opposite the Bais Hamikdosh Shel Maaloh. It is only proper that people should daven there. Therefore, the only solution is for me to move to Mezhibuzh and set up my court here.”
Rav Berish agreed to give up the Rabbanus, and he was healed from his sickness. The Baal Shem Tov moved to Mezhibuzh and davened in the old shul, which is known until today as the Bais Medrash of the Baal Shem Tov.
וְלֹא יָכֹל משֶׁה לָבוֹא אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד כִּי שָׁכַן עָלָיו הֶעָנָן וגו' (מ, לה)
And Moshe could not enter the Ohel Moed because the cloud rested upon it... (40:35)
Moshe Rabenu Could Not Stand in Their Presence:
Sefer Ach Pri Tevuah explains this pasuk by citing the Gemara (Bava Basra 75A) that says that in the future, Hashem will make seven chuppahs for every tzadik and “each and every one will be burned (from embarrassment) from the chuppah of his friend.” This is how it was with Moshe and Klal Yisroel. Moshe was equal to all of Klal Yisroel combined. Then, they committed the sin of the eigel hazahav and did teshuva by building the Mishkan. Moshe, however, had never sinned, so he never needed to do teshuva. He was a complete tzadik, and it is known that a complete tzadik cannot stand in the place where a baal teshuva stands (Brachos 34B).
For this reason, Moshe was unable to stand with the nation in the Ohel Moed because the nation was now on a higher level than him.
It also is stated that when the Bais Hamikdosh was built, the kohanim could not stand there because of the cloud of Hashem’s glory filled it (1 Malachim 8:11-12). The kohanim in all likelihood were complete tzadikim, while the nation were baalei teshuva. Since they were greater than the kohanim, the kohanim could not stand with them.
Parshas Hachodesh
Constant Providence:
The Kedushas Levi (on Parshas Shekalim) writes that we learn from Parshas Hachodesh that one may not, chas v’shalom, say that once Hashem created the world, He no longer cares about it. On the contrary, one must believe that Hashem constantly guides the world and renews it at all times, as the pasuk states: “In His goodness, He renews the creation every day, constantly.”
Uplifting Earthly Pleasures to Holiness:
The pasuk states (Shemos 12:2): “This month is for you (lachem) as the first of the months... of the months of the year.”
Rav Moshe of Kobrin zy”a (Imros Moshe) writes that the word “lachem” has the same letters as the word “melech” (king). This indicates that people accepted Hashem as their king at this time.
It then says that it will be “rishon” (the first). The word “rishon” symbolizes earthly pleasures, as is seen from the verse (Shemos 34:26): “The first of the crops of your land.” Thus, the pasuk can be understood as saying that the main way to accept Hashem’s rule is to uplift earthly pleasures and make them holy.
Renewal on Shabbos Hachodesh:
Sefer Sifsei Tzadik (Parshas Zachor, Ois 8) writes that on Parshas Hachodesh a spark of new light comes to this world that makes it possible to start life over literally like a new man.
Like a New Man:
The Bais Avrohom writes that this month is called “rosh” because it is an auspicious time to fix a person’s head. Even if one’s mind is full of impure thoughts, it can be renewed to start over from scratch. It says that it is the head of the entire year because one who renews himself at this time and accepts to serve Hashem will find that he receives His assistance all year.
Renewal of Torah:
Sefer Pri Tzadik writes that on this Shabbos, Heavenly influences come down to this world that help a person increase his limud haTorah. He relates that the Yid Hakodesh of Peshischa zy”a said that on this Shabbos, there is a renewal of the Divine influences of Torah.
The Geulah Will be in Steps:
Sefer M’Beer Tzadikim (Chelek 2, page 110) relates that the author of Shu”t Shoel U’Meishiv zy”a once told Rav Yehoshua of Belz zy”a that the Yerushalmi says that the ultimate geulah will be gradual. It will happen in steps, rather than all at once.
The Rebbe told him that he now understands the words we say in the Yotzros of Mussaf for Parshas Hachodesh, “Hinei zeh boh l’perakim.” (Behold, this comes in chapters.) This can be understood to mean that the ultimate redemption will be in chapters, and not all at once.
