This idea is expressed very strongly in the maamar “Ve’Atoh Tetzaveh”: You may be a tzaddik who’s experiencing a similar level of giluy Elokus to what was in the beis hamikdash. But if there’s a forsaken corner of the world which is still grob, where they still eat pizza and drink beer, then what is your giluy Elokus worth?! It’s all you, it’s not about the Eibishter!
[The Rebbe conveyed the same idea to Rabbi Kahane when he requested a brocho for והאר עינינו בתורתיך; - you want to excel in your learning Torah, to experience the illumination derived from Torah, while we, while Jewry as a whole, continue to languish in the golus of chutzpa yasgeh?!]
On Chai Ellul, as we’re focussed on repairing the past Tishrei, we need to refocus on being with the Rebbe. Our cheshbon hanefesh about our own learning and davening are not merely about how good of a person they can make us, but about how our personal development and achievements are secondary to transforming the world into a dira lo yisborach; - rebuilding the beis hamikdash for the entire world. And this will speedily bring the true remedy for the month of Tishrei, when we will all see the binyan hamalchus and the meloch al ha’olam kulo bikvodecho in an open and revealed way TUMYM!
L’chaim! May we each take the chayus of Ellul and of Chai Ellul and internalize it and channel it into all aspects of our avodas Hashem, and may this, collectively, bring about the true chayus of Ellul, of melech basodeh and greeting the King in the most concrete and tangible and complete manner with the hisgalus of Moshiach Tzidkeinu TUMYM!!!
Rabbi Akiva Wagner
