Growing Further
On Simchas Torah in the year תרמ”ח (1887), when the Rebbe Rashab was honored with the first hakafa, he said that he was not yet ready. He called over a certain wholesaler and asked him to explain the nature of his business. The chossid explained that he brought merchandise from the big city and distributed it to the small retailers, and those who paid for the goods they had been given the previous time received a new batch on credit.
Hearing this, the Rebbe said, "After we have paid up our bill with the avoda of chodesh Elul, Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkos, Simchas Beis HaShoeiva and Shemini Atzeres, we can now go to hakafos and get new merchandise on credit." (The word hakafa also means credit.)
However, at the next year’s hakafos the Rebbe Rashab added: "When a poor storekeeper accepts merchandise on credit, he is glad to be trusted, but his main concern is to profit. On Simchas Torah we rejoice about the credit – that is, the kochos we are given on trust – but the real rejoicing comes when we succeed in paying back the debt for the 'merchandise,' when we utilize what we have received for Torah and mitzvos."
(סה"ש תש"ה ע' 57, אג"ק מוהריי"צ ח"ט ע' שע)
The Frierdiker Rebbe related: After the seuda on Simchas Torah, it was the minhag of my father, the Rebbe Rashab, to announce: "Now is the time for veYaakov halach ledarko ('and Yaakov took to the road'). After the avoda of Tishrei, Yidden hit the road and take the path of Torah and mitzvos throughout the entire year.
(אג"ק מוהריי"צ ח"א ע' קצ"ד)
The Frierdiker Rebbe said that at the annual fair we acquire merchandise, and when we go home we unpack it and use it throughout the whole year as needed. Similarly, during the month of Tishrei, every Yid is given ruchniusdike merchandise to provide for his needs during the whole year. However, one must open the packages, and do with the merchandise whatever is needed. It must be unpacked immediately, for otherwise it may fall apart or dry out, and sometimes the mice will be impatient (veln arein-chapn) and nibble it...
(סה"ש תש"ז ע' 74, אג"ק ח"ד ע' י"ח, לקו"ש ח"כ ע' 556)
The Rebbe explained: After the month of Tishrei, the avoda required is to draw Yiddishkeit and kedusha into the mundane activities of the year. All our activities, even eating, drinking and business, should be done in a Yiddishe way – eating with a beracha, thanking HaShem for the food, and doing business honestly, without intruding on another's livelihood.
(לקו"ש ח"ט ע' VII)
Taking to the Road
A chossid who earned his parnasa by managing a tavern traveled to visit the tzaddik, Reb Arye Leib, better known as the Shpoler Zeide, to pour out his heart. He was afraid that his constant contact with the coarse customers who frequented his tavern might dull his spiritual sensitivity.
The Shpoler Zeide smiled and said, "It seems that you want to fulfill your purpose as a Yid by being presented with a sack full of gold, being seated in a clean and splendid palace, dressed in silken garments with a shtreimel on your head, and being surrounded by shelves filled with holy sefarim..., and then you will be able to serve HaShem by davening and studying Torah with a clear, pure mind. But if HaShem wants individuals to serve Him without any distractions, for that He has countless myriads of malochim! The real delight that He finds in this world comes from those who are surrounded by obstacles and hardships and feel that they are confined in a gutter – and despite this they think about HaShem and anxiously yearn for the moment when they will be able to say just a few words to Him. No malach can experience such a longing!"
The Shpoler Zeide concluded, "Don't complain about your livelihood. On the contrary, thank HaShem for having given you the privilege of serving Him in this manner!"
(סיפורי חסידים זוין מועדים ע' 380)
Every Shabbos, during seuda shlishis, the chassidim of Reb Yitzchak Aizik of Zhidachov would sit in awed silence as the tzaddik sang moving niggunim and expounded lofty divrei Torah. So deeply were they engulfed by a profound yearning for teshuva and ruchniyus, that the morning following one such Shabbos, none of the visiting businessmen wanted to leave. It did not even occur to them that they should now be returning to their mundane affairs.
Not knowing this, the tzaddik asked his sons why no one had yet left. They went to investigate, and were told, "Only yesterday our Rebbe made all worldly things so unworthy in our eyes, that we are ashamed to face him with our problems about our farm animals and our businesses."
Hearing this, the tzaddik smiled and related that there had been a similar occurrence with the tzaddik, Reb Menachem Mendel of Rimanov, who had then told his chassidim, "Shabbos is one thing; weekdays are something different. Let the businessmen return to their homes and engage honestly in their commerce."
Reb Yitzchak Aizik went on to quote the words of Tehillim: "The heavens belong to HaShem, but the earth He has given to man," that is, to labor. Hearing his message, each chassid folded up his tallis, packed his bags, and returned home to his daily affairs.
(סיפורי חסידים זוין מועדים ע' 166)
Consider
What does it mean to “unpack” the ruchniusdike merchandise? And what does it mean that otherwise it will “fall apart,” “dry out” or “mice will nibble it”?
Why did HaShem make us earn a livelihood through physical work: To elevate the world or to elicit a greater love for Him?
