Weekly Story: Chai Elul – Tzemach Tzedek

by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon

Being that this Shabbos is two days after Chai Elul and is the Shabbos before the final Shabbos of the year, which is erev the birthday of the Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek, I decided to post a saying of the Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek about light, which as mentioned last week is the concept of Chai Elul. 

As always, your feedback and comments are greatly appreciated and most welcomed. 

This week’s post is L’zecher nishmas my father-in-law, HaRav Moshe Pesach ben Reb Shaul Goldman, who was niftar on the 16^th of Elul, as well in the zechus of my newborn grandson Moshe Pesach ben Chaya Mushka, who was named after his great grandfather, a few hours after the kevurah. May his parents raise him and their other children shryichyu, to be a chossid, Yiras Shomayim and Lamdan, in excellent health, with happiness and prosperity.

Every year Reb Hillel would travel to distant Ukraine and spend there a few months, to inspire the simple Jews who lives there. He was instructed to do this by the Mitteler Rebbe. 

One year he heard the Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek discussing the greatness of having the ability to achieve deveikus (connection) to Hashem on a constant basis.

He knew that his traveling around for these six months prevented him from attaining this level, so he entered in a yechidus and asked the Rebbe if perhaps he should stop what he was doing.

Before answering the Rebbe entered a state of deveikus. He then replied, “Your service (avodah) of Hashem is accomplished through bringing light to other Jews. And lighting up a Jew is achieved by giving them the light of Chassidus, since the light of Chassidus is an ohr atzmi (a fundamental light) which was revealed [by the Rebbeim] through their mesiras nefesh. 

This is basically the directive that the Tzemach Tzedek and all the Rebbeim would often say, Anan po’alei d’yimama anan – It is our responsibility to bring light [to all]”

The Frierdiker Rebbe writes in a letter that from the statement of  the Tzemach Tzedek to Reb Hillel we can learn six points.

1. A person has to put himself aside – and be willing to forgo his personal gain – in order to help another. 

2. It is our mission and obligation to light up the hearts and homes of other Jews.

3. The way one is capable of fulfilling this personal responsibility is by being personally permeated and shining with the light of Chassidus. 

4. The only way to bring light to another is with the light of Chassidus. 

5. The reason it must be [and can only be] with the light of Chassidus, is because Chassidus is an ohr atzmi, a fundamental light, and not merely a revelation of light.

For example, a fire can become extremely powerful [and start burning out of control], but as large as it may be, it can be extinguished. However, the spark that is inside a flint stone isn’t even noticeable, until it is used to ignite something and start a fire, but that tiny spark can never be extinguished, and even when it is submerged in water, it retains its full power.

That is the power of Chassidus. Once it is brought into the heart of a Jew, (although it may be covered up for a while) it will never be extinguished. 

6. How do we have the ability to reveal this hidden but essential light? That was accomplished by the mesiras nefesh that our Rebbeim had for Chassidus. So even if a person strayed for some reason, this ohr atzmi is found within him and ultimately will be aroused.

To mention a saying that I heard some years ago.  We have the parshios of Ki Tzeitze (When you go out), Ki Suhvoi (when you enter), Nitzuvim (standing), Vah’yeilach (And he went), Ha’azinu (Listen) and V’zos Habirucha (This is the blessing).

Chassidim would say, Ki Tzeitzei, When a chossid takes leave of the Rebbe’s courtyard, in other words when one becomes married, leaves Collel, moves to a new community, there is a possibility that the person may go down a level. However, the way to prevent that from happening is Ki Suhvoi, you should remember that you are going to come and speak with the Rebbe, and he is going to also ask you about your spiritual well-being.

Therefore, you make sure that the real you is going to return to him, as perfect as you left if not better.

The question is how can a person guarantee that the new situation doesn’t negatively impact him? Until now he lived in a somewhat protected environment, and now those natural protections are not there. The remedy to this is Nitzuvim, you are to stand firm in your convictions and conduct.

