Weekly Story: The Tree Doesn’t Die
by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon
At the beginning of last week was the 15th of Shevat, (Rosh Hashanah for trees), and inevitably, when one speaks about the 15th of Shevat, the possuk that a man is like the tree in the field[1] is mentioned, and a lesson is learned from it. Last week I heard a beautiful story connected to this concept from Reb Moshe Rubin, who heard it directly from Reb Zalman Yudkin a”h.
To me the lesson was one that resonates year long, and I didn’t need to file it, in case we are still chas vsholom in golus, until next 15th of Shevat.
As always, your feedback and comments are greatly appreciated and welcomed.
One of the aspects that Reb Zalman related to me was a very brief conversation or interaction he had with his father, and Reb Zalman stated, that it gave him then and continues to give him now the strength to remain a frum and chassidhe Jew.
He began by noting that the Communist were really good at shaping peoples perspective. They perfected the art, that even today some fifty years since I was bezras Hashem able to leave Russia, that sadly to say, the thoughts and heretic philosophy that they so carefully planted and ingrained into our impressionable minds, come to mind even nowadays, and it can even come when I am davening Shemone Esreh.
So the question is, if they were capable of planting it so strongly how did I have the strength and ability to constantly pick myself up then when i was a young boy, teenager and became an adult in Communist Russia, and continue living a life of a chassidishe Jew now in the free world?
It all was because of an incident that I vividly remember, which occurred with my father, when I was a young child.
It was in middle of the frozen and bitter winter, and to our shock our father opened up the window which allowed the bitter frost to blow in as he romoved the snow and frozen ice from the window.
We were all confused, but then after closing the window, my father called me over and said Zalman, now that the window is clearing and and there is no snow or frost blocking your vision, are you able to see the trees outside?
Yes, I replied.
Zalman are there any leaves growing on it, asked my father?
No, nothing is growing.
So someone who would look a the tree right now, would think that the tree is dead, my father continued. But Zalman, what is the difference between this “dead” tree and a dead animal, my father asked?
Without waiting for my⁸ reply, he answered his own question. When an animal, bird or fish die, they turn over and that is the end. However, when a tree “dies”, as this tree did when it lost its leaves some months ago, and it will remain like this for many more months, we can conclude it died. After all it is frozen, with no movement or sign of life on its own. Yet, in many months from now, a little bud is going to grow and then blossom, so you see that the tree didn’t die, it was just hibernating like some animals do during the winter. But when they are no longer controlled or frozen by the coldness, they wake up and live a vibrant life, showing that in fact they were never “dead”.
My father continued, Zalman, we are compared to that tree. Yes, we have to be careful because those wicked people have the power and ability to harm us. So to them we don’t show any indication that we fulfill Hashem’s mitzvos quietly, but remember spring is coming. Yes, your spring might be in many years, when with the help of Hashem you will be able to leave this country and their domination, and until then, you remember that you are a live and vibrant Jew.
That thought, concluded Reb Zalman gave me the strength to remain strong, taking every day as one more day of hiding my inner and true self, that I am proud to be a Jew who serves Hashem to the best of my ability.
A simple lesson that can be learned is never give up on a present or former talmid (student), chaver (friend) or classmate. It may seem that they are frozen (cold or indifferent), however, when warmth blows their way, especially if it is from one they were close to,, they will thaw and warm up, and you may marvel at the beautiful blossoms that will sprout forth from their vitality.
A Taste of Chassidus
V’Eleleh Hamishpatim Torah Ohr
In this week’s maamar, the Alter Rebbe is focusing on the aspect of what was Moshe Rabeinu’s mission to the Jewish people. Obviously, as the Torah explicitly says, that the reason why Hashem instructed him to take us out of Mitzrayim was that we should receive the Torah and serve Hashem, but here the Alter Rebbe is coming to explain and clarify the depthness of the level of how Moshe is to give the Torah to us.
He begins with a simple question, the parsha begins with the words “And these are the laws you [Moshe] should give over to them, [meaning to the Jewish people]”. The next possuk begins with the words “When you will purchase a Jewish person as a slave.” The obvious question on this is, shouldn’t the Torah have written, when one of you will purchase a Jew as a slave, since Moshe is giving over this and the other commandments to the Jewish people, it should be said in the plural tense?
