The story of Avrohom and the chosid teaches us a valuable lesson as we approach the month of Ellul. As Chassidim begin to plan their trips to the Rebbe, whether for Rosh Hashonah or the entire Tishrei, each of us anticipates spending the holy days in the daled amos of the Rebbe. For some, physical presence may not be possible, and the journey becomes a spiritual one. Regardless, preparations are necessary, including ensuring we have the means to make the trip.
However, as the chosid in the story reminds us, there is another, perhaps more important, factor to remember: we surely can’t come empty-handed. The Rebbe does not want us to bring him 30 ruble, or even 1000 ruble, but rather something meaningful. Like the chosid, we should be prepared to part with something that may cause us discomfort and inconvenience, and may prove difficult to carry out. In fact, perhaps he would like us to give our wedding band. Are we not enjoined as Chassidim to grant a get, to dissolve our marriage with worldly pleasures? Is not the goal and objective of a chosid to transform our connection and union with mundane pleasures to a connection and total preoccupation with G-dly pleasures? Then, surely the best gift we can bring to the Rebbe is a bit of practical implementation of this ideal.
This can be carried out in various ways: through learning a little bit more and a little bit better rather than playing or relaxing; through davening a bit more intensely, to the point of disregarding our worldly concerns; or perhaps through placing our own interests aside for the sake of ahavas yisroel.
[And we have to make sure, as well, that we’re not like the guy in Chida’s joke of the week: Avrohom walks into John Lewis department store and goes straight to the perfumery department. He says to an assistant, "Today is my wife Sharon’s birthday and I would like to buy her a nice bottle of French perfume." The assistant says, "That will be a nice surprise for her." Avrahom replies, "It sure will – she’s expecting a diamond necklace." We surely don’t want to risk coming with a gift that is a surprise because it’s much less than what was expected of us. Everyone needs to properly assess his abilities and goals. And that means – amongst other things – talking to your “Rav” (remember him), and be sure that not only don’t you overestimate your goals, but you don’t either underestimate them.]
The earlier we start working on it, the more we’ll be able to accomplish, and the more appropriate our gift will turn out to be. The main thing is to begin immediately, consistently, to work harder on those areas that are demanded from us to improve on (and we each know what they are for ourselves). And in general, - to see to it that we are greeting the King in a fitting manner, which means to touch up on our kabolas oil malchus shomayim. Simply said: to act like a good Jew; - to learn and daven and serve Hashem.
And, although we don’t have ulterior motives, like the chosid in the story the one who brings the gift may actually turn out to in fact be the recipient of an infinitely greater gift. Because the extra effort we put into greeting the King, into doing something extra for our connection with the Eibishter makes us a fitting keili for all of His brochos. Brochos in spiritual matters as well as in material matters, and first and foremost the ultimate brocho for the geulah ho’amitis vehashleima TUMYM!
L’chaim! May we all do what it takes to avoid journeying to the Rebbe empty-handed, and ensure rather that we each bring the most impressive gift that we are able to, and may the Eibishter in turn reciprocate and give to us, to all Jews and to the entire universe the ultimate long-awaited gift of the immediate hisgalus of Moshiach Tzidkeinu TUMYM!!!
Rabbi Akiva Wagner
לזכות 'ר שלום מרדכי הלוי בן ,רבקה לגאולה וישועה קרובה ,ושלימה י"תומ ממש ג"בטוהנוהנ