Continue learning not only Chitas and Rambam, but maintain lessons in Nigla and Chassidus, as well as davening the way a chossid should and participate in farbrengens. That will maintain your standing and elevate you.

But then you may face a different challenge, Vayeilach, you may feel an inclination to go fully into your new profession, and that may demand or require that you put in so much extra time, that it is not always possible to maintain your standards.

So the next parsha tells you, Ha’azinu, pay attention and not only listen, but listen with kabbala sol, with the intent and resolve to follow through n the various guidance’s that you have received from the rebbe or learnind from his teachings and writings.

That brings the person to the final parsha of Chumash Devorim (and the Torah), V’zos Haberocha – This is the greatest blessing one can have that they conduct their lives in accordance to the Rebbe’s directives.

May we all merit this brocha, and benefit from Hashem’s brocha of a kesiva vchasima tova, L’shana tova umesukah,

A Taste of Chassidus  Es Hashem Heh’umartu Hayom 5734

Last week we posted the concept, that Ani L’dodi  V’dodi Lee, is not merely an aspect of Elul, but is an essential part of it. In addition to symbolizing the point of the need to add in our davening and the concept of the Alter Rebbe’s moshol of The King is in the Field, Chassidus brings out another concept that can be learned from these words.

The simple meaning is that after I draw myself closer to Hashem, Hashem draws me closer to Him. In Chassidic terminology this is called isarusa d’lisata, isarusa d’liehla – that because a person does an action in this world, Hashem does a similar action in Heaven.

One of the examples given (as is mentioned in the bar mitzvah mamar) is what our sages say, that because we put on tefillin and publicize that Hashem is the only entity, Hashem Echod – He is One; that causes that Hashem also puts on tefillin and in His tefillin it is written, who is like Your nation of Yisroel, One nation in the earth. 

In essence this is the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov and Maggid on the words of the mishna in Pirkei Avos (Ethics of our Father’s) 2:1, where it states, Know what is above you, and they explain it to mean, know that whatever is above you in the heavens, is because of you, based on your actions. 

[The simple explanation is that our positive actions create healthy angels who advocate on our behalf, while a person’s negative action create angels that try to prosecute him. While Chassidus explains it to mean, A person should know, that whatever happens in the heavens is because of their actions, speech and thought.]

Based on this whatever comes down from Heaven is proportionate to the action a Jew does on this earth. As Rashi explains that Hashem says to us, because you took care of the four that I am responsible to support, therefore I will take care of the four you are responsible to care for.

However, in this maamar (as well as in many other maamorim) the Rebbe notes that there are times that Hashem does an action (a kindness) for us, that is way beyond anything we did to earn it.

[Author’s note: the example I use to explain this is, a worker receives payment or as others call it renumeration for their efforts. So the more hours an employee puts in or the more productivity they accomplished, the larger their paycheck will be. However, there is a time or situation that a worker receives such a large bonus that everyone sees that it is not just based on the employees’ accomplishments, it is much more than that.]

So although it is not based on the person’s actions, nevertheless,  if the person wouldn’t have done anything for Hashem (or their employer) they wouldn’t have received this generous gift etc.

With this said, I can now note the point connected to this in this week’s maamar.

In this week’s parsha the possuk (26:17) says, Today you have distinguished Hashem, that He will be your G-d…, then the following possuk states, And today Hashem has distinguished you to be His treasured people. 

So we also see this aspect here, because we distinguished Hashem, in return Hashem distinguishes us.

But on this word  האמרת   Chassidus notes that it is referring to specific sayings. The ten sayings through which Hashem created the world, which was done only on condition that the Jewish people accept and fulfill the ten commandments.

But while originally Hashem created the world before we were created, but now every year on Rosh Hashanah it is us who accept and then declare that Hashem is the King over the entire universe, and only then does Hashem decide to continue to recreate the world.

This follows the Chassid doctrine that Rosh Hashanah is the day of “building Hashems’ kingdom.”

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