Furthermore, we have to understand why from all the laws of the Torah did Hashem choose this to be the first law that Moshe should teach the Jewish people, immediately after they received the Torah?
Evidently, there is a message in this law that is so vital and paramount, that all the laws which we were taught afterwards (and by) Matan Torah are dependent upon the spiritual application of this law.
The Alter Rebbe explains, the first possuk of the parsha says, Hashem is telling Moshe, these are the laws that you should tell the Jewish people. The next possuk is not only informing the Jewish people the laws about acquiring a Jewish slave and how the owner has to deal with the Jewish slave that he purchased, but it is primarily speaking to Moshe Rabeinu himself. Hashem is telling him, I just commanded you to give over the Torah and its commandments to the Jewish people, however, when a person teaches or imparts wisdom and knowledge to others they can do it in various ways, but the way you should do it, is in the manner of acquiring a Jewish slave. To underline that Hashem is speaking to Moshe, the possuk says; [Moshe,] when you acquire a Jewish slave….
In order for us to understand the concept he is bringing out with this thought, the Alter Rebbe gives clarification of the difference between purchasing (acquiring) and creating.
When we say, one created something, we are saying that they are making a new entity. Before it was created this item or entity did not exist, and in the creator’s ingenuity of combining and utilizing different raw materials, now there is an item that can accomplish certain things that until then were impossible to be accomplished. [Unlike Hashem, who actually created everything from nothing, as there were no raw materials to create from.]
But when a person acquires or buys something from someone else, the item is the exact same item as it was before, the only difference this transaction made is, that it was transferred from one possession into a new or other possession.
So Hashem is telling Moshe, that the way he is to teach the Jewish people is to transfer them from their previous state (level) and bring them into the possession (level) that is uniquely Moshe’s. In other words, they should be elevated from their level and obtain the abilities that are obtainable, only when one reaches Moshe’s level, as they are now part of Moshe Rabeinu’s possession.
With this thought we can proceed to the concept that the Alter Rebbe is discussing in this maamar.
When a person hears or learns something, depending on the person’s connection to the subject matter, there can be three different reactions. One reaction is that I understand the subject matter thoroughly, and perhaps I enjoyed the intellectual challenge and process, but nevertheless, I just stored it away as another interesting piece of knowledge, it truly did not make any emotional impression upon me. A second outcome can be, is that I take it to heart, and it creates an emotional feeling of desire and love or fear and withdrawal etc.[2] The third level is that it’s not just that I heard and learned it, but I connected to it until it is as if I actually see it; it became so clear to me that I could visually see it and I become completely connected to it.
[For example, a person could hear a beautiful song or symphony etc, but if they have no feeling or understanding of music, it’s going to be meaningless to them. Or they might be moved by it and smile or have tears running down their cheeks and they might even want to acquire a copy of that song that they could listen to it from time to time. The third level is that they are so entranced by it that it becomes part of them and only after some time, are they able to move on with other things but that song is ingrained in their mind forever.] And in this maamar the Alter Rebbe is going to explain the difference between the one that has only an emotional response to the song/thought and the one that it became ingrained in them.
Chassidus explains that when Moshe said Vinachnu mah,[3] he was saying, and we are nothing, or in other words, we are completely nullified in front of Hashem. Moshe who is on the level of chochmah of Atzilus, which is completely nullified to Hashem, is the level of Chochmah, which is the level of seeing.[4] While the Neshomos of almost every other Jew comes from the lower three worlds of B’riah, Yetzira and Asiah.[5]
Just as Chochmah is total nullification to Hashem, so too is the supernal world of Atzilus. Binah on the other hand interjects its own personality in understanding the concept of wisdom which Chochmah presented, so it is not completely nullified Subsequently the Zohar teaches us, that Binah’s place is in B’riah, the place of the first six attributes (Zuh) is in Yetzirah, while Malchus is in Asiah.
So the Jewish people on their own, are capable only of a limited nullification, and they can arouse in themselves a feeling of Love or awe of Hashem, however, as soon as they stop concentrating on the G-dly thought, there is the strong possibility that this feeling to G-dliness will dissipate as well, as the emotion is caused by the thought.
