Weekly Story: May We Be Connected To The Head
Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon
As I conclude the sixth year of writing the Weekly Story, I thank all of you who have (commented, when comments were permissible), emailed me or encouraged me to continue writing it. I originally committed to write it for a year, some fifty articles and now it is almost 300.
One of the best type of stories are those that I have received from readers about their personal interactions with the Rebbe. This week’s story is another one of those stories.
Once again I ask of you to please share with me your stories, so that I can share it with our readers, worldwide.
May all of you, among all Jews be blessed with health, happiness and prosperity in an abundant measure, and may all of everyone’s hearts desires be fulfilled in a revealed manner, until we merit the coming of Moshiach tzidkeinu, may it be speedily in our days.
A kesiva v’chasima tova, l’shana tova u’mesukah.
As always your feedback is always enjoyed and appreciated.
It is the custom of many Jews that on Rosh Hashanah they eat from the head of a fish (or an animal) and say “May we be to a head…”
Chassidim ask, shouldn’t the expression be May we be a head, what does it mean “To a head”?
They explain that there is a deeper meaning to these words. We are expressing our sincere desire that we be connected to the head of the Jewish nation, namely the Rebbe. [As the acronym of Rebbe is, Rosh B’nei Yisroel].
The following story which I heard from the person himself exemplifies this thought in a most powerful way. When I told him I am posting it this week he requested that I don’t mention his name, and as always, I will honor that request.
Here it is:
This week at my nephew’s chassunah someone approached me and asked, “Who Are you”?
From past experiences I understand this means which Avtzon are you, so I replied, ‘I am [the author of] Shmuel Munkis.”
He replied I know you are not Shmuel Munkis, but yes you answered my question; you are the one that writes the books and the Weekly Story. I have a story for you that happened with me, if you are interested.
After I answered in the affirmative, he related:
Last year I was on a ventilator for eighteen days. Yes I had a severe case of Covid-19. I don’t remember too much of what happened during those weeks, but I do recall the following.
One day I was standing next to my body and the Angel of Death came over and said, “Come with me.”
“I will not go with you unless the Lubavitcher Rebbe says I can,” I replied.
He said something and a short time later, the Rebbe walked by. Looking at me, he then turned to the Malach Hamuveis and called him by a name that I never heard [evidently a name that is used in heaven] and said, “It is not yet his time, leave him.”
The Angel of death then disappeared and sometime later I came off the ventilator and regained all my capabilities.”
So as we prepare for Rosh Hashanah let us understand that Rosh Hashanah is the day that we declare Hashems’ kingdom over the entire universe, and we are His subjects. We therefore recommit ourselves to fulfill his laws, through which we come closer and connected to Him.
However, as good as our intentions are, we are not always certain that what we are doing is indeed Hashem’s will. But when we are connected to the head and listen to his guidance, we are assured that we are fulfilling Hashem’s will. (See the end of chapter two of Likutei Amarim Tanya).
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
