Weekly Story: Yud Shevat Farbrengen
by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon
In this weeks post I will share some of the thoughts I mentioned during the Yud Shevat farbrengen in Empire Shtiebel. Your comments and feedback are always welcome.
I realized last Shabbos that the statement “Small trees give off fine fruit,” was said to Rebbetzin Rivkah and not to Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah.
One of the points that is always mentioned in a Yud Shevat farbrengen is that is when our Rebbe said his first maamar, and it began with the words Basi L’gani.
In order to appreciate this aspect better, we have to understand what a maamar is.
The Mitteler Rebbe had a chossid who was a melamed by the Ruzhiner. One day the chossid felt he wasn’t feeling well and asked the Ruzhiner if he can take a short leave of absence, saying he has to go to the [Mitteler] Rebbe.
The Ruzhiner knew that the melamed was always meticulous in fulfilling his obligations so he agreed, however, he said: “Ask Reb Ber, if he can send a manuscript of a maamar.”
After the Rebbe gave him a brocha for what he came for, the chossid relayed the Ruzhiner’s request. The Rebbe took a quill and quickly wrote a maamar of four pages.
When he presented the pages to the Ruzhiner, he stopped whatever he was doing and began reading and studying it.
After learning the first page he said “kluhr” [clarity], when he concluded the second page he stated “Lichtik” [Illuminating]. After the third page he said “Kodesh” [Holy] and when he finished learning the fourth page he exclaimed “Kodesh Kodoshim” [Holy of Holies].
We see from this, that a maamar is much more than a sicha when the Rebbe says a thought. Therefore while many chassidim sat when the Rebbe would speak, however, everyone stood when the Rebbe recited a maamar.
So what is unique about a maamar?
The Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek once said a maamar. While the chassidim were reviewing it there was a question of what is the meaning of a concept that the Rebbe mentioned. Reb Hillel of Paritch expressed his opinion that it means one thing while other chassidim said that they think it means something else.
Being that neither one could convince the other, it was decided to present the two options or thoughts to the Rebbe himself and ask which one is correct, without mentioning who said what.
When the Rebbe’s answer came back, Reb Hillel wasn’t convinced and he said; “When the Rebbe says a maamar, it is the shechina speaking through his throat.
“So it is Torah from Hashem, and Torah has to be understood by human intellect and this is how I understand it.”
The Rebbe Maharash said to Reb Hillel, “Yes, it is the shechina speaking, but don’t you think that the one who the shechina chose to speak through has a better understanding of what the Shechina meant?!”
With this, we can understand why on Yud Shevat 5711 the chossid Rabbi Nemtzov said; “The sichos are fine, but the chassidim want to hear a maamar,” and why after the Rebbe said the maamar all of the chassidim recited the brocha of Shehechiyanu; as by saying the maamar the Rebbe revealed that yes the shechina is emanating from his throat and it was not like the sichos he has said throughout the year.
He is not just a teacher and Mashpia, but he is Rebbe!
Now that we have a greater appreciation of what a maamar is, we can learn and gain an insight into the message of the maamar.
I heard the following thought from Rabbi Shimon Raichik a”h.
The maamar begins with the words, “I came to my garden/orchard.” One can ask what is significant about a garden/orchard, and why doesn’t the possuk say that I came to my palace or resort.
A palace and one can say a beautiful palace for a king is a necessity just like a house to live in is a necessity for a person. However, a garden and orchard are not considered necessities . But a person plants one for relaxation, enjoyment and delight.
Additionally, a house or palace once it is built properly, while they need daily maintenance, the maintenance is not back-breaking, and if neglected, only after a long time does it become an eye-sore. However, a garden and orchard need constant and back-breaking maintenance.
It has to be watered, hoed, pruned, or removing the weeds, etc. And if you neglect doing so, after a short time period it can lose its luster and appeal.
The message from this is, we find ourselves in a world that some may say it is a jungle; things are just not proper. People in power abuse their power for their benefit etc. and etc, I don’t have to list what is commonly mentioned by all.
However, the maamar is telling us that is not the way to look at G-ds creation!
The world in essence is a garden, not just a regular gardeb, but a beautiful one, but yes, through the actions of some of its inhabitants there are some thorns and weeds that began sprouting in it, causing it to fall in disarray.
So it is our job, honor, and responsibility to bring it back to its beauty and luster, by working in and with it.
A good gardener believes in their capabilities that with effort over a period of time he can restore even a neglected garden into a masterpiece.
We were given the honor and responsibility to restore the world in a dwelling place where the entire world will proclaim Hashem Echad.
In essence, we are not being asked to create a new reality, rather we are restoring the world to what it originally was: Hashem’s place of enjoyment.
Then there is another component in Yud Shevat, and that is just as the Rebbe became our Rebbe, we accepted to become his chassidim.
I heard the following story a few weeks ago.
On a date, the girl asked the boy, “What does being a Lubavitcher mean to you?”
The boy replied, whatever he answered.
That is the question we have to ask ourselves; “What does it mean to us that we are chassidim of the Rebbe?”
Chassidim of other tzaddikim will answer that they go to their Rebbe’s tisch.
A ben Torah will answer he learns Daf Yomi.
Each person does something that identifies him as such.
Like the famous story of Reb Shmuel Munkis; in front of a shoe story is a shoe etc. And in front of the Rebbe’s house is a chossid.
So as we celebrate the Rebbe’s kabalas hanesius, especially in the year that we are preparing for Yud Aleph Nissan 120, what is each one of us doing to bring out our hiskashrus to the Rebbe.
We all hear, how shluchim are committing themselves collectively to establish one thousand two hundred mosdos/institutions. The question is what extra are we committing ourselves to? It doesn’t have to be grandeur, but it has to be solid.
For example if we make a commitment to add in our learning, be the Rebbe’s teachings or something else, let us designate a time for it, that at that time, we stop our activities and learn. The easiest way to do this is if we have alearning partner that is waiting for us.
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
