Weekly Story: Accepting Hashem’s Kingdom On Rosh Hashanah vs The Rest of the Year
by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I was uncertain as how I should proceed concerning A Taste of Chassidus. I received various thoughts and then I discussed it with my mashpia. Based on his advice, I am changing also the presentation of the Weekly story as well, and bezras Hashem I will be deriving inspirations or thoughts from the stories, instead of just relating a story, more like a farbrengen style..
This week’s post is based on what I said at a farbrengen Motzei Shabbos before Selichos.
As always, your feedback is always welcomed and appreciated.
When the Mitteler Rebbe assumed the nesius, his son-in-law HaRav Menachem Mendel was willing to continue replying to the halachic questions that were now being sent to the Mitteler Rebbe and agreed to also guide the young men. However, he das not willing to become involved in communal affairs. The exception was when his father-in-law, the Rebbe was arrested.
During one farbrengen he asked the young men, what was the accomplishment of the his grandfather, the Alter Rebbe. Each one presented their thoughts. While they all mentioned an accomplishment, HaRav Menachem Mendel replied, the Zeide’s accomplished much more than that.
One person said, in Shulchan Aruch it is noted by various halachos that there are different opinions. While the law is like the lenient opinion, a person of stature should follow the stricter opinion. [Other times, it says that if one conducts himself in that manner, it seems that he is being a showoff.]
Therefore, originally when we were on a lower level, we were not obligated to follow the stricter opinion, as we were not a baal nefesh. However, the Rebbe elevated us to the higher level and therefore we are now obligated to follow the stricter opinion.
The Tzemach Tzedek enjoyed this thought and began singing so enthusiastically that he broke out in a dance with the young men. However, after a minute or two, he suddenly stopped and said, that is completely incorrect. My Zeide, The Rebbe never obligated anyone and subsequently forcing a person to do something, he gave them the ability and merit to be able to do so.
And that perhaps is the difference between Rosh Hashanah and the entire year. During the entire year, we fulfill Hashem’s will and mitzvos, because we are Jews and follow Shulchan Aruch. In other words, because Hashem is our King, we conduct ourselves as He wants
But on Rosh Hashanah, we declare something else, we are stating that we want Him to be our king, and we will have it no other way.
In other words, normally we follow the laws of a country, because we are living in that country. But on Rosh Hashanah, it is as we are moving across the world because we want to live in that King’s country.
To bring this out clearer I will mention another story.
There was a young man, who was one of the top students in his Yeshiva. When he became of marriageable age the matchmaker mentioned his name to a few families that were looking for someone for their daughter.
One family asked the Rebbe if they should consider him, as they heard wonderful things about his conduct and character. The Rebbe’s reply was not what almost everyone else received, to them he answered that they should consult a Rov.
Being that the young man was close to Rabbi Yisroel Jacobson, they discussed the matter with him. Rabbi Jacobson said, the Rebbe is not advising you to ask me about his conduct etc., but it is of a different nature. Therefore, give me a few days and I will get back to you.
He called the parents and said that as a member of the administration, he would like to discuss with them the next stage of their sons’ education. The parents came to his office and in the course of their conversation, they informed him that the young man was not their biological son, but rather they adopted him, and being that they themselves are not observant they never arranged a conversion process for him.
The young man, who had become orthodox and then began excelling in his learning, conduct and piety on his own, was dumbstruck when he heard that in reality he was not Jewish. He angrily declared, if that is the case, there is no need for me to live such a life and immediately removed his yarmulkah and stormed out of the teacher’s office.
So for the years that he exemplified the conduct of a Jewish person, that was because he believed he was a member of the Jewish people, and this is how a Jew should conduct himself. However, when he was informed that it is his choice, he declared I am not Hashem’s subject, and He is not my King, so I have nothing to do with Him.
But on Rosh Hashanah, we declare, that life without being connected to Hashem, is not a life. We desire that He be our king, and although perhaps in certain aspects, I was not conducting myself the way I was supposed to, being that I am asking and pleading that He accepts me as His subject, I declare I am willing to conduct myself as he requests. Furthermore, our sages inform us that no Jew wishes to be separated from Hashem, and when he sins, it is because the Satan forced and coerced him to do so, but he himself was always faithful to Hashem.
This past Shabbos the 25th of Elul was the yahrzeit of the Tzaddik Reb Yechiel Mechel of Zolotchov. Someone at a farbrengen on Shabbos mentioned the following story. Once on Hoshanah Rabah a Satmar chossid decided he would come to the Rebbe to receive Lekach and a brocha for a sweet year.
