In the month of Ellul, everyone is busy with their preparations for the upcoming Rosh Hashonoh. And Chassidim, in addition, are very preoccupied with preparations to travel the Rebbe for this day. As the vort of Chassidim, on the words of Chazal “Rebbi lo shonoh Chiyoh minayin”; - “az men iz nisht baim Rebbin oif Rosh Hashonoh, Chiyoh minayin, vu nemt men chayus oif a gantz yohr” [if one doesn’t spend Rosh Hashonoh by the Rebbe, from where will he draw life for the entire year].
What does it mean to “go to the Rebbe”? Especially today, in this era of helem vehester, when we can neither see nor hear the Rebbe? Surely, part of ‘going to the Rebbe’ is a spiritual journey. It entails leaving behind our mundane concerns, our usual preoccupation with abundant narishkeiten, with the pursuit of the foolish and insignificant worldly pleasures, and slowly elevating ourselves to a higher plane. The first step towards that is altering our mindset. For, as long as our thoughts continue to be immersed in worldly falsehoods, we can’t possibly consider ourselves to be by the Rebbe.
[Once, during a farbrengen, the Rebbe was giving brochos to the Jews in Russia. The Rebbe said “L’chayim far di vos zennen nisht do” [L’chayim on behalf of those who are unable to be here (physically), i.e. the Jews trapped behind the iron curtain]. The Rebbe then paused, and continued with an additional brocho – “L’chayim far di vos meinen az zei zennen doh, ober zei zennen nisht doh” [L’chayim for those that believe themselves to be present here, but are in fact not here at all].]
And the way to change our mindset is to fill it with the Rebbe’s teachings. Learn an extra sicha; another maamar. Start another kvius in inyonei Moshiach u’geulah. Train your mind to view the world, the Golus, and the geulah in the way that the Rebbe trained us to.
In addition, undoubtedly, being ‘by the Rebbe’ entails ensuring that our conduct is the conduct that the Rebbe expects of us. This includes – besides extra diligence in following every directive of shulchan aruch in general – making sure we’re meticulous in Rambam, in chitas etc. And, obviously, being extremely careful not to ch”v be involved and acts that we are supposed to refrain from.
But, after all is said and done, ein inyan yoitzeh midei pshutoi. In addition to our spiritual preparations and our spiritual journey, Chassidim know that this is the time to pack our physical suitcases as well. Because being ‘by the Rebbe’ means also literally, to spend these holy days in those daled amos that are the physical daled amos of the Rebbe. Today too, despite the temporary darkness, Chassidim understand that this is the place where the Rebbe’s presence is (as the Rebbe indicated in numerous sichos), and it is between these walls where, if at all possible, we would like to find ourselves on the Yomim Nora’im.
The clock is ticking, un mir darfen zich areinchappen. We have to change our mindset, better our conduct, and embark on our journey – both physical and spiritual – to the Rebbe!
L’chaim! May we do our part to ensure the success of our journey to the Rebbe for Rosh Hashonoh, and may the Eibishter do His part, to ensure that we in fact find ourselves by the Rebbe, literally and physically and visibly, through the immediate revelation of Moshiach Tzidkeinu TUMYM!!!
Rabbi Akiva Wagner
