Special Story: Simchas Beis Hashoeiva Part #2

by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon

As noted in the previous post, I am posting three sections of a farbrengen that I heard years ago from Reb Yisroel Friedman. I broke it up in parts, so that it is not too much to read in one day, and that this way you can have three farbrengens during Sukkos.

As always, you feedback is greatly welcomed and appreciated.

— 6 —
Tapuro Tiplacha — What is the Outcome?

This is also the essence of every Chassidishe farbrengen. People from different backgrounds and perspectives come together with the same intent; they all desire to come closer to Hashem. Everyone sits together as one; no one is more important than the other. It is said that by the Rebbe Rashab’s farbrengens, the tables were set up in a square. In a square there is no head table. Obviously, the place where the Rebbe Rashab sat became the head, but the set-up portrayed the message that all participants are equal.

This gives us an understanding in a deep Chassidic comment that I heard many years ago from Reb Hirschel Lieberman.14 When Kfar Chabad was first established (in 5709/1949), most of the people living there were chassidishe yungerleit, along with some older individuals who, as a rule, most of them hadn’t yet established a livelihood for their families. So throughout most of the day they remained in the shul, davenning at length, learning, and farbrenging.

One of the leading Chassidim at that time was the Chossid Reb Avrohom Drizin, and he was called on to lead most of the farbrengens. At one occasion he said, “The thoughts and concepts discussed at a farbrengen cannot remain with us only in theory, rather they must accomplish something in actuality. From now on, let us daven better, add in our learning, or begin to fulfill every mitzvah behiddur (meticulously) etc.

Reb Hirschel, who was sitting on the side, remarked, “Who says that the purpose of a farbrengen is to daven or learn better? Maybe the outcome of proper davenning and learning is that one sits down to farbreng.”

In essence he was saying as follows: The entire point of davenning is to realize that Hashem is the Creator and continuous ruler of the entire universe and that nothing else is important; in fact, we are all essentially nothing. And such a level of bittul (self-nullification) is experienced when one participates in a farbrengen. 

Perhaps this is why especially on Sukkos one saw Chassidim constantly farbrenging in a sukkah. They didn’t come to eat and take care of their individual identity, rather they came to farbreng and express the bittul of a Chossid.

I recall the following incident that happened when we were learning in Newark New Jersey. A bochur from a good yeshiva came to Newark, but to him, the differences between the past and present were mind-boggling. 

He made peace with the fact that instead of focusing exclusively on the gemara and its commentaries, he was now instructed to focus for three or four hours on Chassidus. Yes, it was something new and strange to him, but Chassidus is another facet of the Torah. So in Lubavitch there is special emphasis on this. To him it was similar to the idea that certain yeshivos emphasize on learning these particular masechtos, while other yeshivos focus on other masechtos.

But what he couldn’t come to grips with was what he considered the lack of respect for the Roshei HaYeshiva. He was used to seeing everyone stand up when the Rosh Hayeshiva entered, as is mentioned in the Shulchan Aruch. Yet here it was lacking, and even the Rosh HaYeshiva himself dismissed the necessity for it. It was strange, in the least.

It began to bother him so much that he began mentioning that perhaps he should go back to his old Yeshiva. Then one evening there was a phone call: the Rebbe was going to farbreng at 9:30 that evening. Everyone ran out of the building and crammed into the few automobiles that were at our disposal. 

He was pushed in and sat next to the Rosh HaYeshiva while another student squeezed in laying across the laps of those in the back seat. To him this was a cultural shock, and it took him a few minutes to get over it. Then he heard the Rosh Yeshiva telling everyone what was expected from each person. 

“Every one of us should try to remember the Rebbe’s exact words and tomorrow we will review the Rebbe’s words and discuss the point the Rebbe wants us to learn and understand.” He laughed at how uncomfortable the ride was, saying, this is a good preparation for a Chossid to go to the Rebbe, as we are all soldiers in the Rebbe’s army. Yes, some soldiers are given one responsibility, and others are given different tasks, but in essence we are all the same.

Experiencing the ride and seeing the truth of the matter the bochur realized this is what they were trying to explain to me the entire time. But only by experiencing it did he understand and appreciate it. No longer did he think of leaving, he was here to stay. 

— 7 —
Who Can Be My Friend?

This brings us to a story that is connected to the shiur Tanya of today (the 18^th of Tishrei, or the 16^th in a leap year). The opening words of today’s shiur are, “My loved ones, my brothers and my friends…”

The Tumarkin brothers were renowned chassidim of the Mitteler Rebbe (and it is possible that they were also chassidim of the Alter Rebbe). After the histalkus of the Mitteler Rebbe they continued to come to Lubavitch to hear the maamorim of the Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek and perhaps to discuss some communal matters with him, however, as we see from the following story, it took them (or at least the one in this story) some years until he accepted the Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek as his Rebbe.

One time, when one of them was in Lubavitch, the Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek, said to him; “You know how one becomes loved by my grandfather [i.e. the Alter Rebbe]? By having a friend.”

