Weekly Story: Is It A Step Backwards or Forward?

By Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon

In the early 50’s there was a bochur that began to learn seriously only after he completed high-school and became a student in 770. However, shortly after he joined the Yeshiva, he received a notice from the government that he is being drafted into the army and will be fighting in the Korean War.[1]

Obviously he was disappointed for various reasons, in addition of the danger, he was fearful that it may have a negative effect on his spiritual growth. So he entered the Rebbe’s room for a yechidus and asked, if he should perhaps avoid the draft and go learn in Canada.

The Rebbe’s answer was, you have nothing to fear. You will go and return healthy, and you will be able to make a Kiddush Hashem.

He thanked the Rebbe for this brocha, but he mentioned that he feels it was a step backwards in his spiritual growth.

The Rebbe replied, it is explained in Chassidus that the reason for every descent is in order to have an ascent to a higher level than before. And the only way to achieve the ascent is by having the temporary descent.

However, the bochur whose name is Mendel G. made a facial expression which demonstrated he doesn’t understand these words, and how it applies to his situation.

So the Rebbe instructed him to place a chair in front of himself. After that was done, the Rebbe asked him if he can jump over the chair.

He answered, no.

The Rebbe then instructed him to take a few steps backwards and then asked him, Now would you be able to jump over the chair?

This time the bochur replied, Yes. I can run a few steps and jump over it.

The Rebbe said, so you see by taking a few steps backwards you are now able to go forward, in a place where you wouldn’t be able to previously. So too, this, what you think or consider as a setback, is in order to allow you to attain a height that you wouldn’t attain otherwise.

I chose this story as we are all under some form of containment etc., and to many of us this is a major step backwards. We can’t daven in a minyan, we can’t attend shiurim and our children are not in Yeshiva, and so on.

Yet we have to realize that each step backwards is in order to enable us to leap forward.  When we will be able to resume everything, we will do it with greater intensity, with enjoyment and vigor. But in truth, we don’t have to wait to make that leap. Even now, we can utilize this thought to fulfill the directive of Rashi on the first possuk of Bechookoisai, that one should toil in Torah. Toiling is a much deeper level of learning than just learning regularly. We can now find numerous Shiurim and farbrengens on Zoom etc.

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

[1] The war was from 1950-53.