Weekly Dvar Torah: Forever Joyful
It happened once that the Miteler Rebbe (2nd Chabad Rebbe) heard the reading of the curses (this week’s Parsha) and it sickened him so much so, that many weeks later, his father was concerned about his fasting on Yom Kippur.
When asked about what was different this year, wasn’t it in the past that he heard the same curses but he was never so negatively affected, and this year he became so sick? The Miteler Rebbe replied; every year I hear the reading from my father (The Alter Rebbe, first Chabad Rebbe), and when father reads the curses they don’t sound negative at all!
How does one come to rise above the mundane understanding of “curses”?
The curses end with a statement from G-d; “because you failed to serve G-d with joy, these events (curses) befell upon you!
Wow! So this is not about failing to serve G-d, rather it is all about not being joyous!!!!
How can one be forever happy?
For this we thank G-d for giving us two gifts for which we celebrated on Thursday 18th of Elul, 323 years ago He gave us a gift in the person of the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of the Chasidic movement, and 276 years ago He gave us a gift in the person of The Alter Rebbe, Reb Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the first Rebbe of Chabad.
They introduced to us the methods of how to serve G-d with Joy, the Baal Shem Tov introduced ecstasy about feeling close to G-d, and the Alter Rebbe showed us how to attain that ecstasy and joy, by understanding and internalizing this closeness.
Some people get their pleasure from food, some get their pleasure from music, some get their pleasure from intellectual stimulation, these are obviously differences that separate the material from the spiritual, food is extremely materialistic, music is definitely more spiritual, and intellectuality takes you all the way up there to be able to rise above all else.
A real intellectual will not be as upset for missing his favorite brisket as would an overeating foodie, and a music lover will satisfy his hunger with a good rendition of Beethoven.
When you understand intellectually and you internalize that you are forever close to G-d, and that no matter what, G-d is always your father, you never feel alone, and you know that someone has your back and is forever looking after you, so why would a little less tasty food or even some harsher materialistic difficulties sadden you, you still have your musical or intellectual pleasure.
G-d is forever your father, and is forever right there with you and near you.
The Baal Shem Tov and The Alter Rebbe gave us the tools and the methods to be able to rise above the mundane and materialism, they taught us how to feel G-d’s presence with us at all times, they explain how to appreciate G-d as our father, and when such a father is around, He is forever looking after us, and he always has our back, and this way one is able to forever be full of joy even when things are not going so smoothly.
Let’s meditate on this fatherly blessing, this will bring us joy, and poof all the curses, because we will all feel blessed.
And blessed we will be with a good New Year.
Have a Joyous and fatherly blessed Shabbos
Gut Shabbos
Rabbi Yosef Katzman
P.S. Welcoming our newest (yet unnamed) grandson, a boy to my daughter Chaya Mushka and Yankel Raskin, may we all share Simchas and Nachas forever with joy.
