How do we translate the word keruvim? The pasuk says 25:18 “You should make two keruvim of gold". Rashi says that the keruvim had the image of a child’s face, and the aron and the keruvim should be made "miksha"- together.
We also find the word keruvim in Parshas Bereishis when Adam was sent out of Gan Eden. The pasuk there also says the word keruvim and Rashi translates it as malachei chabala – angels of destruction. Why does Rashi translate the same word in two different ways? Says Rav Moshe Mordechai Epstein, really the keruvim have the appearance of a child. But where did you put this child, where did he grow up? If you place the child in the Bais Hamikdash on top of the aron hakodesh, in the place where the shechina rests, then he is like a malach. But if you take that child away from Torah, even if you place him at the entrance of Gan Eden, then he becomes an "angel of destruction" since he is detached from the Torah. When the keruvim are "miksha", created together with the aron, and remain in that place, then they are like malachim. But if you take them away from Torah, then they become malachai chabala.
The power of Torah is the strongest power that there is. It’s able to change a person, to sanctify and purify him and to rule over the entire world. The following story, brought down in sefer Yechi Reuven, shows us a glimpse of the power of Torah. Although the conclusion to the following story is still shrouded in mystery, it gives us a fraction of an insight into the holiness of the Megaleh Amukos and those connected to him physically and in spirit. And it shows us how the Torah rules supreme, giving unbelievable kochos to those that attach themselves to its purity.
Following the petiroh of the Megaleh Amukos on 13 Av 5393 (1623), a young stranger whom no one seemed to know appeared in Cracow. Soon after, the gabbai of the Chevra Kadisha of Cracow was surprised to see this newcomer at his door with a strange request. Confidently, he asked to buy the empty burial plot next to that of the Megaleh Amukos. The gabbai was horrified at the audacity of the request and angrily sent the young man away. But a few days later, the young man returned, begging the Gabai to have mercy on him and sell him the plot. As the man continued to plead, the gabbai thought of a plan.
"The treasury of the Chevra Kadisha is empty at the moment", thought the Gabbai. "I am no youngster anymore, while this fellow looks young and healthy. Why not sell him the plot and by the time he grows old and dies, I'll be long gone. The problem won't be mine; the Chevra Kadisha will have to decide how to deal with the situation". With only the four walls as witness, a deal was made. The stranger paid and acquired the burial place next to the Megaleh Amukos.
The satisfaction of the gabbai was, however, short-lived. On that very day, the young man died a sudden and mysterious death. At a loss, the gabbai of the Chevra Kadisha weighed up the facts. Was it allowed at all to place an unworthy stranger next to the holy tziyun? It's not even a favor for the man himself if he doesn't deserve it. Anyway, the money he paid went to tzedokoh, and nobody knew about the sale. The gabbai decided to just keep quiet and bury him somewhere else.
So, the man was buried by the Chevra Kadisha in an ordinary plot of the Cracow cemetery.
That night, as the gabbai lay asleep, the dead man appeared to him in a dream."I made a deal with you," he complained, "and you have not kept your part of the deal. I am therefore summoning you to the heavenly court." The gabbai awoke in a cold sweat. After a few minutes, he forced himself to calm down and decided to try to forget the whole thing. But night after night, the man was haunted by the same recurring dream, until he was forced to admit that this dream was true. Brokenhearted and gripped with fear and remorse, the gabbai went to the new Rav of Cracow, the Bach, and hesitantly told him the whole story. Trembling, the gabbai waited as the holy Bach deliberated for a few moments. "If the avreich comes to you again," instructed the Bach, "tell him that the Torah is not in Shomayim and that if he wants to summon you to a din Torah he should come to the head beis din of Cracow on a certain date." When the dream recurred that night, the gabbai gave over the message of the Bach and the avreich agreed to appear in Cracow's court.
On the agreed-upon day, a partition was set up in the beis din. Those present waited with bated breath until they heard a rustling sound from behind the mechitzoh, letting them know that the Neshama of the dead man had indeed arrived from on High. The Bach stood up and commanded that he present his case, and when he had done so, the Bach turned to the gabbai. "What do you have to say in your defense?" he asked. "It is true that I sold him the plot", stammered the gabbai, but I never really intended to bury him there. I only agreed to the sale because the Chevra Kadisha needed the money, and because the man was so stubbornly insistent. I don't even know his name, for he refused to tell me."
Turning back towards the partition, the Bach asked the spirit to reveal his identity so that they could find out whether he was worthy of being buried next to the Megaleh Amukos. However, he refused to give his name. "According to din," announced the Bach, "the sale should be valid. However, since we have no idea who this avreich is, and perhaps he is unsuitable to be the neighbor in death of our holy Rav zt"l, we will not do the job ourselves. Instead, we will open the grave of the avreich and the space next to Rabbeinu. If you are worthy to be next to the Megaleh Amukos, go over yourself to the place that you bought. If not, we are free of our obligations in this transaction."
Following the instructions of the Bach, the Chevra Kadisha opened both places. They were shaken to discover the next morning that the kever of the young man was empty, while the plot next to the Rav had been filled. Understanding that the unknown spirit had been a tzaddik nistar, but still unaware of his name, his matzeivoh was engraved as follows: "Here lies the unknown avreich, yo'id olov rei'o — his neighbor the Megaleh Amukos testifies to his greatness."
The power of the Torah is limitless, and the more we attach ourselves to the Torah, the more we acquire Chayei olam and become likened to angels. The further we move away from Torah and its teachings, r''l, the closer we move to angels of destructions. The choice is yours – what sort of keruvim do you wish to be?
