Weekly Story: In the Limousine

by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon

On Shabbos, I heard the following inspiring story that happened this Purim. It is only through these snippets that I hear or that people inform me of, that I am able to continue writing and posting new insights and stories. 

As always, your feedback and comments are most welcomed 

The Lubavitch Mesivta in Chicago arranged for their students to assist various shluchim in their vicinity by helping them spread the joy of Purim to the Jews of their community. The shluchim would then divide the boys into smaller groups and they went to various places to read the Megilla for Jews that were homebound or in whatever location they were. 

In the spirit of Purim, one of these Shluchim decided to send the group back to the Yeshiva in style, in a limousine. The boys between the age of 14 and 17 enjoy the gesture, (they were riding on the kings’ horse, just kidding) and they arrived back to the Yeshiva. 

One of the boys before exiting the limousine, ask the driver are you Jewish? 

Yes, the driver replied. 

Would you like to hear the Megilla, he inquired? 

I must return home, the driver replied. 

Begin driving and I will read the Megilla while you’re driving home, the student responded and then when I finish you will drop me off.

Twenty-five minutes later, the boy concluded reading the Megilla, and he asked the driver to drop him off at the closest shopping center. Once there, he called an Uber and returned to the Yeshiva. 

This is a beautiful and heartwarming story, showing how our teenagers are dedicated to fulfilling the desire and mission that the Rebbe entrusts us with, and implores us to continue, bringing every Jew closer to Hashem. 

Someone who was present at that farbrengen, mentioned that not necessarily is this going to be the end of the story. To explain his statement, he then related that many years ago a similar story happened with Rabbi Shlomo Schwartz or as he is commonly referred to as Schwartzi, who opened the first Chabad House on a college campus; UCLA Westwood in Los Angeles, California.

There was a teenager who grew up in a non-observant house and went to the local public school. He excelled in his studies and his parents were planning or trying to figure out which college will their gifted son benefit the most from. But one evening to their bewilderment and shock, the son informed them that he is not interested in going to college, rather he would like to continue his learning in a Yeshiva – a religious Institution. 

The parents who themselves were very educated and as noted not religious, tried to convince their son to change his mind and get what they considered a proper education. They argued that only through a prestigious degree would he be able to be successful in life! After some lengthy discussions did not resolve the issue they decided to bring in Grandpa who was beloved by everyone including this grandson their son and ask him to help straighten out the situation. They were positive that Grandpa who opposed religious observances, would support their position and their son would respect and accept his opinion.

When Grandpa sat down at the table, he first asked his grandson when and why he made that decision, as everyone else in the family either received or plan on receiving a degree.  After the grandson answered, he then asked, that yeshiva that you wish to apply to, is affiliated with which organization? 

With Chabad, the grandson answered. 

Chabad, they are good people, the grandfather said.

Gasps were heard throughout the room, The parents were shellshocked, especially  when Grandpa said to his grandson, “Be successful!” this was something they never anticipsated, Granpa who was anti-religious just gave his blessings to his grandson to join a Jewish college or institution and become religious himself. How could that be?!

But at that point they realized, the damage could not be undone, they too hgad to respect and abide by grandpas’ strange and unexpected decision.

 The grandson was ecstatic, hugged his grandpa and signed up into the Yeshiva. 

Years later, the grandson was sitting with his grandfather and asked, Grandpa, we all know that not only are you not observant, but you are also against religion. So can you please tell me, why did you give you’re okay for me to go to Yeshiva and for which I am eternally thankful to you! my life is a wonderful blessing. I feel that I am one of the most fortunaye people in the world.

The grandfather looked at his grandson and said, you know at that time I was a professor and on the campus was a man called Rabbi Shlomo Schwartz. One day he came over to me and asked politely, “Professor, would you like to hear the Megilla today?”

 In order not to be rude, I replied truthfully, “I am going home which is in the city of—-, and I must be there as soon as possible. 

The rabbi exclaimed and joy that’s excellent because I happen to have to be there also. So I did the proper thing and I offered him a ride. While I was driving, he was reading from his scroll some words I never heard before and when he concluded we talked a little bit. 

Shortly before entering the city, I asked him where are you going, I will drop you off. 

The bus station will be perfect he replied. 

Hearing this I saw that he only came because he was committed to a cause. Although I was and remain not observant, I saw that he is a person that there is what to respect. Therefore, when you said you two want to join that movement, I decided to respect your conviction, because I recognized that there is truth in their conduct.

A Taste of Chassidus         Vayidaber Hashem…. Zos Chukas HaTorah Asher Tzivuh Hashem 5730

This week, in addition to leining (reading) the weekly portion of Parshas Va’yakhel, we also lein Parshas Purah, which discusses the Red Heifer Sacrifice.

