Once on Succos, the Previous Rebbe told a story about the Mittler Rebbe as a child.
At the age of six, he started learning Gemarah. The village doctor, Reb Ber, lived in the boy’s teacher’s house. One day his teacher, Reb Avraham, and Reb Ber were sitting on the porch and Reb Ber commented that it was already well into Elul and he had not yet collected leeches. (Back then, leeches were used to remove “bad” blood and allow healthy blood to circulate freely. Elul was already towards the end of summer, and the leeches could not be found in the colder months).
When the future Mittler Rebbe returned home from school, he entered the outer room of his house. A group of young married students were speaking about something and laughing.
The boy said, “We are already deep in Elul, the leeches have not been harvested, and you are sitting and laughing!?”
The precocious 6-year-old then explained to them that the leeches eliminate “bad” blood and cause the healthy blood to circulate with greater vitality. This, in essence, is the spiritual service of the month of Elul, the preparation for Rosh Hashanah.
His words made a strong impression. The Chassidim thought that he must have heard it from his father, the Alter Rebbe.
When the Alter Rebbe heard about it, he clarified that his son had heard it from Reb Ber.
The Alter Rebbe commented that the Baal Shem Tov and the Magid learned a way of serving Hashem through everything they heard and saw. “We also serve according to their ways, and our children have acquired that service in their blood.” He concluded, “One who truly serves Hashem gains a rooted spark which will be passed down as a natural inheritance to his children and their children’s children.”.
As a result of that teaching, the floor of shul was damp from tears on Rosh Hashanah that year; while on Simchas Torah, the people danced so intensely that their shoes were torn.
Our Rebbe asks “Why did the Previous Rebbe tell this story on Succos? In fact, why are we telling it now on Simcha Torah when apparently, its connection is to Elul?”
Elul is a preparation for Rosh Hashanah. The Previous Rebbe teaches, as brought down in “Hayom Yom” that Shmini Atzeres [which includes Simchas Torah] and Rosh Hashanah are one. On Rosh Hashanah, the service is expressed through bitterness [The leeches take out the bad blood]. On Simchas Torah, we serve Hashem through happiness and joy. [The healthy blood circulates with more vitality.]
[simchas torah 5723]
