Weekly Story: Yud Beis Tammuz Today
by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon
Around thirty years ago, I was in a bungalow colony with my father a”h , and during a farbrengen around Yud Beis Tammuz one of the men asked, “Reb Meir, you lived in Russia, you were imprisoned because you were a chassidishe Lubavitcher Jew. You lived through the arrest of the Frierdiker Rebbe and his liberation on Yud Beis – Yud Gimmel Tammuz, so to you Yud Beis Tammuz is relevant. But what mesiras nefesh does an American born Jew like me have? What does Yud Beis Tammuz mean to us?”
Thus began a farbrengen, a younger chossid turning to an elder chossid for guidance and inspiration. My father explained that Chassidus illuminates everything and gives a clearer definition of mesiras nefesh. On a general level it means that one is willing to put their life in danger to protect the glory of Hashem, and Boruch Hashem that is not necessary in America. However, there is a deeper meaning of Mesiras nefesh and that is giving over one’s will and desires to Hashem. I would like to do something but I don’t do it just because it is forbidden by the Torah, or even if it is permissible, who says I should do it.
A person may enjoy for example, living in an affluent neighborhood, where you can have a swimming pool in the backyard. But you gave that up for one reason; you desire that your children grow up in the Rebbe’s atmosphere and that is more important than your personal desires. You are willing to forgo your own pleasures for the chinuch (education) of your children. That is the American mesiras nefesh.
As the Chassidic saying goes, “What is forbidden is forbidden [and therefore one will not do], and what is permissible, is not a necessity to do.” This is based on the saying of our sages, “Sanctify yourself in what is permissible to you.” He then expounded how mesiras nefesh is applicable to each and every one of us in America.
Since then, I have heard this concept at numerous farbrengens, each mashpia using his own terminology and applications.
Now, I will like to present to you the Frierdiker Rebbe’s two answer to this question:
During the month of Av, 5689 (1929), the Frierdiker Rebbe visited Eretz Yisroel for two weeks, spending most of the tim in Yerushalayim. On motzei Tisha B’Av he farbrenged there for four hours, together with the students and administration of Toras Emes.
One of the points he discussed was the mesiras nefesh of Russian Jewry, which is evident even by their children. Boys who are ten or eleven years old were going to cheder, however it was considered illegal there, so it has to be hidden and maintained as a secret. Sometimes the authorities found out where the learning was taking place, and they would torture these boys to divulge the names of their teachers and administrators. However, the boys chose to endure the pain and torture and would say, “I haven’t a clue of what you are talking about. “
Having Mesiras nefesh is difficult, yet when you look at it from the perspective of מלמעלה, Hashem Above, that shows the true bond and connection of a neshoma to Hashem. [As we all learned last week in the maamar of Vaatah titzaveh].
Here in Eretz Yisroel, Boruch Hashem you can learn openly and there is no law that prevents you from learning. But nonetheless, you should have mesiras nefesh when you learn. Your mesiras nefesh is to overcome whatever obstacles that you may have or encounter in your learning. This is something that is applicable to every person no matter where he is living; he has challenges and things that can hinder to his learning. Mesiras nefesh is to overcome them.
Additionally, there is a letter the Frierdiker Rebbe wrote to the Rebbe on the 13th of Sivan 5693 (1933);[1] there he explains an entire different lesson to take from the story of his arrest and liberation.
“Although it is five years, since my 7th and final arrest, I contemplate on it from time to time. Quite often the Torah gives a parable for us to understand a concept that initially might be difficult to understand. However, though the parable, which we are able to understand it, we gain an insight into the concept that it is alluding to, until we can truly understand it completely.
Everyone understands that being imprisoned, even if it is only for a few hours as was the case of my first six imprisonments is not just pain and suffering, but it is torturous for the person. The person cannot do what he wants, he cannot talk what he wants or to whom he wants. He cannot go where he wants or when he wants. He is in agony.
[Author’s note: Even those of us who were spared from the Covid19, the fact that we were forced to remain in our house and not visit family and friends, although we could call or even zoom with them was uncomfortable. How much more so, is the suffering of one who is imprisoned].
So now imagine the anguish and grief the neshoma has when it comes down into a body. The neshoma of each and every Jew, without any exception, desires only one thing; to be connected to G-dliness. However, it is forced to enter the physical body, which by Hashem’s design leans toward physical pleasures. So it is a lifelong struggle, whose desire will prevail.”
If we would only contemplate on this thought from time to time, that will give us an entire new perspective in how we should conduct our life. It will empower us to have mesiras nefseh.
The joy and exhilaration the Frierdiker Rebbe experienced when he was granted his freedom pales to the delight and ecstasy the neshoma experiences when it is in control and fulfills a mitzvah.
So on Yud Beis Tammuz let us give the neshoma the freedom it yearns for, let it reign.
Your feedback is always appreciated. In a response concerning last week’s post, I should have clarified that Rabbi Hendel tied the back string in front of him, not that he tied the right front to the right back.
This weeks’ post is l’zechus the complete ans speedy recovery of my sister Chaya Rivka bas Cheyena, together with all who need a refuah shleima.
Rabbi Sholom 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
P.S. I am glad to inform the readers that Boruch Hashem the biography on the Rebbe Rashab is in its final editing stage and 291 out of the 611 pages have been edited. Illustration are being made.
[1] This letter was originally printed in HaTomim, and there it is noted, it was written to one of his son-in-law’s. The letter is in vol. 3 of his Igros kodesh, pp.
Tonight in Lecho Dodi we say B’Simcha instead of B’Rina. Rabbi Moshe Herson relates that in 5714 (1954) he was at the Ohel and heard the Rebbe saying [to the Frierdiker Rebbe] as he was leaving the Ohel, “Gut Yom_Tov Rebbe