Aa an introduction to the Parsha, the possuk says, Zos Chukas Hatorah, which means this is the decree of the Torah. While in another possuk the Torah states Zos Chukas Hapesach, which means this is the decree concerning the Pesach sacrifice. So why does the Torah note that this Chok (decree) is not a specific one for the Red Heifer, but it is one that applies to the entire Torah?

The midrash says these two pesukim are analogous to two noblewomen that are walking together, and a person who sees them does not recognize which one is more important than the other. Only when they see one of them dropping off the other at her residence and then she continues walking on her own to her residence, do you realize that that act demonstrates that the first one was more important. 

Here too, one does not know which one of these two chukos are higher or more significant than the other, however, when the person sees that an impure Jew cannot participate and eat from the korbon Pesach unless they are first purified by the ashes of the Purah Aduma – the Red Heifer, that shows that the Purah Adumah has a greater power than the korbon pesach.

The question is why is this so? Or to express this a little bit differently, the question is why are there two different levels of Chukos? 

As everyone knows, a Chok is something we do although there is no understanding to it, so being that we don’t understand the Korban Pesach and we also don’t understand the Korban of the Purah Adumah, why do we say that they are different, perhaps they are indeed identical?

Everything in the Torah is in order that we act on it in order to elevate the world. So by understanding how these two levels apply in our service to Hashem we will understand the difference between them. 

As explained a few weeks ago, the three lower levels or parts of the neshama are enclothed in the body and they represent Bina (knowledge), the heart (the attributes) and the kidneys (the actual fulfillment of the mitzvos). While the higher two represent Chochma (wisdom) and Kesser, which in our terminology is the will of Hashem. 

In every mitzvah, there are two aspects of Hashems will. There is the general aspect that’s when a person fulfills any mitzvah, they are doing so because this is what Hashem wants and they are causing or giving Hashem happiness. Then there is the particular desire and purpose for each mitzvah. 

Being that the first level just mentioned is a desire for a particular thing to be done and accomplished, it is much closer to the limited world where each thing is identifiable and separate from the other. However, the other level is a general will will and desire which is not expressed in anything particular. Rather it is equal in every mitzva, My will has been done.

The first level which is somewhat connected to the actual world is the level of Chaya, while the other level which is not connected to anything specific in the world is the higher level of Yechida.

But now one may ask, how could we think that they are equal or perhaps that the decree of the Korban Pesach is a higher level than the decree of the Purah Adumah? 

But as mentioned since that higher level is merely that My [Hashem’s] general will has been fulfilled which applies to every Mitzvah equally, that is reason to say or think that perhaps these two chukim are equal. Furthermore, since Hashems desire in the entire creation is that we accomplish and transform something in the physical world, therefore, fulfilling a particular mitzvah fulfills that desire more than fulfilling a general will that is not specifically connected to something physical. So, this would give room to think that perhaps a particular decree is a higher level than a general desire. 

Nevertheless, the Torah concludes that the general desire is more important and that is the reason why the Torah does not write that this is the decree of a Purah Adumah, but rather that this is the decree of the Torah, as it applies to all mitzvos equally!

subsequently if a person fulfilled a mitzvah without thinking about its particular meaning, the halacha is I fulfilled the mitzvah. However, if I did not think at all that what I am doing is to fulfill a will of Hashem, then the halacha is I did not fulfill that mitzvah. 

To explain this slightly differently, when you are talking about something specific, Chassidus compares that to the normal cycle of the world. However, when you are speaking about the general will of Hashem, which is not associated with any particular mitzvah per se, Chassidus compares that to a level that is higher than the world.

Yet, our sages also teach us that Hashem consulted with the souls of the Tzadikim [which is each and every Jew] whether He should create the world. So, from here we see that tzaddikim are the highest and most important thing that can be. However, our sages also teach us that the place where a baal teshuvah stands, a tzaddik cannot stand [meaning attain that level]. So in that aspect a baal teshuva is much greater than a tzaddik.

Hashem gave us the ability to do teshuva in order to rectify our sin of creating the Golden Calf, which technically affected almost the entire Jewish nation [and therefore Hashem considered the possibility of destroying everyone besides Moshe Rabeinu.

The aspect of Teshuva is higher than nature, for proper teshuvah makes it considered as if the person never sinned at all; the sin is not merely forgiven but completely erased. That is something higher than nature. Therefore in order for a tzaddik to attain this level as well, Moshiach will cause tzaddikim to do teshuva. And through oyr teshuva we will be speedily redeemed.

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 avtzonboks@gmail.com.