Weekly Story: Yud Aleph Nissan
by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon
This Sunday is Yud Aleph Nissan, and I would like to share with you a thought I heard from a friend of mine, this past week during a farbrengen to prepare for Yud Aleph Nissan, the Rebbe’s 124th birthday, and subsequently, we will begin saying Kapital 125 in Tehillim.
As always, your feedback and comments are greatly appreciated and most welcomed.
I take the opportunity to wish all of you and the entire Jewish nation a chag kosher v’sameach, and may we merit to eat the korban Pesach in the third Beis Hamikdash.
It is well known what the Baal Shem Tov wrote, that one Rosh Hashanah his Neshoma went up to heaven and he asked Moshiach when are you coming?
When your wellsprings will spread forward, was Moshiach’s reply.
This was commonly understood to mean that when the teachings of Chassidus will reach those Jews who are presently considered to be outside of the realm of Chassidus, as for whatever reason they were unable to learn Chassidus, once those teachings would reach them, that is when Moshach will come.
In simple words, that was understood to mean, that the teachings of Chassidus should reach every Jew that is studying / learning Torah, they should realize that in order to understand the Torah properly, one must learn Chassidus. As Chassidus is an essential part of the Torah.
But then we were taught that chutza, means those Jews, that are outside of the world of Torah and mitzvos, the teachings of Chassidus has to reach even those Jews.
However, in numerous sichos the Rebbe explains that the true meaning of Moshiach’s reply/words are, that when those who were considered “outside” of the realm of Chassidus and even “outside” of observing all of the Mitzvos, it is not enough that they are taught the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, but rather, that they themselves would spread the teachings of Chassidus and influence others to fulfill mitzvos, that is when Moshiach will come.
When I was a talmid (student) in Yeshiva, we heard by the farbrengens of Mashpiim and elder Chassidim the following thought: who did the Rebbeiim appoint to be his Shluchim (messengers and representatives)? The Alter Rebbe chose his outstanding talmidim, those who were learning in his chadorim (special classes) that whoever desired to apply had to be fluent in the entire shas, with some of its commentaries etc. The Mitteler Rebbe chose Reb Hillel Paritcher to be his personal representative to the Kherson colonies in the Ukraine.
This was followed by the Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek, the Rebbe Maharash, the Rebbe Rashab, and to a large extent by the Frierdiker Rebbe. They all chose outstanding chassidim who were extremely knowledgeable in all aspects of the Torah, as their shluchim (representatives).
But by our Rebbe, originally, he picked out those that were to go on Shlichus as well as sending those who requested to go on shlichus, but everybody else went into whatever livelihood they chose. But then came the mivtzoyim and new frontiers opened, shlichus was available to everyone. Even in the early years of the Rebbe’s Nesius, when he put an emphasis on mivtza Telias Shofar, Mivtza Lulav and release time, everybody who was able to participate, was instructed to participate. Even those who felt that they couldn’t help (such as a person who didn’t know a word of English) was told to go and assist the instructor by giving out the candies, and help teach the young children to say a brocha.
But as the years passed and regular students or even students that were academically weak, but had a passion and desire to go on Shlichus were sent to develop a Lubavitch presence in Countries and States.
So while some of those people were considered the “chutza” in comparison to the outstanding talmidim of 770. became the Rebbe’s shluchim and spread Yiddishkeit.
This was followed by the Rebbe’s guidance to numerous businessmen that the reason they have to travel to distant ares, is not merely a means of earning an income, but Hashem who can provide you income in your hometown is sending you (a Jew) to that place for a mission. Youy are to find and help a local Jew who lives there and bring their family closer to Hashem
Years later, the concept of what Chutza meant expanded to a greater point, to a person who used to be a true chutza.
Individuals that grew up in non-observant homes, who through the influence of the Rebbe’s shluchim chose to become close to Yiddishkeit and Chassidus, many of them became shluchim themselves.
So at that point, that fulfilled the criteria that Moshiach set. Here we have numerous individuals who did not grow up in a home that had any connection to Chassidus and did not even grow up in an observant family, yet, they became the ones to spread Yiddishkeit and Chassidus, the Wellsprings of the Baal Shem Tov. Isn’t that fulfilling the condition that Moshiach made?! So we were told then that the conditions were fulfilled and now we are definitely on the threshold of Moshiach’s coming.
However, as the Rebbe mentions in many sichos, that for no fathomable reason Moshiach has yet to come, so this week my friend pointed out that now we have discovered and employing a new level or dimension of Chutza, that is spreading Yiddishkeit and the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov.
A month ago over 5,000 CTEENS came to Crown Heights to participate in their largest Shabbaton ever. This past Shabbos there was another Shabbaton, this time it was for CKIDS.
Almost all of these teens and children do not come from observant homes. Additionally, the vast, vast majority of them, go to public school. So I believe it is fair to assume and say that not all of them or in fact most of them do not have a true Shabbos or kosher experience in their homes or in their environment. Yet the boys proudly encouraged their classmates and other students in their public school to put on tefillin and say Shema Yisroel, and do other mitzvos including learning some thoughts of the Torah and teachings of Chassidus. The same thing is with the girls that are part of CTEENS and CKIDS. They encourage their Jewish friends to light Shabbos candles and do other mitzvos.
In other words, while they are fulfilling some mitzvos themselves, but yet in other aspects they might still be, because of situations that are presently beyond their control not able to fulfill other mitzvos. So in other words, they are still part of the Chutza. [Unlike those Shluchim that were not raised observant, but are now completely observant.] But nevertheless, they are spreading the Torah, Mitzvos as well as teachings of the Baal shem Tov to others.
As a result of this wonderful phenomenon, nowadays we definitely have completely fulfilled Moshiach’s condition in every imaginable way possible.
