In an essay on the month of Elul the Chidushei Harim brings the following story. (We have brought the full version of the story)
The Ari Hakadosh was studying with his students. One of his young students entered and came to discuss something with his Rebbi the Ari Hakadosh. It was Rabbi Shmuel Azidah, later the author of Midrash Shmuel on Pirkei Avos.
The Ari Hakadosh stood up in honor of his student and called out, "Boruch Habba." He took Rabbi Shmuel aside and spent a long time talking to him. The other students were amazed. They couldn't understand why their Rebbi had stood up in honor of one of the younger students.
Afterwards Rabbi Chaim Vital went up to his Rebbi and said, "Rebbi, I cannot hold back and I have to ask the Rebbi, what was so special that Rabbi Shmuel received such honor, something the Rebbi has never done in the past?"
The Ari Hakadosh replied, "you should know that I never stood up for Rabbi Shmuel, nor did I say Boruch Habba to him. When he walked in, he was accompanied by the holy Tanna Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair who was above his head, and it was to him I said Boruch Habba. And the reason Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair accompanied him is because he did a Mitzva today that Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair used to do regularly in his lifetime."
The Ari Hakadosh went on to explain the depth behind the words of Chazal that say 'Habo Litaher Mesa'ayin Oisoi' someone who comes to purify himself and better his behavior he is helped from Heaven. This means that when a person wants to do a Mitzva, then a Tzaddik or Tzaddikim that in their lifetime focused and searched after this Mitzva, their Neshama comes down and joins the person doing the Mitzva. And it is with their help we can succeed in fulfilling the Mitzva. Without their help the Yetzer Harah would entice us not to do the Mitzva and we wouldn't have the power to fight.
Rabbi Chaim Vital was even more curious now. So he went out looking for Rabbi Shmuel and asked him, "please tell me what Mitzva you did today?"
Rabbi Shmuel replied, "This morning I got up early and I went to Shul. On my way I heard terrible crying. I decided to check it out. So I followed the noise and entered the home. There I saw a whole family without any clothes on crying bitterly. They told me that robbers had broken into their home and taken everything from them. They had even forcibly taken their clothing they were wearing. So I took off my outer clothing and gave it to the father and I went home and put on my Shabbos clothes, as you can see I am wearing my Shabbos clothes."
Rabbi Chaim Vital kissed him and went back to the Ari Hakadosh and told him the story.
The Ari Hakadosh replied, "Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair used to do Pidyon Shevuyim (redeeming people who were kidnapped) and help poor and broken people. That is why he came down to join Rabbi Shmuel."
The Chidushei Harim continues and says that similarly when a person does Chessed sincerely then Avraham Avinu comes down and joins him as Avraham Avinu was the master on Chessed.
In addition when a person does Bikur Cholim - visiting a sick person, it is also Chessed and Avraham Avinu comes and joins that person. And we know that Avraham Avinu wore a special stone that whoever was sick and looked at this stone was cured. So when a person does Bikur Cholim it actually brings a partial healing to the sick person. Furthermore, Hashem did the Mitzva of Bikur Cholim and visited Avraham Avinu. So when we do Bikur Cholim, Hashem joins us too.
Similarly, we know that the three Tefilos; Shachris, Mincha and Maariv were instituted by Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov. So when we daven properly and sincerely they come and join us too.
Also it is brought down that the three meals on Shabbos are connected to the three Avos, Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov and Melave Malka is connected to David Hamelech.
In addition, when a person serves Hashem and does Mitzvos with Ahavah - love, the Middah of Avraham Avinu, then they get help from Avinu. When done with Yirah - with fear of Hashem - Yitzchak Avinu comes to help as he is the Middah of Yirah. And when done with Emes - truth, then we receive help from Yaakov Avinu.
This is such a powerful message and gives us a whole new outlook in our Avodas Hashem and doing Mitzvos. We aren't on our own, we are receiving help from Tzaddikim in Heaven that their Neshama comes down, joins us and gives us the strength to succeed.
There are so many examples. When we learn Torah we can receive the help of Moshe Rabbeinu, when we try and make peace we can be helped by Aharon Hakohen, when we watch our eyes we receive help from Yosef Hatzaddik.
The Imrei Emes of Gur, asked his father the Sefas Emes (and grandson of the Chidushei Harim), what was the connection of the story with the Ari Hakadosh and Rabbi Shmuel to Elul that the Chidushei Harim brought in his essay on Elul?
The Sefas Emes replied that in Elul Moshe Rabbeinu went up to Heaven to receive the second set of Luchos. During this time Klal Yisrael were busy doing Teshuva and repenting for the terrible sin of the Eigel - the golden calf. Therefore when a person does Teshuva, they are joined by the Jews of that generation, the Dor Deiah, who did Teshuva.
The Sefas Emes added that the Gemara Avoda Zarah (4:) brings that really Klal Yisrael shouldn't have sinned but Hashem gave a certain power to the Yetzer Hara that managed to make them sin in order that in any time during history that a person sins and thinks he has lost it, he should be inspired by the Jews in the dessert that sinned, did Teshuva and their Teshuva was accepted, so too everyone's Teshuva will be accepted.
If so, for sure, those Jews who sinned by the Eigel will be of assistance and join anyone doing Teshuva, especially during the month of Elul when they did Teshuva.
What a new outlook to our Avoda of Teshuva in Elul and our Avodas Hashem all year round. We are not on our own. And if we put in effort, who knows which Tzaddik or Tzaddikim are with us and helping us.
May we merit too to do Teshuva sincerely, to do Mitzvos properly and merit that the Tzaddikim from Heaven come down, join us and help us, giving us the strength to do our Avodas Hashem the way deep down we all really want to do.
