After the petirah of the Yetev Lev of Sighet, zt'l, on the 6th of Elul 5643, his son, Reb Moshe Yosef of Uhel zt'l was very broken from losing his holy father. He thought that soon would be Rosh Hashanah and the holy days, and perhaps then he would pull himself together and return to his previous self. But the holy days passed, Succos and Simchas Torah passed, and he still couldn't find chizuk. He decided that for Shabbos Bereishis he would go to the Shinover Rav zt'l. He was sure he would find a cure for his broken heart there.
Friday night, the Shinover Rav explained the zemiros (בשבחין אזמר), the words כתרין להון נעביד יקירין במילין. He explained that יקירין means heavy (see Onkelos, Shemos 7:14). So, we can explain, כתרין להון נעביד "We will make a crown for Hashem, the King of the world, יקירין במילין from those things that are difficult for man." When he overcomes those trials, they become a crown for Hashem.
He told a mashal of a great king who was immensely beloved by all the people. They decided they would give him a gift, a precious crown made from the most beautiful gems and diamonds, to show him how much they loved him. Everyone donated as much as they could, and together, they amassed a large sum. But for some reason, the crown lacked chen. When people saw it, they didn't like it, and they couldn’t figure out what could possibly be the problem. They called an expert jeweler to explain where they went wrong and why the crown wasn't beautiful.
The jeweler examined the crown from various angles, and he immediately understood the problem. He explained that, generally, a crown is made so that you can see all of the gems and diamonds from whichever angle you look at it. But with this crown, you don't see the other gems when you look at a gem on one side. The only solution is to put in a simple mirror. Then you will see all the gems and diamonds together, and it will shine brightly, and the crown will have chen and beauty.
The nimshal is that the malachim give a crown to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, as we say, מעלה המוני מלאכים אלוקינו 'ה לך יתנו כתר, we have no inkling of their great avodah. However, keviyachol, something is lacking. Keviyachol, the crown lacks the chen and beauty. This is completed by human beings with יקירין מילין, their hardships and struggles; each person, in their own way, creates a crown for Hashem. זיי איבער זיך רייסט ער, he tears himself above the troubles to do Hashem's will.
When the Shinover Rav told this mashal, he repeated, around fifty times, זיך רייסט ער זיי איבער, and he said it with a fiery hislahavus. He tears himself above his troubles to do Hashem's will. When Reb Moshe Yosef heard this lesson, this consoled him. Although it was very hard for him that his father had left the world, but this is the service that will find favor in Hashem's eyes. And when he passes the test, it will become a crown.