In the Merit of this, may we merit to bring fulfillment to the Rebbe’s mission of revealing the greatness of Hashem in this physical world, which will bring about the coming of Moshiach now, and we shall merit to bring the Korban Pesach in the third Beis Hamikdash, this year.
A Taste of Chassidus
Sheishes Yumim Toichloo Matzos Likkutei Torah (Vayikra) p. 13a.
In the Hagaddah we say that Rabban Gamliel stated that whoever did not discuss the three Biblical commandments of Pesach, Matzah and Morror, did not fulfill his obligation.
We then say in the Hagaddah, that the reason why we eat the Matzah is, as the Possuk states: Because the dough that our ancestors took with them from Mitrayim, did not time to become leavened as Hashem revealed Himself to them and redeemed them.[1]
However, one may ask on this, that possuk clearly states that they baked the dough which they took out of (Egypt) Mitzrayim. Meaning, that the dough that didn’t become Chometz was baked after Hashem already redeemed them, meaning, it was the dough that they baked the following day, on the 15th of Nissan. However, we are sitting at the seder in the evening of the 15th, at the time before we were taken out of Mitzrayim. So aren’t we eating this matzah, just as the Jews ate their matza in Mitzrayim, specifically because they were commanded to bake a matzah, (and not leavened bread)?! As the possuk states, we should eat the korban Pesach together with Matzah and Morror.[2]
As is known, while we are forbidden to eat anything leveaned during the seven (or eight days in diaspora) of Pesach, the obligation to actually eat Matza is only on the first night (two nights in the diaspora) of Pesach. This is based on the Possuk, In the evening [of the 15th], you shall eat Matzos.
it is interesting to note that in this possuk the word Matzos is spelled with the three letters of Mem, Tzaddik and Suf, but in the Possuk that we mentioned earlier, there are four letters in the word Matzos, as there is a Vov, between the Tzaddik and Suf. So, we have to understand what is the meaning (significance) of a Vov, and why is it in only one of these two pesukim?
Chassidus explains that a Vov represents how Hashem’s Radiance is being brought down on being revealed in this materialistic world. When one looks at the letter Vov (ו), they see a small Yud on the top of it, with a line coming down. The Yud represents Hashem, and the long line, is demonstrating how Hashem is revealing Himself, or descending, into the lower worlds.
With this understanding, we can explain the difference between these two Pesukim. In the Hagadda we note that the prophet notes that when Hashem took us out of Mitzrayim, we were Naked and bare. [3]
Our sages inform us that this is alluding to the fact that at that moment, the Jewish nation as a whole were bereft of fulfilling Hashem’s mitzvos, and subsequently, they didn’t have any merit to be redeemed. Therefore, Hashem, gave us the commandments of taking a sheep, [the god of the Egyptians,] tie it to our bed for four days and then slaughter it, as well as circumcising ourselves and male children.
Doing these acts of Mesiras Nefesh,[4] gave us the merit of being worthy of being redeemed.
So as noted, before Hashem redeemed us, we also had a connection to negative actions, meaning that the nefesh Habehamis maintained a certain amount of control over us. Subsequently, Hashem commanded us to guard the Matzos that they do not rise and become leavened.
Chassidus explains that Chometz and Matzah are very similar. Both are made from flour and water, just that the Chometz rises (due to natural fermentation), while the Matza did not rise.
The reason why this dough didn’t rise is normally due to the fact that the baker took preventive measures to prevent it from rising. Basically, because it was not left alone for even a short period of time (eighteen minutes). So this is the meaning of watch the matzos that they don’t rise.
Chassidus explains, that dough that rises, symbolizes a person whose ego shines forth and he needs, or perhaps even demands that his place to be recognized and respected.
While Matzah which doesn’t rise symbolizes one who has humility, and doesn’t show off their greatness.
So when the Nefesh Habehomis was expressing itself and causing that the Jews were bereft of Mitzvos, there was a possibility of their ego showing off. Therefore, the Jews had to take measures to prevent that from happening.
However, after Hashem revealed not merely His greatness to everyone, but His essence, at that point, when everyone was standing in Hashem’s presence, they all automatically became nullified, and subsequently there is no possibility for their own ego to claim that I am an important entity. So on these matzos there is no need to prevent it from rising, as it doesn’t have the capability to do so.
But that was when we were in Mitzrayim, which was before we received the Torah and Mitzvos. However, nowadays, being that we already received the Torah and Mitzvos, so even though we are eating the matzah at the seder, before midnight, meaning before Hashem’s essence is revealed. Nevertheless, being that it is after Matan Torah, we are connected to Hashem’s essence, and the matzah we eat at the seder, has the quality of the matzah of the 15th day, that we cannot go against Hashem.
This is the reason why the Matzah is called on the first night, The Food of Faith, (while the Matzah of the second night is called the Food of Healing).
In this maamar the Alter Rebbe explains, how the physical Matzah can give this spiritual nourishment.
In next weeks’ A Taste of Chassidus, I will bezras Hashem explain, the reason, why in Mitzrayim, we were commanded only to eat matzah on the first night of Pesach, and because of that we were able to experience the splitting of the sea, which occurred on the seventh day of Pesach. But nowadays, in order to merit this level of the splitting of the sea, we are instructed to eat Matzah on the six days prior to the sevent day.
Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and the author of numerous books on our Rebbeiim and their chassidim. He is available to farbreng in your community and can be contacted at avtzonbooks@gmail.com.
[1] Shemos, 12:15.
[2] Shemos, 12:8.
[3] Yechezkel, 16:7-8.
[4] Taking a sheep, which was the god of the Egyptians, could have placed them in danger. Similarly, circumcising yourself the day before you will be traveling in a wilderness can be dangerous (as that is the reason why Moshe initially did not circumcize his son Eliezer.