Hearing these words, he took them to heart and contemplated on them. Realizing the truth in these words, he wanted to fulfill it, however, he had a problem with implementing it. So he said to the Tzemach Tzedek, “But that person has to be re’ayhu –an equal to him, and only then can he accept him as a friend.” In other words, he was saying being that he is much more learned than the people in his town, he doesn’t have too much in common with them as he can’t really have a learned conversation with any one of them, so how can they be his friends.

The Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek replied “Re’auhu refers even to the simplest Jew.”

Hearing this, he returned home. Three years later, he returned to Lubavitch and said, “Rebbe, I have a re’ayhu.”

So what happened? Initially he stated a fact. He was extremely learned in niglah, especially in halachah, as well as in Chassidus. There weren’t too many people that shared his stature. So he said, how can I feel they are equal to me? He wasn’t boasting; he was asking a question: If the way to come close to the Alter Rebbe, which is something I truly desire, is by accepting another Jew as an equal, doesn’t there have to be some similarity between the two of us?

The response he heard from the Tzemach Tzedek shook him to the core. Every Jew is an equal, because we all have a neshamah that comes from the same source. However, it took him three years of toil to bring this new way of thinking into practice and actuality. 

Yes, every Jew can be re’ayhu and this is why all Jews can sit in the Sukkah together.

And that is why, when he returned, he began his statement with the word, “Rebbe.” He understood how much he was able to learn from the Rebbe when he put his own self aside.

— 8 —
A True Friend Knows!!

There is a well-known story of the Baal Shem Tov (or according to others, of Reb Moshe Leib of Sassov). He once traveled with his talmidim and stopped opposite a tavern. They were able to see the patrons as they entered and exited, some of them considerably drunk, and they were also able to hear their conversations.

A few minutes passed and out came a pair of drunkards, one more drunk than the other. One of them turned to the other and said, “Ivan, are you my friend?”

“Of course,” replied Ivan. “I am your best friend.” 

After this question and answer repeated itself a few more times, the drunkard said, “Ivan what is bothering me?”

“I don’t know,” replied Ivan.

Hearing this, the drunkard became infuriated and slapped Ivan across the face as hard as he could.

Shocked and bewildered, Ivan asked, “My friend, why did you do that? How could I know what is truly bothering you if you never told me?”

“If you truly are my friend,” replied the drunkard, “Then you would know by yourself what my concerns are. If you don’t know what I am lacking; it shows that you are not really a true friend at all!”

This story gives us an understanding of a teaching of the Alter Rebbe. Reb Itche der Masmid related a saying he heard from the RaShBaTZ. One day the Alter Rebbe came out of his room and entered the beis hamidrash where the students of his three chadorim (classes)15 were learning.

He asked in his famous song-like tune, “How was Avrohom Avinu able to fulfill all the mitzvos (commandments), before Hashem gave them? [The mitzvos were given by matan torah and not before. The only mitzvah given to Avrohom avinu was the mitzvah of milah (circumcision), so how did Avrorom know what the mitzvos were?]” 

“But the answer is as follows” concluded the Alter Rebbe. “The possuk calls Avrohom Avinu ‘My friend Avrohom.’ Being a true friend of Hashem, he was able to discern what Hashem’s will was and he fulfilled that will.”

— 9 —
Since Everything Comes From Hashem

However, who are we kidding? Who among us can come close to the level of Avrohom Avinu? Each person knows his own shortcomings, and we are far, far away from that level!

While the above is true, it is wrong to dwell on our shortcomings. The fact is that the Torah, the root of which is horoah – teaching, informed us about this aspect of Avrohom Avinu’s life, while omitting many other details of his life. The fact that Hashem chose to inform us about this detail of Avrohom’s life serves as proof that even people like us can [(yes, at a lower level, but never-the-less can)] attain and achieve this accomplishment.

But you ask, how? The Avos (forefathers) were a merkava (chariot) to Hashem and were completely buttul to Him, so being at that level, they succeeded in nullifying their own will and desire. Therefore, they sensed what Hashem’s will was. But us, ayaya…

So you have a choice, you can either continue to say ayaya… or you can do something about it. The way to elevate oneself is by learning and constantly reviewing Shaar HaYichud VeHaEmunah16 numerous times. One is obligated to study it until the concept explained there – that Hashem recreates constantly the world – becomes part of your mindset.

Understandably, there are certain concepts mentioned there that are extremely difficult to comprehend, and even wise men are unable to understand it properly. But if a person would review Shaar HaYichud VeHaEmunah twenty to thirty times he would get the general message, there is nothing in the world besides Hashem. So if there is nothing besides Him, am I going to spend my life in pursuit of my own desires? Or will I endeavor to constantly focus on the truth; what am I and for what purpose did Hashem create me and is continuously recreating me?

There is no question whatsoever that if any person will constantly think about this concept, how Hashem recreates him and the world every second, his actions will reflect this new mindset.

Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and the author of numerous books on the Rebbeiim and their chassidim. He is available to farbren in your community, and can be contacted at avtzonbooks@gmail.com