that his situation is so dire, in his opinion the only solution is that Tzaddik Gozer v’Hakodosh Boruch Hu M’kayeim – When a Tzaddik decrees something, Hashem fulfills their decree. Therefore, he is beseeching the Rebbe to give a verdict that Hashem should remove all of his difficulties and everything would be resolved.

The Rebbe replied, why are you saying that the only solution is that a Tzaddik should decree etc., when the solution is in the hand of every individual. A person should increase in his or her Torah study, as that is the source of all blessings.

This Shavuos, as we accept the Torah anew with joy and make it part of our essence, may our learning in vigor, bring down all of Hashem’s brochos to each and every one of K’lal Yisroel, as they are enumerated in the beginning of this week’s parsha, that Hashem will dwell in the Beis HaMikdash, may it be speedily in our days.

A Taste of Chassidus 

Vayedaber Hashem El Moshe 5733

Hashem is instructing Moshe to count the Jewish people. We have to understand why is it important for the possuk to state that it was said in Midbar Sinai, in the Ohel Moed, on the first day of the second month? Additionally, we have to understand why was it necessary that the counting be of their families (the seventy people who entered Mitzrayim) as well as to (the 12) tribes?

Finally, since the Torah is here to guide us at all times, what lesson are we to learn from this commandment, especially as it was a commandment just for that moment?

In order to answer these questions, we have to first understand why the possuk uses the word Se’oo to tell Moshe to count, instead of the regular word tifgoid. This is especially unclear as normally the word Se’oo means to uplift. Therefore, it is obvious that in addition to the counting there is also an aspect of uplifting. And if we translate the entire possuk literally, it would mean, “Lift the heads of the Jewish people to their skulls”, what is the inner meaning of this?

When one says that that person has a great head, they are essentially saying that that person is extremely smart. So “head” is often used to allude to intellectual qualities (while heart is alluding to one’s emotions).

Being that the quality of a head is the person’s ability to understand and comprehend even complex concepts and thoughts, that is a tremendous quality. Yet, at the same time that can inadvertently cause a serious shortcoming. The foot for example walks wherever it is told to, even if it is instructed to enter in scalding water, it obeys the command. However, a person who is an intellectual might question and even may not fulfill the command, as their understanding might say that there is a better way to accomplish this.

To give a practical application of this; it is possible for a person who has tremendous Torah knowledge to err in their judgement and decision. Our sages saw this possibility and therefore instructed us that one should first daven and then go and learn. Or as they explain, the reason why the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed, was because the Jews didn’t make a blessing on the Torah before learning it.

By reciting the brochah or davening before learning Torah, one is reminded that this is not just intellectual knowledge and study, but it is Hashem’s wisdom and not a human’s. That acknowledgement serves as a guardrail, to stay focused on what Hashem wants, or what Hashem is instructing us to do, and therefore the person is not basing their decision merely on how he understands it, or even worse on how he would like the Halachah to be, but rather it is solely based on how does Hashem want it to be.

This is the guidance that we all receive from the instruction of “elevate the head” [intellect] to the skull [higher than intellect]. Don’t serve Hashem merely because of, or according to your understanding, but rather from a level of higher than one’s understanding, or as we say in Chassidus out of kabbalas ol.

Now we can understand why the possuk notes that this commandment was given in Midbar Sinai, in the Ohel Mo’ed; for they represent the two aspects of Tefilla and Torah, in this specific order.

[Chassidus explains that a Midbar (wilderness) is an uninhabitable land. The reason why a human cannot live there is because a Midbar is a place of scorpions etc., which Chassidus explains, is a place where the conduct is not in accordance to Hashem’s desire, and therefore Hashem “cannot” dwell there. So when a person makes a reckoning that their conduct is not proper, to the extent that it is as if they pushed Hashem away from their area, they become full of agony and cry out to Hashem that they no longer wish to be distanced from Him. That is Tefillah. 

Ohel Mo’ed is the place where the Holy Ark with the Luchos were placed. It is a place where Hashem’s glory is revealed in this world. That is represented by Torah, and by learning His Torah a person becomes one with Hashem].

Now we can also understand why it was not enough that they were counted, but the counting had to be to their families, and tribes.

When an item is counted that shows it is important. [As seen when one buys a large package of assorted items, or if they buy twelve specific items.] But as noted the possuk wants us to have a sense of humility and not focus on our self-importance. 

When there are ten individuals, that creates a minyan, and you are then able to say kaddish and read the Torah. This applies even if all ten of them or the majority of them consist of unlearned individuals and boys who just became bar mitzvah. They are counted as one, just as the greatest scholar is counted as one. So it is not each person’s quality that is standing out, but rather their essence, each one of them is a grown up member of the Jewish nation.

So after each individual was counted and the reason they were counted, was in order that they should have a sense of importance and therefore not be worried as how can a few Jews stand against the culture of billions of people, we are so outnumbered. But he is reminded that you are a special and unique individual who is not nullified by the overwhelming majority.

Yet at the same time we are being reminded that our importance is not because of our tremendous abilities, talents and accomplishments, but rather because we are all members of a holy entity, we all are members of the Jewish people. Therefore, we conduct ourselves with humility.

An additional benefit from this is; our sages state  Yetthat a blessing goes on items that are hidden from peoples eyesight. That is why fish which are not openly seen multiply. Yet when Yaakov Avinu blessed Yosef’s sons he said that they should multiply like fish, [even when they are seen, as they are] on the ground.

The explanation given, when one is counted as individual, because of their unique qualities and talents, our sages inform us, the blessing rests on things that are not publicized and draw attention to themselves. However, when one is not showing off their personal greatness or individuality, then the blessing is upon them even if they are noticed.

This is why you should be counted to your tribes, as saying my quality is not my own accomplishment it is something that I received from my ancestors, and then even when your are counted, it does not diminish the blessings of Hashem.

May we all merit all of Hashem’s blessing and particularly that we merit to make the pilgrimage [oileh regel] to the Beis Hamikdash, for this yom tov Shavuos.

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