Weekly Story: It Will Be Done

by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon

Our sages teach us machashavah tova hakodosh boruch hu mitzarfa l’maasu. This is commonly translated to mean, that if a Jew makes a good decision and for whatever reason they are prevented from fulfilling it, Hashem considers it as if the good deed was fulfilled and gives the person the reward as if it was fulfilled. 

Chassidus follows a different explanation which says, that when a person makes a commitment to fulfill a mitzvah, Hashem will arrange that they be able to fulfill it.

The following story which I heard from a son of HaRav Hachossid Reb Michoel Vishedsky, when I went to be Menachem Avel the family on his petira this year on Rosh Hashanah, brings it out clearly.

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

A note of caution, while in this story it is mentioned that a mashpia gave a teenager mashke to drink, that was in a different time and situation. We have to remember that the Rebbe make guidelines on drinking. Furthermore, I heard from a few members of the original hanhalah of Tomchei Tmimim of America, that the Frierdiker Rebbe instructed them that when they farbreng with the students in the mesivta (high school), they should take a bottle of 7UP, and pour a drop of mashke in it, and that is the Lchaim they should use during the farbrengen. 

My father, Rabbi Michoel Vishedsky, was asked this year what story or incident in his life defines his life and would be the story that he thinks about continuously. 

He replied by singling out the following episode of his life.

When I was a teenager, the chossid who continuously took an interest in my welfare was Reb Mendel Futerfas. Perhaps it was because my father was imprisoned by the  communists because of his activities on behalf of strengthening Jewish observance, and we would often be seen together, even while walking in the streets. 

Now Reb Mendel had a special aura that even the non-Jews recognized and respected to the extent that they often requested a blessing from him.

One day, when I was fifteen years old, as we were walking in the street a large individual suddenly out of nowhere rushed over and pleaded that Reb Mendel gives him a blessing. Please bless me that there will be harmony in my house, between me and my wife and also between us and our children. 

Reb Mendel immediately replied, if you give this young man a job, your requests will be fulfilled. 

Being that I looked older than my years, the man did not think that I was still high school age, and he hired me on the spot. His business was fixing clocks and watches.

I worked very long hours, coming home every day at around nine in the evening.

Months passed and on Yud-Beis Tammuz, the farbrengen began around three or four in the afternoon in someone’s apartment, and it would continue on until the early hours of the morning. Being that I was working, I came to the farbrengen at around nine in the evening.

Reb Mendel wasn’t happy with my late arrival to the farbrengen as he realized that it wasn’t my attitude to the farbrengen, but it was a result of my daily schedule.  After giving me a lchaim to say, he spoke to me and said Michel, you have to make a hachlata to learn every day. You must learn Chassidus and Nigla a few hours a day. But if you work such long hours it will never happen. Make a hachlata, that you won’t work past five in the afternoon!

I was hesitant, as I feared that the owner would dismiss me completely, and the family needed the money I was earning. So I didn’t reply.

Seeing my hesitation, Reb Mendel gave me an additional lchaim and then another one. At a certain point I promised him that I would stop working at five.

I don’t remember anything else about that farbrengen, as I wasn’t use to drinking a lchaim and especially a few, but the following morning when I woke up, I was not able to go to work.

I did go back the following day and apologized to my boss for not coming the previous day explaining that I was not feeling well. I then tried to tell him of my firm decision of stopping work at five in the afternoon, but he turned away to take care of something urgent, and I figured I will find the opportunity later on in the day. I went over to him a few more times, but each time he was called to take care of something urgent and I couldn’t speak to him.

I heard the chiming of the numerous clocks and felt that the time was slipping away. Finally I saw that it was fifteen minutes before five, and I knew I had to speak to him immediately. 

Before I had the opportunity to get up, he suddenly came over to me and said, Mishael, how old are you?

Fifteen, I replied. 

Fifteen he said in bewilderment, so when are you going to learn algebra and science in order to go to college and get a degree? So that means because of me, you are not going to get further on in life. From now on, every day you must leave the shop at five, so that you can study properly and get a solid education. 

At that moment I saw how if a person makes a true hachlata, they will definitely have the opportunity to fulfill it.

A Taste of Chassidus –  Likkutei Torah 

In this maamar the Alter Rebbe focuses primarily on the second possuk in this week’s parsha which states, “Let My teachings drip like rain, My speech should flow like dew.” He explains what the difference between rain and dew is, as well as clarifying what they signify in our connection (avodah/service) to Hashem. 

The maamar first quotes a saying of our sages, that the Jewish people asked for Hashem to be to them (or treat them) like rain and Hashem replied you have made a mistake in your request, I will be to you like dew.

Rain is created from the moisture of the earth that evaporates and goes heavenward, and after it condenses in the clouds it comes back to the earth. While dew comes on its own from heaven.

Chassidus explains that the process of rain represents the aspect of isarusa dilitatuh, isarusu dolieiluh (which means our actions cause a proportionate reaction from Hashem. When we do any specific action, that is how Hashem will deal with us).

Dew on the other hand, comes on its own from heaven, so too even if our actions do not those higher heavenly levels or spheres, [so according to the request of the Jews, they shouldn’t receive anything from those levels,] nevertheless, Hashem promises that He will bestow upon us from that level which is way above our level.

In other words, we requested that Hashem should reward us according to our actions, and Hashem replied, “Why are you just asking that you be rewarded from a level that your actions can reach, I will reward you from a much higher level, a level that is completely beyond your actions.” 

Taking this concept a step further the Alter Rebbe explains, in order for rain to come down from the clouds, moisture has to first rise from the earth to the heavens, and the question becomes, how is that represented in our avodah (service) to Hashem? 

On this the Alter Rebbe explains that a person is to be in a state of teshuva every day. Contrary to the regular explanation that teshuva means repentance, teshuva really means a person is to return to their source. While we trace the source of our Neshoma to Chochmah of Atzilus, the truth is that it is much higher than that.

So when a Jew realizes that they are putting their emphasis and desire into achieving and enjoying the material aspects of the world, they decide that they must make a change in their priority and strive to connect to their source. The person comes to this decision by comparing their actions to the moisture that rises from the earth. When the cloud is heavy or full of this moisture, it becomes bigger and darker, creating a blockage of the sun’s rays from shining to the earth. Their actions create a barrier or separation between them and Hashem. So they choose to remove this barrier, by returning to Hashem.

However, Hashem informs the Jewish people, your desire and objective is proper, however, that is only going to connect you to the noticeable source of your Neshoma that is in Atzilus. However, the truth is that the true source of the Neshoma is from a much higher source. So I am going to connect you to that level, which is higher than your actions can reach on their own.

In this maamar the Alter Rebbe also points out three different levels of Teshuva,

Teshuva as mentioned means returning to Hashem and putting your thoughts on how to be connected to Him and not materialistic pursuits.

Every day that is accomplished when a person davens and removes their thoughts from their business etc. Then, like our sages teach us one who prepares for Shabbos can eat on Shabbos. By returning to Hashem for the period of time of davening on a daily basis, on Shabbos the person would be able to connect themselves to Hashem for the entire day, as the three letters Shin, Beis and Suf, that spell Shabbos, when they are rearranges spell the word Tushev, which means to return to Hashem.

This then brings us to a third level of Return, which is accomplished on Yom Kippur, as Yom Kippur is called Shabbos Shaboson, a double level of Shabbos.

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.