A group of Satmar chassidim once met with the Rebbe. They were there on a mission, trying to get the endorsement of the Rebbe for what they were planning to do: There was a certain individual (I think it was Y. L. Maimon (originally Fishman), the founder of the World Mizrachi Organization, a very talented scholar (a mechaber as well), but who was the source of considerable anguish to a number of gedolei Yisroel), who they felt had crossed certain lines. They wanted to come out with a very severe condemnation of him (or worse...), and they were seeking the Rebbe’s endorsement.
During the yechidus, when they revealed to the Rebbe the identity of the person about whom they had come, the Rebbe exclaimed “Er iz doch nit do!” [lit. He’s no longer around]. They were shocked to hear this, since they hadn’t heard anything before they had left to their appointment with the Rebbe.
They assumed it must have just happened, and they asked the Rebbe, in surprise: “Ven iz dos geshen?” [When did it happen]. The Rebbe replied: “Zint tof reish pei zayin, ven er iz arois antkegen di shver, iz er nito!” [Since 5687, when he opposed the Frierdige Rebbe, he doesn’t exist]. They left the yechidus in shock! They realized that – although they considered themselves to be great kano’im, the Rebbe was, in fact, the true kano’i.
Our avoda is to understand and realize in our own minds – what is the truth and reality according to Torah in any case – that אלץ איז הבל הבלים because ein od milvado. We have to know in our thoughts and our minds that anything that is not part of our avodas Hashem, let alone something that seems to be an obstacle to our shlichus in this world, is “nit do”, it doesn’t exist! It doesn’t exist regardless of us, and we have to merely understand this and acknowledge it. Not as a mitzvah that we perform with dibbur,
not even as something that is reflected (merely) in our actions, but as something that permeates our mind and our thoughts, that governs our whole consciousness, that we truly know and believe in a way that’s אמת ויציב ונכון וקיים וישר וכו '!
L’chaim! May we all do what it takes to be mevatel chometz in any form it comes, and come to the full realization that Hashem Hu hoElokim ein od milvado, and may the Eibishter in turn remove all traces of chometz from the world, and burn away the last remnants of golus with the immediate revelation of Moshiach Tzidkeinu TUMYM!!!
Rabbi Akiva Wagner