When he came to the line the last person in the line was a Jew with long hair (a Hippie). A moment later the line extended as other Jews stood behind him. While the line was moving, he was wondering what does this Jew in front of me have in common with the Lubavitcher Rebbe, and perhaps this is some kind of sign that I too shouldn’t be coming to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, as I am a chossid of a different Rebbe.
But then he thought, I already traveled here, so I should remain in the line. While this inner debate was going on in his mind the line was moving and he suddenly noticed that in a minute or two he will be standing in front of the Rebbe and he decided, I am already here and it would be good to receive the lekach and brocha from the Lubavitcher Rebbe..
When the Rebbe gave the Jew in front of him the lekach, in addition of saying Shana Tova Umesuka, the Rebbe added and said, I hope to see you at the hakofos. Once again, the person behind him began questioning this relationship that exists between the Lubavitcher Rebbe and the Jews that are not religious.
As the Rebbe handed him a piece of lekach and also gave him the brocha for a good and sweet year, he asked him, Are you familiar with the teachings of the Yismach Lev [the first Rebbe of Satmar]?
The person replied in the affirmative and the Rebbe continued, in his introduction to his sefer on Tehillim, the Yismach Moshe writes that the reason the tzaddik Reb Yechiel Mechel merited that all his five sons were exceptional tzaddikim, was because he was friendly to all Jews.
Obviously the Satmar chossid was astounded at the open Ruach Hakodesh, how the Rebbe read or heard his private thoughts.
But in essence this is the essence of the blowing of the shofar as the Baal Shem Tov explained the reason we blow a shofar is that it is compared to a prince that left the palace to “enjoy” the outside world. After wandering for many years, he took stock of his situation and realized how foolish he had conducted himself. He had abandoned the life of a prince, to scrub pots and pans and live in a broken down hut that is freezing in the winter and leaks when it rains.
He decided to make the long journey back to his parents. Having no savings he had to walk by foot and it took him months. Finally he arrived in the capital city and with hope in his heart began walking to the palace. However, when he met the guards, he realized he forgot the language of his youth.
The guards couldn’t understand his gibberish and refused him entry. The prince sat on the top of the hill and was looking into the palace grounds. Some hours later he noticed his father taking a stroll in the garden. Overcome with emotions, a cry emanated from his mouth.
The king was startled and stood still for a second as he recognized that cry. He then immediately instructed the guards to bring his dear son to him. When he entered the palace grounds the king rushed to him and gave him an embrace.
The shofar sound is that cry that emanates from the depths of a parsons heart.
The king -Hashem embraces us, even though he remembers the anguish the prince- we caused Him over the years.
May everyone be embraced by Hashem with a Kesiva Vchasima Tova, L’Shana Tova Umesukah.
A Taste of Chassidus
Shir Hamaalos memahakim
The word memahakim is translated to mean from the depths, in other words that means we are referring to two depths.
One is the depths of the person who is crying out, and the second depths is that our cry reaches and affects the depths of Hashem.
We have to understand why are we calling out and why this call must be from and to the depths?
As noted last week, our sages state that the reason we say on Rosh Hashanah ten passages that declare Hashems rulership over the entire universe, in order that we accept Him as our King and influence the world to do so also.
One may ask, being that Hashem created the universe on His own, why is it necessary for us to declare that He is the King? Isn’t He the King without our declaration?
Chassidus explains, that when Hashem originally created the Universe, it was because He desired to enjoy the service of His creations, mainly mankind. Therefore, every anniversary of the 6th day of creation, the day that He created Adam, Hashem once again decides if He wishes to be the King over us.
Simply put, originally Hashem created the world on His own initiative, but every year from then on, He wants that we re recreate that desire in Him. That means that that original desire is not able to rekindle His desire to be our King, and we have to arouse that desire from a deeper source.
Chassidus gives the following example to explain this. A person dug a well and some time later the well dried up. In order for it to function again and be a source of water, the person has to dig deeper into the underground source. So too this desire to be our King once it is no longer effective, has to come or be aroused from a deeper source.
However, there is a rule that Hashem reciprocate measure for measure. So in order for us to arouse His desire from.a deeper source, it must come from a deeper place in us, and that is why the possuk says that it is referring to two depths; the depths of the persons soul reaches a deeper depth in Hashems will to become the King.
As is known that every sefirah has ten components, three intellectual ones and the seven attributes. Therefore, in order to build this sefiras hamalchus, we must do it in all of its yen aspects, and that is why we say this psalm during the ten days of repentance, beginning from the first day of Rosh Hashanah through Yom Koppur.
Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and the author of numerous books on the Rebbeiim and their chassidim, He is available to farbreng in your community and can be contacted at avtzonbooks@mail.com