However, Moshe who is on the level of complete nullification, by him the reality of G-dlinnes and that Hashem is the source of every life is so engrained in him, that even when he becomes involved in worldly matters and not overtly thinking of this thought, he is still totally focused on revealing the sparks of G-dliness in this world.
And that is what Hashem is telling Moshe, transfer them to your level, that even when they are completely immersed with the physical world, they will still maintain their love and awe to Me [Hashem].
This can be seen from the following two pesukim. When Moshe first came and informed the Jewish people, that Hashem sent him to bring them out of the bondage of Mitzrayim, the possuk says, ויאמן העם and the people believed.[6] However, later on when Hashem is telling Moshe that after He redeems the Jewish people and takes them as His nation [by Matan Torah], Hashem continues and states ה׳ אני כי וידעתם [then] you will know that I am Hashem…[7]
Before Moshe transmitted the Torah to the Jewish people they were on the level of Emunah (belief). Chassidus explains that even a thief believes that Hashem controls the world, and therefore before he sets out to steal, he prays, “Hashem, please let it be successful.”
So if he believes that Hashem is the One who is providing him his sustenance, why is he stealing and going against Hashem’s will? Because, that belief was not internalized, and subsequently doesn’t affect the person’s actions.
However, when you have Daas (knowledge), which not only connects the intellect to the emotions, and causes an emotional response, but also connects the chochmah (wisdom), binah (understanding) that not only does he understands the concept, but it is actually so clear to the person that he visually sees it, then a person who sees Hashem in front of their eyes, will never sin and go or do something against Hashem’s will.
This is what our sages say, that by Matan Torah, the Jewish people saw what is normally heard. Meaning that Moshe presented it to them in this manner, that not only did they intellectually understand it, but their comprehension was so clear that they visualized it, and conducted themselves accordingly.
The Alter Rebbe concludes the maamar by explaining the deeper meaning of a slave working for six years and goes free on the seventh.
Our mission is to work and elevate this physical world, until we reveal its true essence that everyone will see that it is truly an extension of Hashem’s manifestation in this world. Our mission is going to be accomplished during the maximum of six thousand years from Creation.
Once that is done, the purpose of mitzvos will no longer be to elevate the world, hence that work will end, or as the possuk says, we are free from that work.
Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and the author of numerous books on the Rebbeim and their chassiodim. He is available to farbreng in your community and can be contacted at avtzonbooks@gmail.com.
[1] Devorim, 20:19.
[2] In chassidus this is explained with various parables. A peasant received a letter, however, he is illiterate. He therefore takes the letter to the one person in the village who knows how to read. The person opens the letter and reads, Dear ____, it is with profound sadness we inform you of the passing of your dear___. The person keeps on reading, while the peasant cries in anquish and faints. Because to the reader the information was not relevant to him, but to the peasant it was very relevant. Or as the Rebbe notes.in the Hayom Yom from the Rebbe Maharash, that simple people who are in involved in court cases, can come up with ingenious arguments to bolster their case, that took great sages days and weeks to figure out. The reason is because 1
[3] Shemos, 16:7.
[4] As our sages teach us חכם רואה את הנולד- which is usually translated to mean that a wise person is able to project what the outcome will be from a certain action. However, Chassidus transalates it to mean, that a wise person actually [intellectually] sees and visualizes the outcome, it is so clear to him that he actually “sees” it.
[5] Chassidus explains, while every Neshoma comes from the same source – from Hashem Himself (as is explained in chapter 2 of Likkutei Anarim Tanya), nevertheless, Moshe’s and a selected group remain completely connected to Hashem. The only thing is they pass through the lower worlds, but do not enclothe themselves in them. Whereas all other neshomos connect themselves to one of the three other spiritual worlds.
The Alter explains here, being that we are called Ivri, which is alluding to the place/source that Avorom Avinu came from, מעבר הנהר and therefore he is called אברהם העברי, at that level everything is equal and there are no differences between one level and another. So in essence, Moshe is merely revealing them their original source [and ability] within themselves.
[6] Shemos, 4:31.
[7] Shemos, 6:7.
