This Shabbos, Chassidim celebrate Yud Shevat, the day marking the 74th anniversary of the passing of the Frierdike Rebbe and the beginning of the Rebbe’s leadership of our generation in the year 5710.
Prior to his passing, the Frierdike Rebbe gave out a series of discourses to be studied on upcoming days. The first Maamar was entitled Basi Legani and it was to be learned on Yud Shevat, the day on which the Frierdike Rebbe’s Neshama would leave the world.
Our Rebbe formerly marked his acceptance of the mantle of leadership by reciting a Maamar on the first Yartzheit of the Frierdike Rebbe in 5711. The Maamar began with the same opening words Basi Legani. In this Maamar, the Rebbe saw the directives to and mission of our generation.
Our mission is to draw the Divine presence back into a state of full revelation in our world, with the coming of Moshiach. This is the Avodah of building a Dirah Betachtonim, a dwelling place for Hashem in this world. The original prototype for this service was the construction of the Mishkan.
The walls of the Mishkan were made of beams of acacia wood – עצי שטים. The word שטים is related to the word שטות, meaning folly. Our sages teach that a person will not come sin unless they are possessed by a רוח שטות, a spirit of folly.
The spirit of foolishness emanating from our animalistic soul, deludes us to the fact that our sins separate us from Hashem and we feel that our spiritual connection will remain intact. This belief is illogical. Were we cognisant of the truth that our sins impact our connection, we would never succumb to temptation.
Just as there is a negative שטות that is irrational in the sense that it is ‘lower than intellect’, there is a holy שטות that is supra-rational - Shtus D’Kedusha. The holy שטות is the irrational dedication of the Neshama to Hashem that transcends the limitations of logic. Even when there are rational reasons and justifications to compromise or reduce our service, we go above and beyond with Kabolas Ol, no matter how ‘crazy’ it seems. This is expressed in serving Hashem with Mesiras Nefesh, self-sacrifice.
Incorporating beams of עצי שטים in the Mishkan represents our need to serve Hashem in this supra-rational manner.
At the time of their redemption from Egypt, the Jewish people are referred to as the Army of Hashem.
We are fighting Hashem’s battle in this world to overcome and eradicate the forces of negativity which conceal the true reality and presence of G-d within the world. Soldiers serve and fulfil their mission with absolute Kabolas Ol, ready to sacrifice their lives for the cause. We too must serve Hashem with absolute subservience, sacrifice and dedication, a holy folly.
Serving Hashem with the irrational dedication of Shtus D’kedusha is not a license to engage in extreme behaviours and do whatever we decide is necessary and important. Shtus D’Kedusha is not about what we do, but rather the attitude and dedication to doing what we are supposed to do.
This too is illustrated in the analogy of an army. The foot soldiers who go out to war with Mesiras Nefesh do not decide the battle strategy and actions that are to be taken. There is a hierarchy and chain of command who make these determinations. The foot soldier must then carry out the mission as given to them with irrational dedication.
Last week, a group of vigilante Bochurim decided to take matters into their own hands to deface 770, to carry out a mission that they saw fit. No doubt they considered their brazen actions as a Shtus of Kedusha and Mesiras Nefesh. But these soldiers went rogue.
In the army of Hashem, we have a chain of command starting with the Commander-in-Chief - Hashem Whose directives are set forth in Shulchan Aruch. We have the directives of our Rebbeim which include consulting and following the rulings of Rabbonim, Mashpiim and Ziknei Anash. These are analogous to the superior officers, who issue the directives and orders on what must be done. Were they consulted?
When the king sees the irrational dedication of his foot soldiers in carrying out their orders, he too does the irrational, releasing and squandering all of his treasures to supply his soldiers with whatever they require to ensure victory.
Let’s use this holy day to rededicate ourselves to seek the guidance and direction of our “superiors” and to follow the laws of Shulchan Aruch with absolute Mesiras Nefesh. Then Hashem will shower us with the deepest revelations to strengthen our souls and enable us to fight and finally win our battle.